Shifting question on a J30

[J-Owner]

Hello everyone,I have been reading these messages for a while now and I have a question if someone could help me out please. I have a '95 J30t and I have a shifting question.

When I am going at low speeds, like driving across a parking lot so under 10 miles an hour sometimes the engine shifts into nowhere. I have my foot pressing the gas but the car stops moving like it is in nuetral and the tach goes up high. If I let off the gas everything goes back to normal and the car runs fine. This seems to be happening more often now. It never happens at highway speeds though. The car has 108,550 miles on it. Does anyone know what I am talking about, what is happening or how to fix it? I would appreciate any feedback.

Oh, also I have some vibration in the steering wheel when the car is idling like at a street light. Sometimes I can feel it in the wheel and through the door when my leg is leaning against it and sometimes in the headrest. It is a subtle vibration but one that has not been there in the past. Does anyone think this might be a bad motor mount or something?

Again, I would appreciate any feedback. Thank you very much!

[maxnix]

Quote »When I am going at low speeds, like driving across a parking lot so under 10 miles an hour sometimes the engine shifts into nowhere. I have my foot pressing the gas but the car stops moving like it is in nuetral and the tach goes up high.[/quote] Well, I'll be the bearer of bad news here since no one else wishes to step-up. Your transmission is probably toast, unless your gear selector is having very bad problems. Research the posts, even though most are about the Q45, since the transmissions are basically identical. The principals discusssed apply to most cars. Don't know about the heat exchangers on the J30s.

Check with Joe at http://www.infinitiparts.com or the new guy (Jerry?) at Infiniti of Lisle.

[greg_atlanta]

I'd agree. The transmission is giving its farewell speech. Assuming its original it's 10 years old and that's pretty good for that transmission (usually fail around 80-100K on Q45).

It will continue to get worse and will just stop working one day, so plan on a replacement. Best to get rebuilt unit from Nissan, probably around $3000 installed?? Start checking around.

Some of the vibration could be caused by the transmission mount, so replacing that along with transmission is a good plan. Good time to do motor mounts too if you can work a deal to get a cut on the labor for multiple jobs at one time.

Check with Infiniti dealers or Nissan independent shops (same drivetrain as 300Z).

[Eswift]

yeah your transmission is toast. check your fluid level and fix it if its off, but your just extending the inevitable. you could go through and see if there are any transmission codes being relayed (use the manual to find the procedure) , but those will only be for electrical malfunctions, and it sounds like your problem is mechanical.

[J-Owner]

Does anyone know of a reputable transmisison repair shop in Dallas, Texas that could replace the transmission? Some of you said that the transmission usually goes around 80-100K miles on the Q but probably could be said about the J as well. Am I just driving a piece of **** or what? I mean I have had nothing but problems with this car since it turned over 100K miles. I have owned it since it had 8 miles on it. Are Infiniti's just worthless past 100K miles or what? For any of you that have had to replace the transmission, is it worth it or should I just get rid of the car?Any feedback would be great. Thanks!

[Mayhem_J30]

Does anyone know of a reputable transmisison repair shop in Dallas, Texas that could replace the transmission? Some of you said that the transmission usually goes around 80-100K miles on the Q but probably could be said about the J as well. Am I just driving a piece of **** or what? I mean I have had nothing but problems with this car since it turned over 100K miles. I have owned it since it had 8 miles on it. Are Infiniti's just worthless past 100K miles or what? For any of you that have had to replace the transmission, is it worth it or should I just get rid of the car?Any feedback would be great. Thanks!

I would definately never say the J30 is a piece. Keep in mind what you are saying, a car around 10 years old and over 100K miles is for sure going to have problems...any vehicle would. What kind of problems have you been having since 100K? Things like the transmission failure are expected. Unwanted, but expected. Things like water pumps, altenators and such will begin to fail around this time, but these are also expected.

[VimyJ]

Does anyone know of a reputable transmisison repair shop in Dallas, Texas that could replace the transmission? Some of you said that the transmission usually goes around 80-100K miles on the Q but probably could be said about the J as well. Am I just driving a piece of **** or what? I mean I have had nothing but problems with this car since it turned over 100K miles. I have owned it since it had 8 miles on it. Are Infiniti's just worthless past 100K miles or what? For any of you that have had to replace the transmission, is it worth it or should I just get rid of the car?Any feedback would be great. Thanks!

What other problems have you had? Did you have the transmission serviced in the last 40,000 miles? I didn't want to jump in with the transmission news either but this sounds serious. $3000 for a new transmission is hefty on a car "worth" $4-5000. However, I have heard of J's going over 150,000 with barely a hiccup. Now, what are you going to do? Spend $10-15000 to get a halfway comparable replacement car or spend $3000 on a new transmission? But, if you get a new transmission, you still have a ten year old car. Tough call.

[fburgerod]

I have a 93 J30t that lost the transmission at about 112k miles. I balked at the factory replacement of $3700 (California) and went with an independent who botched the job. Went to another independent who did a fantastic job of fixing it and got a 3 year 36k guarantee. It shifts like butter now. Car is worth about $5k on the market but is worth tons more to my family. Will probably drive it to 200k miles as everything else is so solid. I know AC will probably go in the next year or two and that costs one to two thousand to fix (evaporator, compressor), but still lots less than car payments for less car. I own a G35 Coupe now too, but still love to drive the J! I vote you fix it and keep it.

