JUST BOUGHT A SUPER CLEAN INFINITI Q45 1991, NEED HELP!!!!

[cassavapiece]

I JUST BOUGHT THIS 91 Q45, FROM THE ORIGINAL OWNER. THEY SAID THEY THEY WENT TO THE STORE, AND THEN 20 MINUTES LATER THEY CAME OUTSIDE, AND THE CAR WOULDN'T START. THEY SAID THAT IT SOUNDED LIKE THE STARTER, SO THEY CHANGED THE STARTER AND IT WAS STILL DOING THE SAME THING. THEY CAR IS TOO CLEAN FOR ME TO GET RID OF FOR JUST ANYTHING. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE COMMON PROBLEMS THAT THESE 1991 Q'S HAVE. ANY HELP WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. I DON'T THINK THERE IS A CLEAN ONE OUT THERE.



















any help is greatly needed, thanks. I don't want to sell it, I would love to VIP this one, but.....just help out please!!!!!!!!!!

[Infinitiguy19]

O boy where Do I begin.

The car has active suspension do you know if it was maintained properly if not sell it back to them. Because you will need $10k just too get the CAR the whole car to where it was when it was new.

(The nob in the middle of the center console is to raise or lower the cars height.)

capital letters are concidered yelling by Maxnix AKA Brian's standards so please don't use Caps.

But I think it could be a MAF sensor or plug going to it.

Mass Air Flow Sensor Cleaning: http://q45.org/maf.html

I am sorry you did'nt find this fourm before you bought it because I hate to say it your in for a big suprise.

You must be sure the chain guides are replaced.

Chain Guides Explained: zerothread?id=25201

Then be sure there is no light on the dash that says "Actsus" or Height.

Start by getting the service history:

"Infiniti Consumer AffairsP.O. Box 685003Franklin TN 37068-5003800.662.62008:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Eastern / Central Time / Pacific TimeMonday through Friday "

Otherwise welcome to NICO
Modified by ppastos at 11:11 PM 9/24/2008

[maxnix]

What's more important is how do the fluids, inside the valve covers, PS fluid, coolant look and smell.

With no maintenance history, you might have bought a pig in a poke.

ALL CAPS is considered SHOUTING by netiquette standards in general, not just me.

You need to spend a lot of time reading the previous possts here to begin to having a clue. Start with all by Q45tech and TexasOil for active issues.

Start with the sticky Articles above.

[Q451990]

Welcome to NICO! There are so many things that could cause it not to start. Worst case, chain guides, best case fuel pump and controller. There are some good articles over at http://www.Q45.org that may help.

Please tell us all that you can about what the car does when you try to start it. When you turn the key to the "on" position, do you hear the fuel pump hum for a few seconds?

Heath

[cassavapiece]

what do you think the car is worth the way it sits? Do you guys think that it is clean? Please all input from you guy is greatly appreciated. I will have the mechanic look at it tommorow. Do you think that I sould sell it?

[unknown007]

Modified by unknown007 at 10:27 AM 9/25/2008

[Rex]

The car non-running is worth a good bit if you can sell it piece by piece. As a non-running "whole" car, it's worth $500 or less, seriously.

As for the non-running condition,. I saw it mentioned above, but given it's a "grille less" 90-93 model, you need to know what's been done (or not done) with the timing chain guides. Long story short, they will be terminal if not changed. It's not a matter of if, it's when and less about miles and more about time and temperature.

Find out about the guides, until them there's 1 too many unknowns.

FYI, use of all caps (though required at some data entry work place systems) is considered yelling by almost everyone on the internet.

[Q45tech]

The major problem is brand new old used Q owners cannot comprehend how such a pretty paint and interior car could actually need $10,000 in repairs or rehabilitation.At a professsional shop parts cost 55% and labor consumes 45%. [$85-$100 per shop hour].

45 hours of professional labor or a weeks work, seems like a lot but the engine is time consuming to work on.

Chain guides alone can take a day. [by an expert who does them every month].Plenum hoses can take a day.Replacing injectors and fuel hoses and Knock sensors and their harness can take a day.Resealing valve covers, replacing spark plugs, cleaning EGR, TB, and IAC can take a day.

If an expert does all the above simultaneously changing $3500 in parts they can do it in 2 full long days for $2,000.........~$5500.

Most people do a series of small [parts costs] jobs and stretch things out and end up paying more for lots of repeat labor and set up times.

We haven't even touched on HVAC systems which average $2,000 to repair.

Transmissions cost $3,000+

Drive shafts $1,000

Differentials $3,000

Suspensions

Radiators and cooling system

Power steering and rack and hose leaks.

If everything possible were bad it could cost between $17,000 and $23,000 in parts and labor to restore a Q mechanically.

