This came up on another forum, and the title says it all.
What I am talking about: getting close to the redline almost every day.
What I am not talking about: Sitting at the redline for a long time.
The only thing I am wondering is about, I have heard it is a good idea to excersise the cars every so often. And if so, is the cars longevity affected by doing so?
Is reliability affected by how hard the car is driven?
Constantly jumping up and down to and from redline <does> add wear and tear.But the VH45DE is kinda over engineered, those of us who run w/ the JWT ECU, up the redline to 7200+ (from 6900).
I know of at least 2 members that have (or had) a Q with the higher redline and drove <hard>, none with any ill effect I am aware of.One of those cars (Q45tech) has 240,000 miles on it has been run hard its entire life and last 180,000 miles with the JWT ECU.Still runs great.
I think your engines longevity is affected more by matenance habits than rigor of use (idle before u drive away).
The transmission is what I would usually b concerned about in constant ace;eration.But here again examples abound of hard run but wel maintained transmission that last long.The best documented again is from our own Q45tech whose transmission was impeccably maintained saw frequent WOT shifts and at the end of 175k still behaved as new.
Fred...
PS: I do streetracing and just dont worry about it, I have driven a previous Q at 110-115 mph for an hour and a half (emergency) thru the mouintains with absolutly no ill effect I could detect (and I tried)
I know of at least 2 members that have (or had) a Q with the higher redline and drove <hard>, none with any ill effect I am aware of.One of those cars (Q45tech) has 240,000 miles on it has been run hard its entire life and last 180,000 miles with the JWT ECU.Still runs great.
I think your engines longevity is affected more by matenance habits than rigor of use (idle before u drive away).
The transmission is what I would usually b concerned about in constant ace;eration.But here again examples abound of hard run but wel maintained transmission that last long.The best documented again is from our own Q45tech whose transmission was impeccably maintained saw frequent WOT shifts and at the end of 175k still behaved as new.
Fred...
PS: I do streetracing and just dont worry about it, I have driven a previous Q at 110-115 mph for an hour and a half (emergency) thru the mouintains with absolutly no ill effect I could detect (and I tried)
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AZhitman
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I concur with Fred.
Maintenance is a bigger factor than driving style. Although frequent visits to the top end of the tach shouldn't impact engine longevity, the associated strain on other components might decrease longevity.
Your brakes, shocks, springs, bushings, tires, transmission, rear end, etc. would last longer for Granny than they would for an agressive driver (given equal maintenance).
Maintenance is a bigger factor than driving style. Although frequent visits to the top end of the tach shouldn't impact engine longevity, the associated strain on other components might decrease longevity.
Your brakes, shocks, springs, bushings, tires, transmission, rear end, etc. would last longer for Granny than they would for an agressive driver (given equal maintenance).
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szh
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palmerwmd wrote:I have driven a previous Q at 110-115 mph for an hour and a half (emergency) thru the mouintains with absolutly no ill effect I could detect (and I tried)
Agreed! Back in 1992, I drove my 1991 Q45 near 140 to 145 mph for almost 6 hours straight (stopping only for gas) and traded it in six years later without any engine or transmission problem of any kind in that period.
Z
szhosain wrote:Agreed! Back in 1992, I drove my 1991 Q45 near 140 to 145 mph for almost 6 hours straight (stopping only for gas) and traded it in six years later without any engine or transmission problem of any kind in that period.
Thats so AWESOME!You plugged that into our Infinit speeding stories right?
Fred...
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szh
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palmerwmd wrote:Thats so AWESOME!You plugged that into our Infinit speeding stories right?
Sure did! It was an extended trip from California to Alabama for a friend's wedding. The above was on the second day from California (just short of the AZ border) to Fort Stockton in Texas.
Loads of fun! Particularly when in eastern New Mexico (or was it Arizona ... I do not remember) along with a Ford Mustang SVO. She (yes, she!) was doing close to 120 to 130mph keeping up with me in some hills. I kinda did not like going faster there.
Z
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szh
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palmerwmd wrote:What tires did you have on the car?
As I recall, it was the original OEM Michelin XGTV that the car came with when I bought it (not the Pilot XGTV that was introduced later - this had an entirely different tread pattern). The tires had less than 9k or 10k at the time, I think.
I had the Q thoroughly checked out at Frontier Infiniti, oil change, rebalanced tires, changed the brake pads, front-end alignment done, etc., etc., before I went on that high-speed trip!
