In the never ending quest to return the Q mechanically to brand new, I have finally changed the next to the last remaining component in the front suspension.There was a 0.007" play in the Right front tire/wheel/hub finally traced to the kingpin and its two bearings. The spec is 0.002" or LESS. This was a top to bottom play vs the side to side play of defective tie rods and ball joints similar to what a defective upper link might create.The parts were around $80 [kingpin, 2 bearings, and a seal] plus just under 2 [1.5] hours of real labor say $250 total [cost me $125] or so at the dealer....both the bearing have to be pressed in and out.
This play was creating a vibration in the steering wheel which seems to have been halved by the replacement. All that is left are the driverside inner and out tie rods. The steering freeplay has been reduced slightly to less than 1/4".
The problem with progressive repairs is you never have all new components at the same time.
Kingpin and bearings
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Q45tech
- Moderator
- Posts: 14296
- Joined: Tue Apr 30, 2002 3:19 am
- Car: 1990 Q45 342,400 miles 22 years ownership with original engine
1995 G20t 5 speed 334,000 miles 16" 2002 wheels - 205/50/16 Sr20ve vvl
$11,500 as it sits today roughly half of what has been spent in the last 5.5 years.......that's what it is insured for.Who in right mind would want a 240,000 mile Q even if everything critical had been replaced. Needs a $6,000 paint job and new drivers seat in a year or two.
This year is the least expensive year yet, if I'm lucky in the next 6 weeks only $2800 for the year.Hard to realize it's been 5 years [120k] on the drive shaft and all the left suspension arms.
The rack, ps pump, injectors, calipers, ABS are 13 years old you know what that means.....no window motor or cables have been changed in 7 years you know what that means.My parts hunt is getting pretty small.
Finding a new gray drivers seat and changing the headliner and the interior carpet is high on the list.
This year is the least expensive year yet, if I'm lucky in the next 6 weeks only $2800 for the year.Hard to realize it's been 5 years [120k] on the drive shaft and all the left suspension arms.
The rack, ps pump, injectors, calipers, ABS are 13 years old you know what that means.....no window motor or cables have been changed in 7 years you know what that means.My parts hunt is getting pretty small.
Finding a new gray drivers seat and changing the headliner and the interior carpet is high on the list.
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Q45tech
- Moderator
- Posts: 14296
- Joined: Tue Apr 30, 2002 3:19 am
- Car: 1990 Q45 342,400 miles 22 years ownership with original engine
1995 G20t 5 speed 334,000 miles 16" 2002 wheels - 205/50/16 Sr20ve vvl
What I've learned is very very few V8 cars are designed to last much over 150,000 miles and the tighter you make them handle the more wear you get on everything.Almost nothing economical could have been done [more than I did] from day one to have saved any money..........things just wear out. And the pickier you are the more money you better have.I know if I hadn't become Q45tech back in Jan 2000 or hadn't found T3 in 1997 I probably wouldn't have been driving a Q today. I would have probably traded down to a Maxima or some such and continued on my happy ignorant way.
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mccluredude
- Posts: 26
- Joined: Mon Oct 28, 2002 3:56 pm
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greg_atlanta
- Posts: 1111
- Joined: Tue Jul 23, 2002 4:37 pm
- Car: 2008 G35 Journey Sedan, silver/black (no sunroof), 1992 Q45 (in a past life)
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Q45tech
- Moderator
- Posts: 14296
- Joined: Tue Apr 30, 2002 3:19 am
- Car: 1990 Q45 342,400 miles 22 years ownership with original engine
1995 G20t 5 speed 334,000 miles 16" 2002 wheels - 205/50/16 Sr20ve vvl
Unable to dicuss my insurance plan especially in writing. You must have multiple cars and not use one for a daily commute you must not show over 5,000 miles per year of use. You must pay double or roughly 10% of valuation plus what ever liability umbrella you use.
Soon many insurance companies will begin charging you per mile of use!
Soon many insurance companies will begin charging you per mile of use!
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greg_atlanta
- Posts: 1111
- Joined: Tue Jul 23, 2002 4:37 pm
- Car: 2008 G35 Journey Sedan, silver/black (no sunroof), 1992 Q45 (in a past life)
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greg_atlanta
- Posts: 1111
- Joined: Tue Jul 23, 2002 4:37 pm
- Car: 2008 G35 Journey Sedan, silver/black (no sunroof), 1992 Q45 (in a past life)
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Mayhem_J30
- Posts: 2643
- Joined: Tue Apr 30, 2002 2:00 am
- Car: Ummm...My Car
- Location: Louisville, KY
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Q45tech
- Moderator
- Posts: 14296
- Joined: Tue Apr 30, 2002 3:19 am
- Car: 1990 Q45 342,400 miles 22 years ownership with original engine
1995 G20t 5 speed 334,000 miles 16" 2002 wheels - 205/50/16 Sr20ve vvl
Making a little joke, but the frictional negative horsepower requirements do go down as the bearing ring clearnaces open up with wear, till the point when the BMEP [cylinder pressure] goes down more than the friction decreases.
Years ago [30-40] many engines performed their best the day before they exploded.
I don't know but it seems that my Q ENGINE is about the same in power as it was at anytime during the last 240,000 miles.
Many of the magazine long term test on other cars show a slight decline at 40,000 miles.....a tenth here and there. If it starts out super tight a Q, one might extend this to 100k or better?
In 1990 no production engines [designed for US use] were built as tight as a Q or Lexus, BMW tried with its Nickasil liners in 1994 with disaterous results.
What we really don't know is the standard deviation of the engines created. All we know is that the published variance of bearing fit is X............not how close they came to perfect and which assembler on each day did the best.
Even under the best of conditions some close to perfect engines probably varied 3% in power as Detroit allows 10% [+-5%].
The major variable is the injectors can vary in cc output at different open times and when they wear the changes are worse.
The O2/ecu trims the bank for an average of 4 at 2,000 rpm [13% duty cycle] but who knows what it is at 55-60% when WOT at high rpm.
A 14 psi compression [test] variation means 7-8% allowable difference best to worst.....strongest output to weakest output cylinder add this to any variation the injectors may cause.
Remember the torque output is the AVERAGE of all 8 and a totally dead cylinder would only drop it by 35-38 lb/ft plus what ever frictional drag occurred say 10% more.
Years ago [30-40] many engines performed their best the day before they exploded.
I don't know but it seems that my Q ENGINE is about the same in power as it was at anytime during the last 240,000 miles.
Many of the magazine long term test on other cars show a slight decline at 40,000 miles.....a tenth here and there. If it starts out super tight a Q, one might extend this to 100k or better?
In 1990 no production engines [designed for US use] were built as tight as a Q or Lexus, BMW tried with its Nickasil liners in 1994 with disaterous results.
What we really don't know is the standard deviation of the engines created. All we know is that the published variance of bearing fit is X............not how close they came to perfect and which assembler on each day did the best.
Even under the best of conditions some close to perfect engines probably varied 3% in power as Detroit allows 10% [+-5%].
The major variable is the injectors can vary in cc output at different open times and when they wear the changes are worse.
The O2/ecu trims the bank for an average of 4 at 2,000 rpm [13% duty cycle] but who knows what it is at 55-60% when WOT at high rpm.
A 14 psi compression [test] variation means 7-8% allowable difference best to worst.....strongest output to weakest output cylinder add this to any variation the injectors may cause.
Remember the torque output is the AVERAGE of all 8 and a totally dead cylinder would only drop it by 35-38 lb/ft plus what ever frictional drag occurred say 10% more.