I just bought 97 Infiniti J30 - some questions

[lovebite]

Hi fellas,

I bought 97 Infiniti J30 with 128k. I paid 4.3k and it needs some minor works. I felt it runs farily good but is cosmetically blem. I believe it's mechanically fine and that's why I decided to take it.

Dings and scratches here and there, and two noticeable dents are present. Leather interior has some wear with some cigarette burns. It looks older than its age.

Surprisingly, the seller doesn't have any maintenance records even the owner's manual! He told me he hasn't had any major problems before and replaced the timing belt at 100k. But I'm not quite sure at this moment.

I really like its performance but it seems to lack the power at lower speed. On the freeway, it runs great.

The BOSE car stereo is dead.

Could you guys suggest me the first to-do things? Any comments would be appreciated.

[Jesda]

If there's no proof the timing belt was done, its possible the car was sold to you to avoid the repair bill. Most often, the water pump and timing belt are done at the same time to save money (theyre hard to get at) and the total cost ranges from $500-$1200.

You bought an excellent vehicle, but the last owner may have put off a lot of important things. If you take the VIN number to your local Infiniti dealer, they should be able to pull up some of the records (but only for anything done at the dealer).

I'm sure some J30 owners will chime in with advice. Do some searches too.

-Jesda

[driverdriver]

If you live in a warm state (i.e. California, Arizona, etc) I would suggest a transmission cooler, as well as flush fill and filter change. J30 Transmission in warm climates tend to go.

[lovebite]

I brought my J to a local shop today. All the belts except the timing were replaced along with oil.

What a surprise! All three belts were severely worn out and I'm so suspicious about the timing belt. Lots of rust and corrosion underneath, because once it was driven in MD. I'm in CA now. A right front joint boot was torn apart. Rear shocks are to be replaced, which would cost me more than $700. I'm considering flushing the transmission oil as well.

I've never been told from the seller about any of above even though I kept asking him the maintenance records especially the timing belt replacement.

Disappointed but I'm planning to get all the job done and wondering how much it would be. Any ideas?

[Jesda]

The timing belt is best done simultaneously with the water pump. You'll save a good amount on labor doing both at once because of where theyre situated. I almost bought a used J this past spring, and the quote was a little over $700 at a local Firestone service center. I did not check with the dealer.

If the shop you choose to have the service done at allows you to bring your own parts, place your order with everythinginfiniti.com to save some money.

As driverdriver said, the J30 transmission tends to go out a bit soon in warm climates. Even in milder climates, you may run into problems later on without proper cooling (by adding an external transmission cooler) and proper fluid maintenance (annual or biannual flushes). What I'm saying is, dont consider flushing -- go ahead and do it. Drop the pan and change the filter while youre at it, and have a cooler installed (part is $40-$60, labor is about an hour or two).

-Jesda

[carlos_knology]

[quote=" lovebite

A right front joint boot was torn apart. [/quote]

Front joint boot? Are you talking about a CV joint? Surely not since the car is RWD. I'm trying to figure out what "boot" you're having to replace.

Carlos

[louiegz]

Front joint boot? Are you talking about a CV joint? Surely not since the car is RWD. I'm trying to figure out what "boot" you're having to replace.

Carlos

He must mean the tie rod boots. They're on my Q, and yes, they're worn. Im getteging them changed next month with 2 power stearing hose that leak.

[Omar]

Jesda, where can I get the transmission cooler for my J? I have asked around and was told that coolers for only the Q were in the market.

Please point me to the right direction. Thanks.

- Omar

[elwesso]

You can use the same one for the Q...

B/M 70268 at summit racing...

You can an OTC transmission cooler, but the B/M ones are cheaper and more efficient in cooling.....

[carlos_knology]

Jesda, where can I get the transmission cooler for my J? I have asked around and was told that coolers for only the Q were in the market.

Please point me to the right direction. Thanks.

- Omar

I got my transmission cooler at T3 in Atlanta. Maybe Dennis (Q45Tech) can tell you which cooler they use for the J30s.

Carlos

[carlos_knology]

He must mean the tie rod boots. They're on my Q, and yes, they're worn. Im getteging them changed next month with 2 power stearing hose that leak.

Ahhhhh. That makes sense. Mine were also replaced. I had the tension rod bushings replaced on my J30. Most dealers will want to replace the entire rod.

I got the bushings from Joe. I think they were around $25. Better than $90 for the entire rod.

Carlos

[maxnix]

For better cooling, try the B&M 70264 from http://www.summitracing.com . They should be a sponsor.

[lovebite]

Thanks guys for the useful info. My J is supposed to get all listed above done tomorrow. I decided to change the water pump as well.

Anyways, can the transmission cooler be installed DIY? Also, what is the best way to remove the cigarette burns inside? Considering the light-colored interior of J, that makes its beauty horrible.

[elwesso]

Definitely the transmission coler is DIY...

[lovebite]

Last week, J's got many parts replaced. Timing belt didn't seem to be replaced ever before. Damn the seller!!!

Timing belt, thermostat, and water pump were replaced altogether. I didn't plan to change the thermostat but a mechanic suggested me to replace it considering its positioning. Two rear struts were replaced and the boot at the rack and pinion was changed as well. transmission fluid and coolant were drained and refilled. Rear brakes were taken care of as well. Pads were replaced and rotors were polished. All listed took two days. It cost me more than 1.3k but now it runs very well.

Anyways, when I slam the door, the beeping sounds are heard from somewhere inside the hood. It sounds like 'b-b-beep' with a very short pulse. While running, J also makes a tantalizing rusty noise. I supposed it might be from the bad shocks and struts before but now it keeps making the same noise. Do you guys have any comments?

Also, I want to replace the side mirror control on the driver's side DIY. How to detach it from the door armrest panel? Is the wiring complicated?

Thanks in advance from J novice.

[carlos_knology]

Lovebite.. congrats on the new J and all the TLC you're giving her.

The beeping you're talking about doesn't sound like anything I've heard of before. Does you car maybe have an aftermarket security system? I don't know of anything in the J30 that makes a beeping sound under the hood.

As for the rusty noise you talk about. Is it like a rattle? If so, several J30 owners (myself included) have had spot welds on the roof of the J30 come lose. There is a support beam that runs under the roof metal skin. The beam runs from driver rear door to passenger rear door. This beam has some spot welds that can come lose over time. Try tapping on the roof of the car in the area behind the sunroof - if you hear the rattle, you've found the critter. It took me MONTHS to find that noise.

Here is a thread on it with a possible fix.

http://www.nissaninfiniticlub....30497

Carlos

[VimyJ]

Could the "rusty" noise be loose heat shields? They can make quite a racket. The "Beep" sound is unusual.

$1.3k sounds fairly reasonable considering that the rear struts are quite difficult to do. Thermostat is a good thing to get done to. Your J is going to be a very reliable ride for many years.