Frank

[J-Owner]

Thank you everyone for your advice. I am just a little upset right now about the transmission thing. It couldn't be happening at a worse time. I think that a luxury car with a cost of $37K when I bought should last me longer. I have family members who have Lexus'with more miles and never a problem. I do expect to get what I paid for and it should last longer. The J is a beautiful car and I would hate to part with it some of you why spend the money on a car that isn't worth anything anyway. Going to have to think about this one and decide what to do.

As for other problems:Upper turbine sensor - $367Some shifting sensor (forgot the name of it) - $565A/C Compressor and condensor - $1,120Bearings in the Crankshaft - $1,628Tension rods on the front end - $389Total Over $4K

Anyway, I appreciate all of your help. Just a little upset right now. Do any of you recommend a re-built transmission. How long do they last, does anyone know from experience? I don't want to be buying another one in a month. Thanks for the feedback.

[J-Owner]

On my previous e-mail, I meant I agree with some of you, why spend the money on a car that isn't worth it. It reads like I am asking some of you why you spend money on a car that isn't worth much. That is not what I meant, just clarifying. Sorry.

[maxnix]

Quote »As for other problems:Upper turbine sensor - $367Some shifting sensor (forgot the name of it) - $565A/C Compressor and condensor - $1,120Bearings in the Crankshaft - $1,628Tension rods on the front end - $389Total Over $4K[/quote]I wonder how many transmission flushes and pan drops with screen replacements were performed on this car? Crankshaft bearings are an ominous sign that oil change intervals were way too far apart or an under performing oil was used.

The good news is the turbine sensor is available from http://www.infinitipartsusa.com for a lot less, and the labor is negligible when replacing the transmission with an Infninti remanufactured transmission. Source other parts on your list from them also to save substantially.

Same for the rest of the parts. I suggest you do a search on maintenance and read all the posts. If it has not been performed in a timely manner throughout the life of the car, it doesn't matter how much the car costs originally.

In reading the posts, you will discover even poorly maintained Lexi have problems which are expensive to rectify.

[J-Owner]

Well, that is the part I am not happy about. I have had all of the service on this car done in the last two years at Crest Infiniti in Plano, Texas. I switched from Sewell Infiniti when I move to North Dallas. Anyway, The transmission is flushed every 30K miles. I even had it flushed early when they replaced the turbine sensor back in August so it has, or as far as I know, been serviced recently. As far as oil changes, they have been done every 3K miles. If it has ever gone longer than that it hasn't been more than 25 miles over. I don't know as much about cars as you guys do. I hate to say it but that is why I value your advice. I have gone to the dealerships because I figure that they SHOULD know what they are doing. It is hard to find reputable people here in Dallas so I figured the best bet would be the dealership.

I have always followed the maintenance shedule on this car to the tee. I am a believer that proper maintenance is key to the longevity of the car. Having said that, I am still in shock that I am having all of these problems. I have never neglected this car in anyway. I am beginning to think that my dealership is not performing the services I have been paying for. Like I said, it is just that this could not be happening at a worse time.

[maxnix]

Since it is so well maintained, I would get a second opinion.

I think aaacomp has a good relationship with the parts guy at Sewell. Look him up and email him. I recall he knew someone in the area who rebuilt transmissions, but I would stay with the Infiniti remaufactured ones.

The crankshaft bearings diagnosis really has me wondering about the Plano dealer.

Please keep us informed as your problems seem unusual for the care the car has received.

[Mayhem_J30]

this is the first time i've heard about crankshaft bearings going bad on the VG30 motor.I just ordered two tension rod bushings for myself at $80-90 each. Then I'll just put them in myself..looks pretty easy. DIY and you'll save $300. Then another $300 on the turbine sensor. Do what Maxnix saysa and get a 2nd opinion.If I was you I would just take care of the transmission problems for now. The tension rods can wait.Then I would do the A/C, crankshaft(if there is a problem) and timing belt at the same time.

[J-Owner]

The $4K in problems that I listed I have already fixed. Those things are repaired. Obviously, I got bent over on the repairs. I wish I would have known about this website earlier. Your advice has certainly been useful. I will be more cautious about things in the future.

I am a pretty smart person but unfortunately not when it comes to cars. I tend to obviously trust the wrong peopleand I think I have a dishonest dealership. Is there a book out there like a Chilton manuel or something for a J30? Something that would tell me how to fix some of this stuff. (The stuff I can do myself) It would be nice to be able to follow along on something. Anyone know where I can get one? thanks.

[VimyJ]

Thank you everyone for your advice. I am just a little upset right now about the transmission thing. It couldn't be happening at a worse time. I think that a luxury car with a cost of $37K when I bought should last me longer. I have family members who have Lexus'with more miles and never a problem. I do expect to get what I paid for and it should last longer. The J is a beautiful car and I would hate to part with it some of you why spend the money on a car that isn't worth anything anyway. Going to have to think about this one and decide what to do.

