New Proud Owner & Member

[Alowther]

Hello all,

My name is Adam, and I just purchased a 91 Q45 with 150,000 kilometers (I'm Canadian) in excellent condition. This is not my first Nissan product, I have owned 86 Nissan 300zx turbo for 5 years, which I just sold at 280,000 kilometers, running strong and looking good. Needless to say I am very impressed with the design and thought that goes into these autos.

My Love for the Q45 started when I was 14 and our nieghbor owned a 92 Q. He was the running back coach for my football team and he would take me to practice 5 days a week in his Q. I was impressed with the combination of luxury and power and ever since then, I have made a point to own one of these cars.

I found my car for sale in the nieghborhood, and it looks great, and has relatively low KMs (90,000 miles). I expect to get some life out of it yet.

I have done some searching, and as I am capable mechanically I appreciate the value of this site. I have one question, How critical is the premuim gas? I understand the whole point of view that if you have to ask you cant afford the car, but premuim is $1.20 a liter here. Would I get detonation if I used mid grade? I have to look at the compression ratios on the engine, but thought I could get some advice from the guys who would know best.

Well this is my introduction, I anticipate I will mostly be a lurker, as there is a lot of info here to search. Thanks all in advance.

[tkd_q45]

Welcome! Please post pics! I'll let the more tech savy answer the fuel questions. I always use premium.

[qsiguy]

The FSM (Factory Service Manual) recommends premium but says 87 octane is ok if that's all that's available but not to fill the tank and avoid WOT (wide open throttle). If you are a good listener and can hear the pinging, that will be your indicator. The knock sensors can hear pre ignition before you will and will adjust your timing accordingly so you hopefully won't damage anything.

That said, I think everyone on here will tell you to use Premium, some parts of the U.S. have 93 octane, here in Arizona, where I am, best we have is 91 unless you find some racing fuel and pay big $$ for it.

Welcome to NICO, and I agree, post some pics and post in the G50 (90-96 year models) sticky thread at the top of the Q45 forum.

[Jeff Williams]

Lets say you fill up once a week. That is roughly 20 gallons a week. 52 weeks a year nets 1,040 gallons a year. Premiun is $.19 more expensive than the cheapest crap out there. You will spend $197.60 per year for premium.

That is NOT very much money, when you think of the cost of HP, performance, and embarrasment when your car runs like crap.

Buy the premium.

[elwesso]

if your KS are good they will pick up pinging before you hear it...

But why even bother with that anyway.. YES you probably can get away with it (the factory builds in for emergencies/brainwashed owners that think that the recommendations are just kidding) on a stock ECU...

[louiegz]

Welcome to the club. I'm sure she's a beauty, eh. Use the good gas. It's not worth it to cheap out. By the way, I see you have a 91. Did you check your chain guides? Very important as you keep on reading in the forum. Read up on the chain guides and check if they have been done.

zerothread/164335

[Alowther]

Thanks Jeff, well put.

[Alowther]

Thanks for the welcome everyone. Sounds like I will stick with premium, in addition to your comments turns out the Q engine is at 10.2 compression so I would feel pretty bad using anything else.

As for the Chain Guides, they have not been done. Still has the blue silicone on the chain cover. I will do these myself this fall.

PS it has immaculate pearl paint, and the engine bay looks pristine.

Thanks Again

Adam

[qsiguy]

..........As for the Chain Guides, they have not been done. Still has the blue silicone on the chain cover. I will do these myself this fall..........

I think it will be the opinion of eveyone NOT to wait until this fall to change the guides. Some will likely tell you not to even drive it until they've been done. It's that serious. If they fail, you will be buying a new engine....

[Alowther]

I think it will be the opinion of eveyone NOT to wait until this fall to change the guides. Some will likely tell you not to even drive it until they've been done. It's that serious. If they fail, you will be buying a new engine....

Right you are, Sorry I should have been more specific. I am not driving it until September. Before it hits the road, I will do the guides.

Thanks

Adam

[ddrumman]

Right you are, Sorry I should have been more specific. I am not driving it until September. Before it hits the road, I will do the guides.

Thanks

Adam

Welcome to the brotherhood.

Good man! Both on the guides AND the fuel.

[maxnix]

Don't even turn it over before you do the guides as most stress on timing chain (and thus on guides) is at start-up.

Do premium or turn it into a show car.

[QBaller]

...she's a beauty, eh.....zerothread/164335

Funny! ...went to college in Canada.

[ceningolmo]

Welcome!

[Alowther]

Parts for the guide job are on the way! Just ordered them from Scottsdale Infinity per your reccomendations, and even with shipping to Canada saved $200 over the dealer quote here, and they are shipping them tomorrow, as opposed to a 4 week back order here.

Now I'd better bust out the jack stands and creeper....

Thanks again.

Adam