plugs and transmission filter questions

[mpoyner]

two parter:

1. where is the cheapest place to get the NGK spark plugs. I know that Joe has them in AZ for cheap, but I think I recall someone saying that there is an eBay person that sells them for $45 for the set. Also, I read that some people use Bosch Platinum plugs. Is this ok to use, rather than the NGK?

2. I have had two infiniti dealers now insist that I shouldn't ever have to change the transmission filter that is wire mesh. Just flush the fluids is all. I want to keep this car in good shape, but don't want to do more than is necessary. Please sell me on why I should change the filter, do pan drop, etc. I'm eager to be sold, if it's necessary.

[Q45tech]

"I want to keep this car in good shape, but don't want to do more than is necessary. "

Necessary for what?

Depends on whether you find 100k or 150k or 185k or 200k acceptable AT life?

You always have to over maintain to squeeze every mile out.

Just remember you are dealing with a $3,000 part to replace.draw your own conclusions. Why is there a easily removable metal filter and why do they cost $25, and why is the transmission pan removable, why is there a magnet in the pan bottom, and why is there a drain on the pan.

As a dealer I wouldn't want to do anything that would prolong your transmission............since I stand a good chance of selling you a new one and making $1,000 in the process vs maybe $60 for a filter change.

At T3 we are reaping what we sowed years ago in pushing mainteanance..........we rarely change trannys now as most are flushing/pan droping regularly.

This year we have changed 4 including 2 on LS400. In 1998 we changed 21.....[18 in 2000]....... $60,000 vs maybe $12,000 +$13,000 in flushing revenue now............we never should have purchased the flush machine if income was the main factor. Probably not 100% accurate but the trend shows we lost money in helping owners save money.

If you are not spending close to $500 prorated per year on fluid maintenance all systems exchanges cleans [$120 for oil] {half of $300 transmission] [half of $60 differential] [power steering and brake fluid] half of coolant, and something prorated for AC oil/freon cleaning..............you are undermaintaining the car and will not achieve 250-300,000 miles on all systems.

Whether only spending $250 prorated will deliver 150,000 miles is unknown.

Obviously do it yourself fluid changes [if done correctly] will save money.

[AZhitman]

1) NGK only - Search eBay for "Q45 NGK"

2) After changing my pan filter, I realized it's really unnnecessary. However, dropping the pan to clean it and the filter thoroughly is a necessity. You'll get more of the old fluid out and you can clean the magnet in the pan... Drop the pan, give the filter a good cleaning, and put it back in (new o-ring from Joe is a good idea). Depending on how long you let it drain w/o the pan on, you can get aprox 75% of the old fluid out.

[Q451990]

After changing my pan filter, I realized it's really unnnecessary.

I think it depends a lot on the prior maintenence of the transmission. In any case, the filters can clog and look clean as the debris are caught inside the filter. Did you cut yours open?

I think Jerry Tucker had some problems with Q transmissions howling after a flush due to clogged filters, and then added the pan drop/filter replacement to the service.

http://www.atcdg.com/techbulletins/bull_153.htm

For $20.33 from Joe, it's cheap insurance.

Heath

[AZhitman]

Upon later inspection, mine was clean.

The mesh inside isn't really that fine - IMO, anything that gets caught in the filter is evidence of bad transmission problems anyway, so...

But Heath's right - It's only $20, and an additional 2 minutes to pull/replace, and you're already in there, so just change it.

[mpoyner]

thanks, all. I'm sold.

Now bout those sparkplugs...what about the Bosch plugs? what is the difference in these and the NGK?

[elwesso]

Get your spark plugs from Yoshi Sakura...... I got them for 47 for a set...... [email protected]

ONLY GET NGK!!!! A Q owner here almost ruined his engine because of inferior spark plugs...... You didnt buy a Q to get cheap maintenance parts!!! JUST DO IT!!

[mpoyner]

thanks elwesso,

the Nissan dealership here (no infiniti dealer around area) wants $108 for eight of these. That's why I was asking. I'll email him right away.

[AZhitman]

A Bosch engineer (yes, employed by Bosch) even told me not to use their plugs in the Q.

That's as good a testimony as ANYONE should ever need.

[Q45tech]

We have seen 5 engines since 1997 partially destroyed [low compresion in bad cylinders] from the electrodes of inferior plugs coming off and scoring the cylinder walls.We have seen 17 plugs where electrodes were missing in total.Never seen an NGK plug fail [we must have changed 1,000 sets] have seen Bosch platnium, Bosch +4, Champion, and Autolite failures.Too risky in my mind to use anything else but NGK........even Denso where 1 or 2 failures have been noted......that is Lexus oem plug.

17 out of 6,000 isn't much unless its your car! It was scarey enough for us to recall all the Bosch plugs we installed and change them luckily we caught it quick back in 1999-2000.

Many plugs are not the exact same length [quality control tolerances] as the NGK and in Q the clearances are minute when the engine is at high rpm and hot ....the rods and piston stretch and expand and may hit inferior plug which might only be 0.002-0.005 " longer.

Build up of deposits on piston crown can close the distances even more............unless you measure each substitute plug exactly think twice.

Nissan told you which plug the engine was designed for and didn't use the "or equivalent" phrase.

[qship96]

thanks elwesso,

the Nissan dealership here (no infiniti dealer around area) wants $108 for eight of these. That's why I was asking. I'll email him right away.

Where are you living in Maryland? I am in northern Baltimore county and familiar with the Infiniti dealers in the area if you need any insight!

[mpoyner]

qship96:

I live in Hagerstown. I would love to know any insight you have as to who the most honest, competent dealerships are. There is one in Rockville, and other along the 270 corridor, but I would rather go to ones down 70 toward Baltimore, if possible.

The Nissan guys said that they have infiniti-trained people on board, but they can't look up infiniti parts in their system, etc.

[qship96]

I have bought/serviced both my g20 and q45 from Nationwide in Timonium,and have been happy with the experience,they had a infiniti dealer in Ellicott City,rt 40 close to I70,recently sold to JBA franchise,so I am not sure if the old Nationwide Techs stayed through the transaction,but worth checking out I suppose!

[Q45tech]

Ask to see the Infiniti training certificates each tech that has one [multiple ones] is proud. The 8 year old training gets lost if you don't work on one every day or 100 per year!

Some of our techs [individually] see more old Q than almost any dealer techs at any dealership in US.........some work on almost nothing else not even many G or J units.