As for other problems:Upper turbine sensor - $367Some shifting sensor (forgot the name of it) - $565A/C Compressor and condensor - $1,120Bearings in the Crankshaft - $1,628Tension rods on the front end - $389Total Over $4K

A very interesting post. I am curious about your maintenance. The only very likey and expected repairs that you mention, aside from the transmission, would be wear and tear items like the tension rods and the A/C (maybe). We rarely if ever have heard of the other parts you mentioned failing especially the crankshaft bearings. These engines are probably the strongest things about these cars. You should get a second opinion about your repairs. Have you been dealing with a dealership?

What symptoms were/are you experiencing? How often was the oil changed?

There are other avenues via this site that can enable you to obtain parts much more cheaply than the full retail dealer price for a good independent shop to install. What kind of car would you get for $3000 that would come anywhere near to the drivng value of your J30? Your suggested repairs are a tad suspect, IMHO.

[VimyJ]

Something weird is going on. I din't get any of the updated messages before I made my apparently redundant post. I wouldn't have bothered posting if I had reviewed the excellent replies from the brethren. Still, it is very unusual that your transmission is going (?) and the crankshaft bearings replaced with the regular maintenance you had performed. I know from recent experience that if your throttle position sensor (TPS) is out of spec that your transmission will behave strangely including not knowing what to do between gears. It's a long shot but should be checked.

[J-Owner]

Thanks VimyJ for your repsonse. The Throttle Position Sensor is the sensor I had replaced. I couldn't remember the name of it until you said that. The sensor is new, or as far as I know it is new. I change the oil every 3,000 miles. I never stray from that. I assume that is a good interval to change it that is what I have always been taught anyway. The transmission fluid was flushed back in August of this year. The color is still good and bright pink, no metallica particles in it and there is no bad smell like burnt or anything. I had the transmission fluid flushed when they replaced the turbine sensor. I had that replaced because it was leaking transmission fluid. About two or three drops a day judging by the garage floor. Fixed it before it got worse.

I am not happy about the bearings in the crankshaft thing. You say that should not have been necessary. Could you elaborate a little more on that. I am not sure what the bearings are actually for. I apologize for my lack of ecucation on this matter but I was told if the bearings wear down that something (forgot the name) could grab it and throw it up into the crankshaft ruining the engine for good. Dealership told me either spend $1,600 to fix or $8,000 for a new engine altogether later. So I fixed it. Please tell me more about this if you would. The bearing thing came about from a constant low vibrating noise that you could feel through the gear ****. If you put your hand against the gear shift it felt like a heartbeat through it, if you know what I mean. they said they put a stethoscope to the block or something and determined that the bearings needed replaced.

Again, don't laugh at what I guess is me being gullable when getting repairs. I tend to trust the wrong people. This car has always been serviced by an Infiniti dealership. Either Sewell or Crest in Dallas. The last two years it has been Crest since I moved to North Dallas and honestly, while Sewell wasn't cheap it seems like my car did run better with them servicing it. Again, I have a hard time trusting mom and pop places that don't come recommended to me by people I know and trust. Dallas is notorious for rip off mechanics. Of course, having said that they may very well work at the Dealership.

Anyway, thanks VimyJ for your advice. More advice on the subject or at least your opinion would be greatly appreciated. thanks!

[DAEDALUS]

The bearings are very necessary; what was meant is that they're designed to last a while and they probably last the life of the car in nearly every case. Your excellent maintenance habits and the relatively low mileage on the car further suggest the bearings should NOT have needed replacing.The biggest reasons that I and many others work on our cars ourselves are 1) We can't afford $90/hr and 2) We don't trust the idiots in our local shops. The vibrations you felt through the gearshifter were probably driveshaft related. I also doubt that you could pinpoint a bad bearing with a stethoscope on the outside of the engine, but I'm not positive. What kind of noise does a bad journal bearing make?I think it might be worth your time to begin looking for another shop. Also, spend some time before you go in to learn about the problems you might be having. Show a shop you know the car, and they'll be far less likely to feed you a story.

[VimyJ]

Holy crap!:eek: They charged you close to $600 for a TPS!!!!!! I called a dealer for the price of a new one a few days ago and it was closer to $40 and it's easier to change than the friggin oil! Additionally, they almost never fail and at most the connections might get a little corroded. If the TPS is not properly positioned all kinds of strange things will happen with the transmission because the transmission control module (TCU) won't be receiving the proper information. Drive shaft carrier bearings are a more common problem which could have been causing your vibrations and that is a relatively cheap fix too. Did the vibrations go away after they tore apart the engine?

There is a miniaturized full service manual that came with the car and fits in a cubby hole on the wall of the trunk on the driver's side. Everything you need to know (and more) is in that manual.

Don't be embarrassed about your lack of knowledge. I have learned so much on this site that car salesmen and service writers are going to be shaking in their boots when or if I ever come calling. Check out some of the other 300zx sites when looking for a good independent shop. The J and 300zx share exactly the same drive train. The engines are excellent and the trannies (with care) will last a good long time. Keep reading the posts on this site and then maybe head back to the dealership and start asking a few questions.