About a week ago, my 94Q w/90K miles would often not start on the first try. Normally, a sub-second key turn would always start it. Now it takes a second try, and I need to crank it a bit more.
Then two days ago, it began stalling out when at a stop light. Not always, but occasionally. It also felt hesitant on the road when giving it gas at say 30mph.
Dealer says the transmission is locking up and stalling the car. They don't rebuild, so a remanufactured txmission is $3700.
But I noticed before I took it in that if I put the car in neutral, it still stalled at stop lights on occasion.
Do I have an additional problem beyond the transmission? I'd hate to spend 3/4 of the car's value on a transmission and then find another problem.
And whom can I take it to in Denver besides the dealer? Advice?
Stalling indicates bad transmission?
Never change the transmiWHAT A MORON! I mean there's some Cadillacs where you -cant- flush the fluid (correct me if I'm wrong, Wes). But... man, to specifically say never change it?
The symptom itself sounds like one that could be just about anything. I do not believe it is the transmission. If I understand correctly, transmission failure is indicated by excessive slipping or excessive abruptness during shifts.
Lets see what the experts say; I could be very wrong.
-Jesda
The symptom itself sounds like one that could be just about anything. I do not believe it is the transmission. If I understand correctly, transmission failure is indicated by excessive slipping or excessive abruptness during shifts.
Lets see what the experts say; I could be very wrong.
-Jesda
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Q45tech
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1995 G20t 5 speed 334,000 miles 16" 2002 wheels - 205/50/16 Sr20ve vvl
Remember that a factory reman transmission [special JATCO factory in Tennessee just to rebuild trannies] sells them to dealers for $1300 and the Infiniti parts trucks picks up the cores from each dealership.Dealers sell to the independent trade with maybe a 25% markup and to the public at double $2500-$2600.8-10 hours labor is fair.
The factory remanned is much more reliable and much more likely to give you 100,000 miles than some cheapo chain store remanned.
We have an expert local rebuilder who has had some success but he charges us $1500...........we usually just buy from dealer with our discount we pay $1750...........because nobody wants to wait a week or two nor do we want the car hanging around [have to push it in and out]. Takes 5 people to push a Q any distance.
When you change a transmission out always replace the engine rear main seal.....ALWAYS.
You can buy a transmission from Scottsdale Infiniti at a discount but the two way shipping [core return] makes your cost around $2,000-$2,200..............then say $ 500-$600 in installation labor.
We charge $2600 plus the external cooler say $2750 worst case.When the trannies fail trash is flowed into the rad heat exchanges and filters they must be cleaned or replaced to meet factory remanned warranty...............we just bypass them all and use the new external cooler.
Now that you know the prices bargain, but every business is allowed a profit............and every dealership [every make model brand] doubles parts cost.
You either fix the transmission or sell the car for $1,000-$1,500.
BE VERY CAREFUL of the National chain transmission shops and read AND UNDERSTAND the fine print in warranty.
The factory remanned is much more reliable and much more likely to give you 100,000 miles than some cheapo chain store remanned.
We have an expert local rebuilder who has had some success but he charges us $1500...........we usually just buy from dealer with our discount we pay $1750...........because nobody wants to wait a week or two nor do we want the car hanging around [have to push it in and out]. Takes 5 people to push a Q any distance.
When you change a transmission out always replace the engine rear main seal.....ALWAYS.
You can buy a transmission from Scottsdale Infiniti at a discount but the two way shipping [core return] makes your cost around $2,000-$2,200..............then say $ 500-$600 in installation labor.
We charge $2600 plus the external cooler say $2750 worst case.When the trannies fail trash is flowed into the rad heat exchanges and filters they must be cleaned or replaced to meet factory remanned warranty...............we just bypass them all and use the new external cooler.
Now that you know the prices bargain, but every business is allowed a profit............and every dealership [every make model brand] doubles parts cost.
You either fix the transmission or sell the car for $1,000-$1,500.
BE VERY CAREFUL of the National chain transmission shops and read AND UNDERSTAND the fine print in warranty.
I am not at all comnvinced from the post that the transmission is teh issue.
Of course I wasnt there looking at it in person.
I had transmission stall out car before at light when I was low on transmission fluid and exreme cols make it lower yet ( fluid contracted in MN mid-winter)
When you are in N or P the transmission should affect your abiolity to start., unless its so bad it never goes out of D even in P or N, in which case you'd never be able to start it.
