My q45 story, new to board

[q45glutton]

First off, greetings to all on this board and sincere thanks for all the great advice found here. I've been a silent observer until now and have not yet found a reason to post, but have found this site a valuble source of info. Anyhow, I've been an owner of a 93Q, (black beauty super clean) for about 2 years. Purchased it from a nissan dealer with 117k, not having any idea what I was getting myself into. As the previous owner of 2 old Mercedes', and a 91 735i, I'm used to the punishment. But this is the finest car I've ever owned, my other car is a 01 Lincoln LSv8 and it doesn't even compare. Getting to the point, after complete brake, suspension, and transmission overhaul, not to mention valve cover re-seal, under-intake stuff (injectors, hoses), fuel pump, blah blah blah.......I figured after all the talk of chain guides, I better get it done before the inevitable failure. So I ordered parts from local dealer (have wholesale acct) , amazingly all came in in 3 days (guides, tensioners, oil pump chain/sprockets). Tore it down Sunday Jan 2nd at my shop to find METAL BACKED GUIDES!!!!!, dated 8/92 same month as my date of manuf. for the car. I was happy in that I didn't have to worry about dropping the oil pan right away to collect broken guide pieces, but pissed that I had worried myself to death about it, not taking my Q over 4k RPM's for the past year or so. I went ahead and replaced everything anyways, and feel great about it. My Q drives like new (at least I think it does) with 139k, and I truly believe it was all money well spent. If I had known what a great car this was, I never would have bought the LS. I drive my Q every day while my Lincoln collects dust. I have every intention of spending whatever it takes to go 300k. And when this one dies, I'll search for another 93 and do it all over again. Thanks to all the Q lovers on this board, I'll try to actively post and reply and help in anyway I can. John

[DAEDALUS]

Wow, one of the lucky '93s. The date was stamped on each guide? Wondering if all new guides have dates somewhere.Good info John, thanks.

[PalmerWMD]

John:

Congrats on a great car.Please post some pics in our members ride section too!

Yours was apparently one of those 93's with the metal backed guides.

I am glad you did it anyway as many folks have discovered they were on the brink when they did that.

Fred...

[elwesso]

Wow Great info!!!!!

Whats the build date on the car (assuming its not 8/92)

THis must be the post that we've been looking for by professor mike!!!

[Rex]

... METAL BACKED GUIDES!!!!!, dated 8/92 same month as my date of manuf. for the car...

It's kind of burried in the details.

[redmanfx]

Feels good to come out of the closet doesn't it?? Sorry, I'm a bit of a smart arse sometimes.

Welcome and that's a great story..Maybe since you posted it you will bring some bit of good fortune to each and everyone of us.,,, Wes and his leak, AZhitman and getting his spare transmission shipped for cheap, GreenQ45 and his harness for the suspension controller, CherrypoppinQ and his torment, poormanQ and his drive to be the pvc and duct tape spokesman, Miniman and his beaten to a pulp Q, Heavyduty and his wish to live in Miami???, rsiwicki and his pursuit of ultimate hp and the 100mph qtr mile, dannymchale and his need for a new antenna, rover31 and his untimely Q misfortunes, gloucester Q and the wiper mess and my neverending journey through what some might call tourturous bliss with my own Q. (forgive me for leaving anyone out)

Point being sometimes there just not enough good news to go around. You know sometimes you have to laugh to keep from crying!! Thanks for the uplifting story and for showing us there is room for hope..

red

[elwesso]

The bottom line is

THe Q is a fussy, tempremental car... IF you lose your love for even an instant, it will kick you in the ***...

Today I was running the Q, and I got stuck turning aorund... Someone helped me out, and with some TLC i was able to fix the idle.....

All these cars need is a little lovin and they'll practically fix themselves!!!

[Q451990]

John,

Welcome to NICO! It sounds like you're quite the DIYer. Anyone who tackles a chain guide job, even after finding out that it's not necessary is pretty good with a wrench to say the least. I hope you enjoy it here on the board as much as I have for the last several years!

Heath

[Jeff Williams]

Great story.

Welcome to NICO.

