Q wont start! Newb owned for only ONE WEEK..looking for advice

[SEOK]

thanks for the welcome ozzie!the only reason i know what i know about the cars i have IS because of the massive amount of knowledge forums like these have. thank YOU GUYS AND GIRLS....searrrch it...and it will commme....

[maxnix]

Timing chain guides?

[Q451990]

Timing chain guides?

for sure, i was litteraly looking into the replacement kit when it got stranded. I wanted to replace the guides within the month since i found out how important it is to do.

You've probably found them by now, but http://www.everythinginfiniti.com is our favorite source for factory parts. Sometimes it's easier to order over the phone for large orders or things that aren't easy to find on their site.

Heath

[SEOK]

Update, installed my new fuel pump, installed my new used FPCU (from the forum), installed new fuel filter and relay....Car wont start! (Keep in mind it DID RUN when i bypassed the FPCU before the swap!)I could hear the initial humm for 5sec or so from the pump. checked pressure, pulled the hose from the filter to the rail and watched fuel shoot out when i cranked real quick. hooked up a gauge (it was dark out) but needle shot up to what looked like 40 or so. checked fuse. So, i have pressure. Did I miss something?? or overlook something being too excited to button it all back up?I guess I will check for spark in the morning. Im ol school so pulling a plug and grounding it on the manifold during cranking is what im used to, is there a different(easier) way to check spark on these??I was so excited to get her running again too

[maxnix]

Do read the FSM. If your car lost its bible sized copy, download the 1994 one at http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/Q45/ and study. 95% applicable to the earlier model when it comes to engine and transmission.

[SEOK]

going through the "bible" as we speak. getting ready to check for spark, and pull a CAS, spin it, and listen for the injectors firing.

[SEOK]

PLEASE HELP! So, I pulled the #2 plug to check for spark, the boot and plug were SOAKED in oil. SOAKED. cleaned it and did have spark. so i thought maybe the cylinders were washed from fuel so I put it back together and held the pedal down as i cranked.. nothing. I have SPARKI have Fuel pressurenow time to check compression...started with #2 and im scared now... it only has 70psi!pulled #4, THIS plug and boot are clean of oil and has 90psipulled #6, SOAKED in OIL as #2!!! and has 70psi!!thats when i decided not to go further , something is NOT right. I need your help guys, please. what does this mean?? it ran great when I grounded the old fuel pump and decided to replace it and the FPCU. it did sit for a few weeks but whatever has happened scares me. Please realize I search day and night, read and read some more. I am NOT a newb that expects everyone else to give me answers without doing my own research, I worked on older cars but this is a new one for me. Please, I need some guidance with this one.so in a nutshell heres what i have so far...--FP FPCU died (car ran fine when grounded FP)--sat for 3weeks then REPLACED along with filter/relay--NOW NO START--has spark--pulled 2,4,6 plugs--#2, #6 SOAKED in OIL compression @ 70psi--#4 clean compression @ 90psistopped to sit down and put my palms to my face ugggg....

[Infinitiguy19]

I am not expert on what happens on when the timing chain snap, skips a tooth... But oil on the coil pack boot, spark plug hole.... Generally means that the valve covers need replacing. You have a 1991 Q45 and since 1990-1993 Q45's all use RTV as a gasket for the valve cover (Not a premade one like the 1994-1996 Q45 has) you just need to replace the RTV and put new OEM spark plug while you in there.

Did you look down in the spark plug hole to the cylinder to see if there was any fluid in there or the condition of the piston...?

Might want to pour a little oil in the spark plug hole and re-do the test like the service manual advises. Report back with the results.

Did you check the replacement Fuel Pump Control Unit to make sure it looks fine?

Did you buy the pump OEM new or used?

No need to stress in life on things like this just take it one step at a time.

[SEOK]

thanks paul, LOL yeah I gotta stop assisting in my own hair loss with all this stress! I think thats why I had to start shaving my head at such a young age (for the ladies)

Pump OEM newFPCU used but goodgetting fuel pressure 40psi or so (night, hard to see)

well, the plug hole was soaked with oil already, as well as the whole plug. so im not sure if putting oil in there would help much as it seems like it was already down there, Im assuming it was in the combustion chamber too. and it was odd that it was alternating (#2 soaked, #4 Clean, #6 soakd) what do you think, should i test it anyways?


Modified by SEOK at 4:30 PM 1/31/2010

[Infinitiguy19]

When I had my spark plugs changed I remember that only the two from spark plugs had some oil and maybe the two behind them as well. You can try tighten the valve cover bolts as a temp fix (To prevent more oil leaks), but don't over torque them too much.

I say get what ever liquid is in the cylinder out as much as you can. Put it back together then hold the accelerator down while cranking so what ever is left can burn away. Now after the liquid is burned away the car should start and when it does take your foot off the accelerator.

[SEOK]

Ill give it a shot, probably wont be until after work tomorrow since its dark out. How much cranking should go on? after I put the pump in and tried to fire it up for the first time i cranked and cranked cranked. thats when I thought it was flooding so I tried holding the pedal down and cranked for about 15 more seconds with no luck. man I hope its as simple as oil fouled plugs lol. the compression #s scare me though. I'll keep postedthanks for the replies man.