Id make sure they understand my symtpoms <real> well before I'd commit to a new transmission.
Fred...
Of course I wasnt there looking at it in person.
I had transmission stall out car before at light when I was low on transmission fluid and exreme cols make it lower yet ( fluid contracted in MN mid-winter)
When you are in N or P the transmission should affect your abiolity to start., unless its so bad it never goes out of D even in P or N, in which case you'd never be able to start it.
Id make sure they understand my symtpoms <real> well before I'd commit to a new transmission.
Fred...
About a month ago, my 90Q with 158K starting stalling on me with no warning. The problem was so intermittent that the dealer kept the car for over a week, running errands in it, before they could replicate the problem. Turned out to be the fuel pump controller and fuel pump; those were replaced and I have had no further problem.
Re: Stalling indicates bad transmission?
[quote=" DMHinCO But I noticed before I took it in that if I put the car in neutral, it still stalled at stop lights on occasion.[/quote]
That, my friend, is a mouthful - It appears your “Dealer” has already demonstrated his competence - RUN, don’t walk the other way ! ! ! I’m seconding the SWAG regarding Air/Fuel probabilities along w/any transmission crap-o-laaa - any pump noise from the trunk other than filling the fuel rail on shutting her down ?
Get yourself to a Consult, post the info here on NICO and let Q45tech and the gurus tell you the truth. A couple of hundred in diagnostics + NICO help has to be the cheapest route to getting your girl back into form.
Your in the right place to try to cadge a referral - if nothing comes up for Denver, start checking some of the Nissan dealers and asking if any of their tech were factory trained Infiniti guys from years ago - there should be one or two at dealers or independent shops in a city of that size.
That, my friend, is a mouthful - It appears your “Dealer” has already demonstrated his competence - RUN, don’t walk the other way ! ! ! I’m seconding the SWAG regarding Air/Fuel probabilities along w/any transmission crap-o-laaa - any pump noise from the trunk other than filling the fuel rail on shutting her down ?
Get yourself to a Consult, post the info here on NICO and let Q45tech and the gurus tell you the truth. A couple of hundred in diagnostics + NICO help has to be the cheapest route to getting your girl back into form.
Your in the right place to try to cadge a referral - if nothing comes up for Denver, start checking some of the Nissan dealers and asking if any of their tech were factory trained Infiniti guys from years ago - there should be one or two at dealers or independent shops in a city of that size.
Thanks to all of you who join me in my skepticism. They are keeping it an extra day to answer my "but why would it be hard to start and stall in neutral" question.
The service salesman said "the tech drove me around in it and I could feel it slipping in all the gears." Maybe so. But when I was driving and experienced sluggishness, I'd give it more gas and the tach would go nowhere for awhile. When the tach rose, so did the speed of the car. I would GUESS that slipping would mean engine revs increase with no increase in velocity.
I'm not saying it ISN'T a bad transmission, but it strikes me that it can't ONLY be a bad transmission.
Q45Tech, thanks for the pricing and the guidance, especially about the engine main rear seal.
Fuel seemed like the most likely culprit to me also. No, I haven't heard anything particularly strange from the fuel pump. I often hear it, but it has been no more noticeable than before. And I keep at least a quarter tank of gas in it at all times because of this board. Not sounding an audible warning does not mean it is not failing, though, right?
Fuel pump controller, though. Hmmmm. Not that I know anything, but that is feasible to me.
msscomm, "Get yourself to a Consult" sounds like good, specific advice, but I don't understand what you are telling me. Please elaborate.
Any Denver advice would still be appreciated. I don't know where to turn.
The service salesman said "the tech drove me around in it and I could feel it slipping in all the gears." Maybe so. But when I was driving and experienced sluggishness, I'd give it more gas and the tach would go nowhere for awhile. When the tach rose, so did the speed of the car. I would GUESS that slipping would mean engine revs increase with no increase in velocity.
I'm not saying it ISN'T a bad transmission, but it strikes me that it can't ONLY be a bad transmission.
Q45Tech, thanks for the pricing and the guidance, especially about the engine main rear seal.