If you haven't done any suspension upgrades, yet. It will make a major difference.

I just bought my second Q, and it is a touring with the HICAS. When I bought it, it had 97,000 miles on it, with the original suspension. It was a nice car, but rode like a boat, all the way from San Jose. My silver Q, with over 200,000 has a much better ride. Now that I have new Tokiko Blues, tesnion rods, bushings, and bump stops, it is starting to ride very nice. I like the stiffer steering of the tourning model. I still have to install the upper links, and the front struts, and then the stainless steel brake lines and replace the brake fluid and rear-end lube. Then it will be ready to take over, when the silver Q dies.

The biggest improvement in handling, was the addition of the front strut tower brace I made from a 2000 Maxima bar. It really tightened up the front end. I have some lics, in my Member's Ride section. There is a link below in my signature.

[pito11213]

I love your choice of name "glutton" that is what every Q45 owner is. A glutton for expense.

I would love to do the strut bar thing but I dont have anywhere to do the mods required. Does stillen still sell the bar?

[Jeff Williams]

Yes, glutton is a good description of the cars.

I did my mod, with a drill, and had file, while sitting in the proch swing. I did go to the grass, to re-paint the hat, though. It's not a tough modification. The hardest part, is getting the exaxt brace, from eBay. The third one I bought, was the wrong one. It was a good thing it fit the I30t.

I think Stille nstill ahs the bars, but they are a couple of hundred dollars, I think.

[elwesso]

Stillen no longer makes the FSTB.....

Check our article on Q45.org..... I made one as well and it really is easy..... hardest part was drilling through the steel..

Its still now as big and beefy and the stillen one but it'll do......

[Q_SHIP]

Hmmm, my production date is 10/92. I'll just cross my fingers I guess.

[gniknave]

I'm going to do some investigating and find out if there is a beginning production date for the 93's with metal backed guides...Does anybody know where the production date may be on a used engine by any chance? I've been having this feeling that I have a 93 engine (or is it wishful thinking?).

[DAEDALUS]

To my knowledge the only info you get is a stamp toward the rear that gives you the serial number of the engine, just tandem to the main bearing grade stamps. There is probably a document buried deep in a filing cabinet in Tochigi that cross-references the serial number with lots of things, including date of manufacture; good luck finding someone who has access to the info though.

[elwesso]

Its also possible his guides were replaced and he doesnt know about it.....

I wonder if glutton would sell his guides to someone else

[Q45tech]

Just because you have new style guides doesn't mean that the oil chain and maybe tensioners don't ever need replacement!

My chain guide were done [100k] May of 97.............that was 7.5 years [and 174,000 miles] ago. Bet it's time again but will just build a new motor and swap.........as 274k is getting up there.

Same injectors, TPS, MAF, coils, IAC, EGR, CATS, oil pump & internals + PS pump and rack and most PS hoses for 15 years............that a long time.

[q45glutton]

Its also possible his guides were replaced and he doesnt know about it.....

I wonder if glutton would sell his guides to someone else

Still got em, just as proof they were done. Lets say 50% off new list, ha ha!!

Well thanks everyone for the warm welcome! - John

[PoorManQ45]

Hey Glutton! I just noticed that you live in Brandon, FL. I live in Sourthern Brandon/Riverview, just south of Bloomingdale Ave.

What color is your Q? I've been noticing lately that there are more and more Q45s around here.

[maxnix]

Great story with factual data. Ever pull a service history on your car? Might see if they were done previously.

Thanks for posting and don't be so shy.
Modified by maxnix at 4:38 PM 2/4/2005

[tkd_q45]

Funny you guys remark about the Qs and Gluttony! My 92 400e is easily WOR$E than Q ownership! I love to drive it but the wife is growing weary of the +$1000 expense every time I go to my trusted mechanic. On top of expensive wear and tear items, you have to contend with biodegradable electronics and a rediculously expensive and realitively non durable AC system.

