J30 is shaking and clicking is coming from engine. HELP!!!

[Mikey_ZX]

Hello everyone,

I am new to the NICOclub forum and I need help in fixing my 1993 Infiniti J30. Right now when I start the car, the car starts to shake and I can hear a clicking sound coming from the engine. I don't know what might be causing this problem, but I am also trying to fix this issue myself. Can anyone please help me in trying to figure out what the problem may be. I am not a mechanic, but I am very interested in doing certain jobs myself. Could this be a problem with injectors because right now I have taken off the top wire harness cover for the injectors and was able to disconnect the wiring harness from injectors 1,2, and 3 to try an OHM test. They all ranged between the specs of between 10-14 ohms, however I haven't checked injectors 4,5, and 6 because they have fuel lines etc. that block me from giving those injectors the ohm test. I do not know the procedure of removing those lines and removing the acceleration cable is an issue also because I am not an experienced mechanic. I don't want to mess anything up. If anyone can help please reply with suggestions of what the problem may be with the shaking and clicking noise coming from my J30's engine. Thank you!

[yodawill2000]

Welcome to Nico !!!!

You can Ohm test the Injector itself.
Just disconnect the connector to the injector and get the reading between the two pins.

[GerryO]

An open injector coil (infinite resistance) should also generate a code, causing the dashboard CEL to be ON.

Try swtiching to synthetic blend oil to quiet what might be a sticky lifter.

[sconus]

When was the last time the spark Plugs were changed? Mine was doing the same thing until I replaced the Spark Plugs.
Make sure you use OEM. They are located underneath the ignition coils. You do not need to remove the Plenum to change them. Make sure to disconnect the coil harness first before removing the two bolts on each coil pack. Also make sure you have a long extension and a spark plug socket that comes with a magnet in it. Don't even start unless you have that!

[Mikey_ZX]

Thank you everyone for helping me, I found out that the J30 was low on oil, which was creating the clicking sound coming from the engine. However, the car is still shaking, so I still have to check the ohms in fuel injectors 4,5, and 6. Also, I'll get around checking how my spark plugs look. Thanks everyone, I'll post again if I'm still having the shaking issue with the J30.

[yodawill2000]

With the engine running.
Disconnect the injector connectors one at a time (Momentarily)
and see if one doesn't cause a change in idle/shake.
That will narrow it down to the cylinder.
Then its either the Injector, Coil or plug on that cylinder.
If none of those three, a compression test or power balance test with a consult is in order.

[Mikey_ZX]

Thanks to the members that helped me with my J30 issue, I was able to check all the cylinders by using my Blazt datascan software and all the cylinder seemed to be working fine. After, I added a bottle of Redline, and the car seems to be working fine. Do you guys think that I could've had bad gas in my tank? Thank you again for helping me!

[yodawill2000]

Very Possible.
You might try some Iso-heet red in case there's water in the tank as well.
I use a bottle of each at least once a month.

[goody90q45]

Thanks to the members that helped me with my J30 issue, I was able to check all the cylinders by using my Blazt datascan software and all the cylinder seemed to be working fine. After, I added a bottle of Redline, and the car seems to be working fine. Do you guys think that I could've had bad gas in my tank? Thank you again for helping me!

I use a bottle of Redline S1 fuel system cleaner in 1/2 tank of gas (or 2 bottles in a full tank) every few months. I had the same problem as you when I first bought my current Q (shaking, CEL on) and the Redline made it go away for good. It's been close to 2 years. I live in CA burning 6% ethanol fuel and have had no injector issues unlike most Q owners.

You've got Nissan Data Scan (me too) so you should have been able to shut off one cylinder at a time to see if any reacted differently. I suspect that you had an intermittent sticky injector or two and the Redline has lubed them up by cleaning out the deposits in the injectors and the entire fuel system. Did your J sit for a few months without being run? It's an common way to end up with plugged injectors. Ohm testing injectors tells you a lot so you need to get a baseline reading on the other three injectors. I'm not familiar with the J30 engine but if you can remove all 6 connectors without disassembling anything (fuel rail?) than you can ohm test them directly on the injector pins. If major disassembly is required to get to 3 of the injectors then try testing them at the main connector for the injector harness. It should be a 6 pin plug somewhere close to the intake plenum. Positive probe of your voltmeter to the battery positive and negative probe of the VM to each of the 6 pins should get you the readings you need. It works for the Q45 and should do the same for the J30. As far as the order of the pins in the connector you'll have to research the FSM to see which goes to each injector. Hopefully they all ohm 10-14 and it will be a moot point. Good luck.

[yodawill2000]

All 6 of the J injectors are easily accessible to get a ohm reading.

[Mikey_ZX]

Thanks to all the members that helped me in diagnosing my J30, however my transmission went out on me two days ago. The car was acting crazy and when I turned it on the car wouldn't move. Thank you again everyone.

[GerryO]

Really sorry to hear about your transmission failure. I have a '93 with almost 180K miles and it's one of my biggest worries . Yoda does the best job of maintaining/flushing his transmission, but I've never copied his methods.

[yodawill2000]

Nothing special really.
B&M transmission cooler and drain refill's every 25/30 k or so.

198 K and still going !