Fuel seemed like the most likely culprit to me also. No, I haven't heard anything particularly strange from the fuel pump. I often hear it, but it has been no more noticeable than before. And I keep at least a quarter tank of gas in it at all times because of this board. Not sounding an audible warning does not mean it is not failing, though, right?
Fuel pump controller, though. Hmmmm. Not that I know anything, but that is feasible to me.
msscomm, "Get yourself to a Consult" sounds like good, specific advice, but I don't understand what you are telling me. Please elaborate.
Any Denver advice would still be appreciated. I don't know where to turn.
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maxnix
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A Consult is a Nissan specific device that reads the OBD I diagnostics. It's use is only as good as the technician's experience in diagnosing its output. However, raw data is valuable data and can help diagnose the car's problems, hence the benefit to you to have it done and publish the results for analysis here.
Many independent Z and Nissan shops will have one if they are worth their salt. Finding a technician knowledgeable about the G50 Q45 is the difficult part.
Any noise from the fuel pump, like any color of a fluid different than the original fluid when new, is not a good thing. If you are sitting in your car and listening to the fuel pump, it's probably time to change it before your FPCU is fried also. It seems in previous fuel pump failure postings on this board, some have been quite loud, and some have been just loud enough to hear over the engine. The worst are the ones that are silent because the FPCU has failed from too much current draw.
Many independent Z and Nissan shops will have one if they are worth their salt. Finding a technician knowledgeable about the G50 Q45 is the difficult part.
Any noise from the fuel pump, like any color of a fluid different than the original fluid when new, is not a good thing. If you are sitting in your car and listening to the fuel pump, it's probably time to change it before your FPCU is fried also. It seems in previous fuel pump failure postings on this board, some have been quite loud, and some have been just loud enough to hear over the engine. The worst are the ones that are silent because the FPCU has failed from too much current draw.
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squeefoo
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1994 Nissan Maxima SE
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Something easy to do first is put in a high quality fuel filter. After that I'd look for a vacuum leak - you squeeze the hose from the AAC valve to the intake (drivers side attached to the back top) if the idle stays the same you've got a leaker. (my Q did that when I first bought it ...vac. leaks everywhere) Then I'd look inside the throttle body for dirt - clean it out with a tooth brush, rag and carb cleaner -don't get too much inside. It's something you can at least try instead of opening your wallet for those cretini. Finally are you showing "transmission malfunction" in your display ? Fred is right ...did you check the fluid? Maybe a throttle position sensor?
Update:Dealer kept it a few more days and the tech drove it home for several nights.
They said the transmission fluid was about a half a quart low so they added some. I didn't ask if they added M1 and I don't know if mixing types matters that much.
They were unable to duplicate the stalling in N or P.
They said the fuel pump and FPCU are fine.
They said the torque converter is seizing up and the transmission whines, indicating a bad transmission that needs to be replaced since they don't rebuild.
So I have a few questions for this board assuming it really is the transmission and my stalls in N were a fluke.
a) Can I have the transmission REBUILT rather than replaced with a remanufactured one? How do I find the right guy for that?
b) If rebuilding is not practical, can I just drive it until the transmission dies? Besides towing, is there any cost to driving my current transmission until its death?
Driving to death would allow me to order a rebuilt from Scottsdale. It would also allow me to find someone else to do the work. The dealer says $900 labor and the rest of the $3700 is parts and tax. I doubt that includes the main rear seal and an external transmission cooler.
Thoughts? This one hurts. Especially when I think about replacing a 90K transmission with a rebuilt one that probably has twice that on it.
They said the transmission fluid was about a half a quart low so they added some. I didn't ask if they added M1 and I don't know if mixing types matters that much.
They were unable to duplicate the stalling in N or P.
They said the fuel pump and FPCU are fine.
They said the torque converter is seizing up and the transmission whines, indicating a bad transmission that needs to be replaced since they don't rebuild.
So I have a few questions for this board assuming it really is the transmission and my stalls in N were a fluke.
a) Can I have the transmission REBUILT rather than replaced with a remanufactured one? How do I find the right guy for that?
b) If rebuilding is not practical, can I just drive it until the transmission dies? Besides towing, is there any cost to driving my current transmission until its death?
Driving to death would allow me to order a rebuilt from Scottsdale. It would also allow me to find someone else to do the work. The dealer says $900 labor and the rest of the $3700 is parts and tax. I doubt that includes the main rear seal and an external transmission cooler.