Why we use $10,000 as an average middle ground.

Used and discount parts, self or discount labor [technican moonlighting without business overhead] can cut these retail prices in half, but many parts should not be purchased used..........injectors, rubber hoses, knock sensors and harnesses.

Some easy changed parts [MAF, IAC, CAS] can be used since little labor is lost.

[Kricket]

Nice touch, Rex?

I agree with tech, way to much money to dump into it.Sell it.

[qship96]

Yours will require a similar amount....they all do.

[Kricket]

All service done by former owner. I have about 500 invoices!

[qship96]

Keep in mind "service" and even parts replacement is not a one time event, it gets to be repeated at pretty well known time and mileage intervals with the Q.

Might want to post the service history here, and we can pretty much tell you when to expect certain items to fail {some for the second or third time} or require attention and when to budget for them.. Most new Q owners are shocked to learn the true running costs of their new q.

Even a fully serviced shiny and seemigly perfectly running 10-15 year old Q requires a prorated $3000 per year{not including cosmetic issues/repairs} budget to keep in good working condition.

Search for an old thread started by me back in December last year to see how I managed to invest almost $6,000 in PREVENTATIVE maintenance for 2007 calendar year alone...all on a car that never displayed a problem nor failed to start or run wonderfully all year.

[Q45tech]

Add them up over the past 18.5 years I've spent just over $46,000 for services, mainenance, and repairs, just under 15 cents per mile.

The first 7 years and 100k were dirt cheap at $9,000 but I had ext warranty until 100k.

Still less than the gasoline cost per mile currently ~~ 22 cents per mile.500 services/17.5 years =~ 28 trips per year every other week sound about right.

Hint the 1991 was more problematic than either 90 or 92. 1993 was more reliable than any 90-92. 1994 was more reliable than 95 or 96.

[maxnix]

All service done by former owner. I have about 500 invoices!

How does an owner performed maintenance generate service invoices?

Regardless, age is a major detriment to rubber and fluids. If he drove it on the salted roads, doubly severe.

There is no free pass, only the owner's fault tolerance level can be adjusted.

[Kricket]

Why would I post the service history here?Well aware of items of service and intervals.

[qship96]

Why would I post the service history here?Well aware of items of service and intervals.

We are not talking about the minimal preventative maintenance based on the owners manual, trust me!

[Kricket]

You guys are assuming way too much. It's really THAT clean!

[AZhitman]

Kricket -

I'm confused by your posts. Do you have anything to do with this car?

[Kricket]

You're also assuming I'm a rookie!

[Kricket]

Kricket -

I'm confused by your posts. Do you have anything to do with this car?

No, they're telling me MY car needs service. Imagine that!Must have ESP

[qship96]

You're also assuming I'm a rookie!

You are, when it comes to a old q45!

[Rex]

All service done by former owner. I have about 500 invoices!

How does an owner performed maintenance generate service invoices?

Well, there a few interpretations.

1) the previous owner did the maintenance, and provided the invoices for the parts and supplies

2) the point was the former owner had the work done.

3) the former owner was a Sr. Infiniti Tech, and has the invoices where he did the work at the dealership and had to charge himself to work on his car

Nonetheless, the point was the PO provided ~500 invoices showing parts/repairs performed on the car.

We have a phrase we use at work "you meant what I knew", it's said when someone corrects you, not to resolve a misunderstanding, but to point out an error in verbiage. Which usually derails the conversation.

[AZhitman]

I remember when I thought my Q was "perfect" too.

Regardless, this is cassava's thread.

[Kricket]

You are, when it comes to a old q45!

I don't understand this statement. Do you know me?

[qship96]

We have a phrase we use at work "you meant what I knew", it's said when someone corrects you, not to resolve a misunderstanding, but to point out an error in verbiage. Which usually derails the conversation.[/QUOTE]

And boy do we have alot of errors in verbiage and spelling around here lately!

[qship96]

I don't understand this statement. Do you know me?

I am beginning to wonder if you even really have a q45, or are just trolling for mens attention to be honest with you.

[Kricket]

Isn't this when Rex comes and deletes your posts?

[96Qowner]

I cleaned up the vomit from this thread once already today. Are we accomplishing anything here or just indulging our immature sides?

[Kricket]

If posts were not deleted the forum would see these guys for what they are.

[unknown007]

I hope it's not your guides.If the previous owner didnt or hasn't replaced them then your looking at a new engine.If you in ca near sacramento or bay area some guy is selling a VH45DE tranmission and engine for $300 and it hasn't been installed seince he bought it.It can also be the alternator,starter,fuel pump,anything we'll never know.

If you gonna part out the car be sure to let me know i maybe want your hood.I suggest figuring out whats wrong with it first though and dont giv eup unless its too much on the budget.