New guy with $500 Q45

[datsunmotorsports]

Been a Nissan/Datsun/Infiniti fan for a very long time now. In fact that is all I own currently.

Anyway I just spent $500 on a 92 Q45 with a rough history. The engine is making a little noise but nothing from the bottom end where Ive seen so many of these cars go in the yards. The car is from Seattle WA. Surprisingly there is only one rust spot in a weird place ta boot. The center of the passenger door. The car was involved in some sort of front ender in its past. It has the same front end as a 94 I guess with the grill.

I have a list of fix it stuff to go through:

1.The Active Control Sys is empty on fluid. I plan on buying Tokico shocks for the car. I almost always buy these shocks for my Nissan cars. What is your opinion on them? Also Can I fill the ACS or whatever the term is with any other fluid other than the 22buck a quart fluid from Infinity?

2.The timing chain tensioner on the passenger side has obviously got some problems by the sound of things. I plan on just buying the timing chains and tensioner set for both sides... This doesn't seem to expensive and the Infiniti Tech says that I should be able to replace the chains without buying gaskets. He says to use grey RTV. I will be using "The Right Stuff" by permatex like always. Is what the tech says true, and is this the right approach to the situation?

3.My ABS warnings light and display are telling me there is something wrong with the brake system. The red brake light keeps coming on. I just did the brakes on the car and replaced the front sensor. Do I reset something to turn these off. Also the rear brakes were almost completely worn out and the sensor in the back was usable but definitely worn into... Should it be replaced in this condition and could this be the cause of the lights I see still? I also plan on bleeding the system till it is clear cause it looks like hydro sludge has built up in the bottom of the master cylinder which also may be wreaking havoc on my ABS.

4. The infamous Transmission issue I keep reading about... I'm not sure whats up with my car yet other than it seems pretty sluggish unless I downshift to first and take off. The car always starts in second which from what I read is correct. The car doesn't shift HARD. It shifts nice and firm, but every so often the kick down is engaged when it really feels like it shouldn't. I'm not sure if this is because my foot is in the pedal more hitting a switch or a bad transmission control unit. I am planning on pulling the fluid pan on the transmission and looking for any damage in there as well. Does this car have a cleanable filter or a replaceable filter for the transmission?

5. My car is obviously missing some power. I pulled the intake off and pulled all the injector clips. I'm use to doing this on Bosch style connectors cause Nissan has been using them since at least 1975. CLR and scraping cleans them up pretty well. It felt like one miss went away. There is still at least one more miss maybe even 2 misses. I don't have a Snap On or any other scan tool to start checking things... even if I had a vantage I would be able to look around but I haven't worked in a shop for a few years now. So I checked the ECU under the passenger kick panel and ran the self diagnostic mode 2. I reset it and drove it around to kick the engine light on again until it was solid. It says there is a knock sensor code and an injector code. You guys may not be able to help me with this cause it really is a hands on thing. So what are the chances that one or both of those really expensive knock sensors has gone out over a failed injector? Also I think that at least one of the COPs has been damaged by the PO. Which is most likely contributing to the whole thing.

6. Also when I did the brakes I noticed a few weird things in the front. There are a few lines running towards the brake caliper. One line is pluged on the drivers side. What could it possibly be and why is it like this?

Sorry for all the Qs guys. thanks for any help you guys can provide. I really need some help if anyone is in the area with a scan tool. I want to pull some more acurrate info from the ECU before I go buying parts. Im in Hollister Ca 95023

Thanks guys

[Jeff Williams]

Welcome to NICO.

Definitely search through the old posts about the chain guides and transmission control unit.

A 1993 TCU will get you first gear starts. The chain guides will cause catstrophic failure, if not addressed immediately. Being down on power might be a fuel filter or fuel pump issue. Listen for the angry bees sound in the trunk while the car is running.

The car had brake pad sensors on the passenger side to tell the driver when the "Brake Pads Worn" alarm would come on. Active rebuild is rather expensive, even if the rest of the car was $500.00 The knock sensors are usually gone by now. The harness is usually gone, too. It is fun to get to (at the bottom of the plenum). You might as well replace these. If you get the code, the timing advance is severely reduced, causing a lack of power.

Take a look at all the posts from Texasoil, he is the resident active expert. Q45tech is the resident expert on everything else. The rest of us are hackers (not really).

Good luck, and let me be the first to say: "Pictures, please"

[maxnix]

Take a look at all the posts from Texasoil, he is the resident active expert. Q45tech is the resident expert on everything else. The rest of us are hackers (not really).

Yep, it's true for most of us.

Welcome to the board.

But really, don't even start it again until you do the timing chain guides.

Lots of data here to get you started.

[datsunmotorsports]

I was about to ask where the search button was but then I found it in that last posts sig.

I have one more Question...I have a set of Z32 rims(90-96 300zx)... Will they fit my Q?

thanks

//never mind the search button wont work... Hm

[96Qowner]

Yes, those rims will fit.

And the search button works. Try the blinking one on the top row.