What to ask for dealer Consult

[aaronl]

If I took my 95 Q45A to the dealer for a full Consult test, what should I ask for to give me the most usable data and to get the most for my money?

[AZhitman]

Just ask for a full diagnostic scan. If they try to charge you more than an hour or 1.5 hours labor, move on. You'll want to make sure they do a power balance test...

I'm sure some of our other Q owners will chime in. It's been a while since I had mine scanned...

[Q451990]

The most important is the power balance. Next most useful would of course be any error codes - maybe coolant temp after a full warm up. Any problem in particular you're chasing?

Heath

[3Q Jay]

and on the power balance i'd ask them to do it 3x or at least twice. make sure you get their agreement upfront to give you the data slips. to the average Joe they think 'it all checks out ok' answers the mail. yeah right.....

on your a, you've already gone to see Mr. Bowers in Bellaire I presume?

[aaronl]

I am not chasing any particular problems. It had several when I bought the car last year. These have all been cured by cleaning connectors and other maintenance. Engine, transmission, fuel flush by BG equiped independent shop, I replaced alternator, fuel pump, water pump as well as all filters and belts. Only 68K miles when i bought it. 73K now.

On the connector cleaning. I had codes for MAF, camshaft position, injector problems, TC and slip lights on and off. Some times bad idle, engine stalling at stop and lots of black smoke on accel. These were intermittent. Several hours spent with Caig Deoxit on most of the engine compartment connectors and relay pins cured all of these problems except for what was cured by finding a vacum hose disconnected that went to the EGR BT valve. an infiniti dealer had repaired leaking valve covers about 6 months before I bought the car.

Is the primary purpose of the power balance test to determine that the injectors are ok?

i will be seeing Keith in Feb to do all of the accumulators. the A system works but as the guy I bought the car from said "If you run over a cigarette butt in the road you feel it.

All seems to be well now except the ride (and brakes to be done within 6 months). I would just like to get the diagnoses to see if there is anything that needs attention. The car is my wifes daily driver so I usually don't hear of a problem until it is critical.

transmission gasket and filter are on the way from Joe. It has been too hot in Houston to do car work you don't have to do until now. Picking up a wrench that has been in the sun when the temp is in the 90's feels like you just grabbed a hot branding iron. "Yes, I am a Craftsman. See the brand on my plams."

thanks,aaron
Modified by aaronl at 1:50 PM 12/10/2005

[elwesso]

Along with the consult test, id also consider paying them to do a once over on the car and ask them to assemble a list of stuff they think needs replaced....

[dannym]

The most important is the power balance. Next most useful would of course be any error codes - maybe coolant temp after a full warm up. Any problem in particular you're chasing?

Heath

What exactly is a power balance test?

I just had the dealer plug a Consult 2 to my 1991 Q45 two days ago and they gave me 4 different printouts:

1. SYSTEM ENGINE 2. SYSTEM A/T3. SYSTEM ACTIVE SUS4. SYSTEM AIR BAG

and each one says SELF-DIAG RESULTS.

It took them 10 minutes to do the scan. In my Factory Service Manual it shows two more tests that can be performed, but the CONSULT 2 only showed those 4 tests on the Main Screen.

Just ask for a full diagnostic scan. If they try to charge you more than an hour or 1.5 hours labor, move on. You'll want to make sure they do a power balance test...

Did they skip something when they did mine? Why should the test take up to 1.5 hours?

[elwesso]

The power balance test individually turns off each injector and then records how much RPM variance it gives... It doesnt matter so much (to a certain degree) how many RPMs the engine decreases, but how close the numbers are across the 8 cylinders

Interesting that the consult recognized the active suspension.

The PBT is done in the "active tests"

[dannym]

The power balance test individually turns off each injector and then records how much RPM variance it gives... It doesnt matter so much (to a certain degree) how many RPMs the engine decreases, but how close the numbers are across the 8 cylinders

Interesting that the consult recognized the active suspension.

The PBT is done in the "active tests"

The techs working at the dealer didn't know how to use the CONSULT 2 very well obviously. I stressed that I wanted a full comprehensive test. They said "if you have no lights on the dash, then you don't need a CONSULT test". I sat with the tech and watched him perform each test and asked him to go through each and every screen. He said " You only need to do the SELF-DIAG test and if everything checks out and that's it".

He didn't do the power balance test

[Q451990]

I think you have to specify that they do a power balance test. Most techs. live and die by the "OK" verdict on the screen. A large variance still says "OK" but for perfection, you want equal or nearly equal drops on each cylinder. Typically a variance is due to partially clogged injectors.

Heath