Z
The VH can handle that abuse. But as Fred said, maintenance is the main factor in determining the reliability of your engine. I honestly don't think anyone owning an Infiniti abused their car like I did my '91 Q.
Want to know what real abuse is? Abuse is driving your car 60mph over a foot-deep pothole. Abuse is running over islands and curbs like they didn't exist. Abuse is getting from south boston to chinatown to north shore to the logan airport in 40 minutes and hitting WOT a total of 20 times within the same day all the while mashing burning up the brakes while hauling the car down from 70-0 all day long. Real abuse is doing this all in one day, everyday for the entire period of a six-year ownership.
I recall one day back in '01 where I hit WOT almost forty-times in the same day.
I laugh at those who say the Q is an unreliable behemoth!
Want to know what real abuse is? Abuse is driving your car 60mph over a foot-deep pothole. Abuse is running over islands and curbs like they didn't exist. Abuse is getting from south boston to chinatown to north shore to the logan airport in 40 minutes and hitting WOT a total of 20 times within the same day all the while mashing burning up the brakes while hauling the car down from 70-0 all day long. Real abuse is doing this all in one day, everyday for the entire period of a six-year ownership.
I recall one day back in '01 where I hit WOT almost forty-times in the same day.
I laugh at those who say the Q is an unreliable behemoth!
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Q45tech
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COLD cranking is probably 10 times more abusive than hitting the rev limiter.Now sustained operation [more than 30 seconds] above 6,600 rpm is another matter due to oil not draining from valve covers fast enough.......good idea to get out of 3rd gear over 138-140 mph and into 4th where it will drop back to 4600 rpm if you are going for a top speed run.
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Dave 88 LSC
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From what I have seen, the harder you drive a car the more it wears out. Mostly the suspension and transmission. There are a lot of variables involved. For example, my dads 99 Town Car has 200K on it and it still drives great. Yes it requires a grand or so in repairs a year, but nothing out of the ordinary.When I was 20 I had an Lincoln LSC and it lasted me from 90k to 169k, only then the main bearing started to make a little noise and the oil pressure was getting low. I drove that car hard for 70k miles. I am sure if it was my dads car it would still be around.So in my opinion, yes it does matter if the car is driven hard or not.
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rahiel aziz
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my 91Q with 201k sees 7500rpm in 1st and 2nd gear once or twice a week,mostly city driving.still has original transmission.since i owned it last 5 yrs the biggest expense was changing those freaking guides at 196k other than that it just that itch to bring it into top shape.i change oil at every 2k miles,air filter at every 4k.whenever my wife asks me why i am changing parts that are not broken yet i just smile at her (women don't understad the love between man and his car).
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Q45tech
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" I will probably go in for an early oil change, since the previous owner probably did his every 6000 miles or so."
That's the problem buying a used car without records of oil and fluid changes or an abusive owner who didn't follow the severe 90 day oil change requirement.
The bearings may be worn and damaged and stressful driving may make the engine fail sooner.
I have seen Q engines destroyed [sludged up at 120,000 miles and 5 years, I have seen some last 280,000 miles and many many still going strong at 200k [with guide replacement].
No Q I know of has turrned 7500 rpm as the oem limiter is 6900 and the JWT ecu limiter is 7300 rpm.
With a 3.256" stroke 7300 rpm is the theoretical maximum safe speed [weight of piston and rings and cast piston material will explode a few hundred rpm beyond the safe rpm.
Why you don't rev [redline] a cold engine the oil viscosity adds drag to piston rings adding stretch forces which can pull [create cracks] the bottom of piston off......where the wrist pin is located.
That's the problem buying a used car without records of oil and fluid changes or an abusive owner who didn't follow the severe 90 day oil change requirement.
The bearings may be worn and damaged and stressful driving may make the engine fail sooner.
I have seen Q engines destroyed [sludged up at 120,000 miles and 5 years, I have seen some last 280,000 miles and many many still going strong at 200k [with guide replacement].
No Q I know of has turrned 7500 rpm as the oem limiter is 6900 and the JWT ecu limiter is 7300 rpm.
With a 3.256" stroke 7300 rpm is the theoretical maximum safe speed [weight of piston and rings and cast piston material will explode a few hundred rpm beyond the safe rpm.
Why you don't rev [redline] a cold engine the oil viscosity adds drag to piston rings adding stretch forces which can pull [create cracks] the bottom of piston off......where the wrist pin is located.