[Q451990]

The oil is definitely leaking rocker cover gaskets. Very common.

I'm at a loss on your situation. Have you disconnected any wiring harnesses since it was last running? I've heard that a couple of them can be reversed near the injector harness and knock sensor harness.

My only other thought would be if you maybe reversed the fuel supply and return hoses where they feed the rails if you had them both off at the same time.

Heath

[SEOK]

Thanks Heath, Im a little more at ease on the oil situation now.

That was my first thought too! maybe I missed something but I touched nothing else(prior to this) just fuel pump and the FPCU (replaced both) last time it ran was when I grounded the old pump realizing the FPCU was bad. then it sat for a few weeks & I installed the new pump, FPCU & filter today. (only disconnected the feed line so I know i didnt reverse them, & filtert installed upright ) Replaced the dead battery and cranked away..no start. cranks all day but wont fire up. tried for awhile & then decided to do all the inspecting as previously noted. Do you think if the timing jumped somehow i would have any compression at all?? my low numbers scares me and I really want to eliminate the thought of it skipping time during the cranking (as thats the only time it could have happened) how would I easily check for jumped time? Im going to do like PaulWall suggested and clean all that oil out of ALL the plug seats and replace the plugs also, then i will try again. hopefully they are just all fouled somehow or something.

[SEOK]

UPDATE:Got the car running tonight!! I was having a hard time troubleshooting in the dark, outside, in THE RAIN the past few days, so I finally got the 68 running and moved it out of the garage so I could get down on the Q. I pulled all the plugs, pulled the FP fuse, and ran a few compression tests. they were ALL very low (into the 70's-90's) SCARED THE s*** OUTTA ME LOL.I took the advice posted above and squirted some oil in each cylinder, tested again. numbers began to slowly rise (oil worked its way into the rings). by the time i got back through 6 or so cylinders I could tell compression was just fine ALL the plugs were seriously effd up, black & fouled like crazy. put some fresh NGKs in, hooked it all back up and she fired up within 2 seconds. Guessing the fouled plugs wouldnt burn the fresh fuel in the cylinder which kept flooding it and washed the oil away from the rings and gave low compression.

Thanks guys for all the helpful replies and advice. couldnt have gotten through this without the forum. Now on to have a taste of these chain guides!

[Q451990]

Sorry, I missed your last post.

8 fouled plugs... weird! Anyhow, I'm glad you got it up and running!

Heath

[maxnix]

Flooded with too much fuel washed the oil off the cylinder walls so there was no compression. Owner must hold addelerator pedal to floor (or firewall) when cranking in such a situation so ECU will cut fuel delivery.

Cold starts followed by no warm-up short trips are a no-no also.
Modified by maxnix at 11:13 AM 2/5/2010

[SEOK]

Thanks, but thats not exactly exclusive to just Q's I always warm up my cars before driving. raised around & driving nothing but carbed musclecars my whole life kinda forced me to hold on to that good habit that ive since carried over to my other Injected cars.

One of the first things I tried after replacing the pump was hold the pedal. not long enough i guess. But, I needed to replace those plugs regardless so i guess it worked out for the better.

[Jesda]

All FPCUs are completely repairable, but you need to remove and replace anything that looks burnt. A visit to your local non-"Shack" electronics shop will be required.

Even if you find a working junkyard replacement, fix the old one and keep it as a backup in the trunk.

[Q451990]

But, I needed to replace those plugs regardless so i guess it worked out for the better.

No doubt... I suspect that it wouldn't have fired up no matter how long you cranked it floored if they were fouled that badly.

On my first Q I had two injector failures. They were probably just cloged and flushable, but I didn't know then... long before this board or even the yahoo board. Each time it happened the plug on that cylinder was pitch black fouled - which apparently this isn't common for injector failures.

Anyhow that plug won't clean itself, even if it has a little bit of spark. I was able to clean them with gasoline and a toothbrush and get them up and working - but if if you don't know how long it's been since the last replacement new plugs were a great idea.

Heath

[OwnerCS]

Thanks to all for this thread as it answered my questions about oil in plug socs #1 and #2.

I will try tightening down on the gasket to slow the leaking. I will be doing the timing chain maintenance in a couple of weeks -- so this has been (literally) a warm up exercise on the Q here with 95 percent humidity and 95+temperatures -- as it were.

I am glad to find the old (dealer installed) NGK plugs to be clean burning and in very good shape after about 60,000 miles of use. I have the receipt where the old plugs were replaced around the 50,000 mile mark -- nearly 10 years ago. I decided to replace the old plugs with some the NGK higher end Iridium plugs. I've had some great service from NGK Iridum plugs on my Honda vehicles.

Yesterday I gave it an oil and "bottoms up" filter change. I did put a plastic bag over the oil filter before and during removal to keep it from leaking so much on me and the driveway.

Again thanks to all for a very helpful forum. I'm taking pictures of the plug changing project -- if we need a detailed maintenance procedure picture show at some point.

[OwnerCS]

Welcome to the Q45 club. I hope you get it running again soon. I recently purchased a 91 from a friend. We're still friends.. No regrets.

Does your screen name mean South East Oklahoma?