When good fan belts go bad....

[91Q4U]

Our water pump p/s belt broke. This was an interesting experience at nearly 80 mph passing a semi..."Look Mom! No power steering!" Whippee!!! Instantaneous over-heating occurred shortly thereafter. Fortunately, we got a neighbor to tow us home...not a small feat in rural Utah, we might add. Upon closer inspection, the idler/tension pulley had fused solid. We then realized how that whole physics thing of heat, friction, "for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction" manifests itself resulting in the snapped belt. This pulley came off fairly easily. We are thinking...a new belt, a new pulley, a few scraped knuckles and we are back in business. So, are we naive? Any pitfalls to this plan of action? Any suggestions, advice, or are we simply so stupid and optimistic, we just need to get off the planet?!?

[Q45tech]

Depends on HOW you "got a neighbor to tow us home".........hopefully the rear wheels were not on the ground?

[91Q4U]

Well, like we said...rural Utah...no AAA. Choices were: tractor, combine, several ATV's, but we opted for "pik-'em up truck-no teeth-yellow dog". Total distance on or about 21/2 miles with rear wheels in full contact with the road. Top speed approx. 25 mph. What do you know that we don't know?? As stated in our thread, are we stupid and naive and need to get off the planet?

[AZhitman]

You'll be fine.

Not a good idea to tow the Q for extended periods on the rear wheels.

Parts can be had from any of our advertisers (Midway, Everything Nissan, Pinnacle, Trophy, Grubbs) for discount AND no tax!

[91Q4U]

Thanks for the parts info. We purchased our last part (sensor assembly-stop & tail lamp) from Infinity of Scottsdale. Are they still a recommended option?

[AZhitman]

Yes sir.

Make sure you tell them you're from NICO.

[Jesda]

Maybe replace all three (four?) of the small pulleys while youre down there. After I lost my WP/PS pulley, my AC pulley seized up a few months later. It saves a little time and adds more peace of mind for a small price to do them all at once.

[Q45tech]

The transmission pump needs the engine running to circulate ATF, failure to run the engine when rear wheels are turning leads to rear planetary damage...........2.5 miles is probably ok but you should never do it.

Common to have to replace transmission after every tow with rear wheels on the ground..............but most we see have been towed 10+ miles.

I examine my belts at every oil change and preemptively change them every 2 years or 30,000 miles, the tensioners and or bearings get changed about every 4 years. But then again I [spend] lots of money to avoid a breakdown.

After every 10-11 years check the rubber brake line flex portion at each wheel.......probably good to just replace all 4.

Lots of components only have a 2-3-10 year life.

[natsoundup]

I've had the same thing happen to me...I just parked the car and had my wife pick me up.

One good thing....it's an easy diy job to replace the pulleys...

I would have been more worried about the overheating.... but it sounds like you shut her down quickly.

[91Q4U]

Yes, the overheating was a BIG concern. Like you said though, we shut her down fairly quickly....hopefully before causing any damage.

Glad to hear you say it's an "easy DIY job"!! Any tips or words of wisdom from your experience would be GREATLY appreciated.

[natsoundup]

I just took off the plastic under housing...and got the necessary sockets/drives.

My biggest PIA was waiting for the parts to arrive.... I got them from Joe...and it took five days.... I did sort of have one advantage.... I "borrowed" the pulley from my sons Q and installed it on mine...that way I could get the car home.... so actually his car has the new pulley on it..

it is amazing how the bearings overheat and freeze.... my problem is I heard the bearing noise when it was cold in the winter and ignored it..... I think the spring heat did the bearings in.

In the future if I hear a bearing noise, I am changing the pulley.... because in the end it cost me a belt as well. I forget what the pulleys cost....maybe 42 dollars or so delivered....

[91Q4U]

HOLY SH_ _ !! It must be kismet. In this very forum last May, we posted a thread regarding an unidentifiable "whirring rattle". We now know that was the "bearing noise" just as you describe. Ours too, stopped when the weather warmed up. Now realizing our pulley bearing was probably on the outs. So..... our Q's must share mitochondrial DNA!

Thank you natsoundup, for your reply. I'm going to turn my ball cap around, put the"little woman" in charge of the tools and tackle this DIY job!

As always, thanks to everyone for their replies and advice. Couldn't drive the Q without ya! And as the "young'ins" say...this forum ROCKS!!

P.S. Thanks also to Joe at Infinity of Scottsdale.

[maxnix]

P.S. Thanks also to Joe at Infinity of Scottsdale.

Going where no parts manager has gone before. To Infinity and beyond!

[Jesda]

Going where no parts manager has gone before. To Infinity and beyond!

ROFL!!!!!!!!

I also had the same whirring sound. It went away eventually when spring came around (or after warming up the Q for long enough). Springtime was also when the pulley seized and took my AC belt with it. Now that mystery is solved!

-Jesda

[AZhitman]

After every 10-11 years check the rubber brake line flex portion at each wheel.......probably good to just replace all 4.

Lots of components only have a 2-3-10 year life.

Better still to replace them with stainless braided lines. Cheaper than OEM and more durable, plus they minimize mushy pedal feel.

[maxnix]

And NICO through AZhitman offers a good deal. See sticky at Infiniti General.

[nuQ]

i replaced the belts last week, hoping to take care of a squeal at 5500k rpms and over, instantly stops when the tach goes below. my old belts looked ok, but i thought that was the problem. i still have the squeal, so i'm guessing it's the one of the pulleys. i'll be calling joe!btw----changing the pulleys didn't seem bad at all, easier from under the car though.

[azskygod]

Keep track of what order the nut/shield/washers are in when you remove the pulley. It is possible to reassemble them in the wrong order... IIRC, it's washer(s), pulley, washer, shield, nut. They should spin freely when reassembled. Easy DIY. Good luck!

AZSKYGOD

[szh]

Better still to replace them with stainless braided lines. Cheaper than OEM and more durable, plus they minimize mushy pedal feel.

Greg, do you have stainless braided brake lines for an 2003 M45 yet? If so, please let me know the cost, etc.

Thanks,

Z

[91Q4U]

DIY completed, and done so without "divorce court!" This was simpler than putting together those "assembly required" furniture pieces. Once again, thanks to everyone on the NICO forum, and we're on the road again!

BTW...nuQ...my belts also squealed and did so at higher rpm's as you experienced. I now realize that it was the belt being pulled around a pulley whose bearings were going out. All it took was time and it became frozen. Not fun.

When you changed your belts, were the pulleys free moving? Now, I'm not an expert gear head by any means, so you ought to ask the OnLine Mechanic, but I believe that as the car is run, and the pulley bearing becomes warm, it has the potential to not function properly if it's starting to "go south."

So, this completes (until the next surprise) another chapter in our "Q-files" and may the wind at the back of your Q not be your own.

Q-on everyone!!!______________91Q4U

[nuQ]

the pulleys did spin freely, but after talking with joe at scottsdale infiniti,,,realize that at higher rpm's, they might be seizing up!! definitly time to change em'!!!!