[in_awe_of_Q45's]

hello, just got a 1993 Q45, and man its sweet! i've been trying to find some facts on the car and am scared about the chain guide thing. can you advise on some tech manual that i could get that would help me locate and inspect the problem? please get back to me. and is there any chat rooms/im's where i could talk instantly with someone. by the way my car manufact date on the inside of the door says 7/92. i live in north arkansas so you can guess how hard it will be to get the Q in to a real doc.

[elwesso]

You can talk to me on AIM, elwesso69...

or call my cellphone at 765-621-8336

Edit: I wont be on AIM until like 9pm at the soonest....

[in_awe_of_Q45's]

right on i will get an aim account. im at rgn132@yahooi'm sure ready to start networking to protect my cari will leave you some pics and messeges on aim later tonight

[Q45-V8]

Oh thank god, that answers my question... I just bought a 93, manufactured in January of 1993... I won't have to replace my chain guides either.

First off, greetings to all on this board and sincere thanks for all the great advice found here. I've been a silent observer until now and have not yet found a reason to post, but have found this site a valuble source of info. Anyhow, I've been an owner of a 93Q, (black beauty super clean) for about 2 years. Purchased it from a nissan dealer with 117k, not having any idea what I was getting myself into. As the previous owner of 2 old Mercedes', and a 91 735i, I'm used to the punishment. But this is the finest car I've ever owned, my other car is a 01 Lincoln LSv8 and it doesn't even compare. Getting to the point, after complete brake, suspension, and transmission overhaul, not to mention valve cover re-seal, under-intake stuff (injectors, hoses), fuel pump, blah blah blah.......I figured after all the talk of chain guides, I better get it done before the inevitable failure. So I ordered parts from local dealer (have wholesale acct) , amazingly all came in in 3 days (guides, tensioners, oil pump chain/sprockets). Tore it down Sunday Jan 2nd at my shop to find METAL BACKED GUIDES!!!!!, dated 8/92 same month as my date of manuf. for the car. I was happy in that I didn't have to worry about dropping the oil pan right away to collect broken guide pieces, but pissed that I had worried myself to death about it, not taking my Q over 4k RPM's for the past year or so. I went ahead and replaced everything anyways, and feel great about it. My Q drives like new (at least I think it does) with 139k, and I truly believe it was all money well spent. If I had known what a great car this was, I never would have bought the LS. I drive my Q every day while my Lincoln collects dust. I have every intention of spending whatever it takes to go 300k. And when this one dies, I'll search for another 93 and do it all over again. Thanks to all the Q lovers on this board, I'll try to actively post and reply and help in anyway I can. John

[q45glutton]

It's been over 13 years since I posted this....and 9 years since my beautiful Q was destroyed in an accident
I let a friend borrow it and I was considering selling it to him....bad idea. He did give me $5,000 for it, rather than have his insurance pay, so he didn't screw me over...but still It had well over 200k at the time, but still drove like a new car. I had over 10k in receipts, mostly parts as I did all the work myself, except the transmission rebuild. NOT including what I paid for the car in 2003 (I think it was about 6k).
I have owned 5 cars since and the one I dream about (Like, literally dream about, all the time) is my Q45.
I still search for them from time to time, and I am finding 1st gen Q's are almost extinct.
I'll have one again, some day. Yes, I shall!

[Ace2cool]

Oh man, sorry to hear it's gone... But keep that optimism! There will be others!

[PalmerWMD]

It's been over 13 years since I posted this....and 9 years since my beautiful Q was destroyed in an accident
I let a friend borrow it and I was considering selling it to him....bad idea. He did give me $5,000 for it, rather than have his insurance pay, so he didn't screw me over...but still It had well over 200k at the time, but still drove like a new car. I had over 10k in receipts, mostly parts as I did all the work myself, except the transmission rebuild. NOT including what I paid for the car in 2003 (I think it was about 6k).
I have owned 5 cars since and the one I dream about (Like, literally dream about, all the time) is my Q45.
I still search for them from time to time, and I am finding 1st gen Q's are almost extinct.
I'll have one again, some day. Yes, I shall!

I hear you.. Sometimes I still keep looking ..
a year ago or so I found a great one ( I thought) low mile 93.. but I had just bought a 2nd vehicles so I was not ina position to buy it.