Thoughts? This one hurts. Especially when I think about replacing a 90K transmission with a rebuilt one that probably has twice that on it.
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Q451990
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No harm in driving it until death... worst case it trashes the lines and cooler - but you'll be putting in an external cooler anyway. As far as the diagnosis, I'm still not sure that they're right on that. I'd let it ride for a while and see where things go. While you wait, shop for an installer and then think in terms of a Scottsdale transmission. If the rest of the transmission is fine, it may be possible to just replace the torque convertor, but the labor and cost would probably not be justified vs. a reman. from Scottsdale.
Even though your dealership (with questionable diagnostic skills ruled it out) it might be a good idea to pull the fuel pump controller, open it up, and see if you have any toasted looking parts inside. The typical areas are the 4 transistor-looking parts on the sides that are attached to the case for heat transfer, and the connector whre it's soldered to the circuit board. If your fuel pump has never been replaced, at 90K I'd just do it at preventive maintenence. Do you hear it at all at idle with 1/2 tank or less?
Heath
Even though your dealership (with questionable diagnostic skills ruled it out) it might be a good idea to pull the fuel pump controller, open it up, and see if you have any toasted looking parts inside. The typical areas are the 4 transistor-looking parts on the sides that are attached to the case for heat transfer, and the connector whre it's soldered to the circuit board. If your fuel pump has never been replaced, at 90K I'd just do it at preventive maintenence. Do you hear it at all at idle with 1/2 tank or less?
Heath
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Q45tech
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1995 G20t 5 speed 334,000 miles 16" 2002 wheels - 205/50/16 Sr20ve vvl
Normally we buy trannies from the dealer [who gives us a significant trade discount based on the $500,000 in Infiniti parts we buy annually] at 30% off retail. Same with Lexus, a $500,000 client gets a good deal.
We have tried 2 so called transmission rebuild experts around Atlanta [based on some expert referrals] they charge us $1500 [including a rebuilt TC]........they don't seem any better or worse than the factory reman for which we pay around $1700 plus core.
The problem is Time and not wanting the customers car around for weeks.
None of these local rebuilders have a transmission dyno so they can't test their work.........all the factory units are tested after the rebuild process........so they all last and we never see a bad one if it lasts a week.
It appears that TRANSTAR and Oklahoma Transmission Supply are the only two wholesalers of transmission rebuild parts in Denver, you might buy somebody lunch and find the best shop........don't just call and ask for info, go meet some people.
We have tried 2 so called transmission rebuild experts around Atlanta [based on some expert referrals] they charge us $1500 [including a rebuilt TC]........they don't seem any better or worse than the factory reman for which we pay around $1700 plus core.
The problem is Time and not wanting the customers car around for weeks.
None of these local rebuilders have a transmission dyno so they can't test their work.........all the factory units are tested after the rebuild process........so they all last and we never see a bad one if it lasts a week.
It appears that TRANSTAR and Oklahoma Transmission Supply are the only two wholesalers of transmission rebuild parts in Denver, you might buy somebody lunch and find the best shop........don't just call and ask for info, go meet some people.
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Jeff Williams
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I say drive the car, the transmission may get worse, and it may last another 30,000 miles. Put some stop slip transmission conditoner in there.
I nursed a Honda transmission, for 50,000 miles, after it started slipping with CD2 conditioner, and 10,000 mile exchanges.
It does sound like a fuel/air problem.
The fuel pump is around $250, and the controller is over $300. You can DIY, but it is an involved job. The fule filter is like $5, from Autozone.
Alos check your MAF sensor. My car had similar symptoms, plus ther was some black smoke, sometines, and the gas mileas dropped about 50%. My problem was a dirty MAF sensor (the little sensor right past the air filter, that reads airflow, and intake temperature).
I nursed a Honda transmission, for 50,000 miles, after it started slipping with CD2 conditioner, and 10,000 mile exchanges.
It does sound like a fuel/air problem.
The fuel pump is around $250, and the controller is over $300. You can DIY, but it is an involved job. The fule filter is like $5, from Autozone.
Alos check your MAF sensor. My car had similar symptoms, plus ther was some black smoke, sometines, and the gas mileas dropped about 50%. My problem was a dirty MAF sensor (the little sensor right past the air filter, that reads airflow, and intake temperature).