Which to undertake first?

[ThatsMyQ2Go]

I've owned my Q for nearly a year and though it has a few issues it has proven to be an incredible car (especially given the $1700 price tag ).

Now that I am assured that the motor has a lot of life in it at 200k miles I am planning to do all of the work to get it into a like new state. Some of the issues I have noticed in my particular car are the speedo/ power steering aren't functioning, the catalytic converters both rattle, the ECU is throwing a KS code and a MAF code and the blower motor doesn't kick on except at highway speeds.

I am mechanically inclined, though not a true mechanic...My question is which repairs should be done first and how much am I looking to spend to get this beauty into top notch shape?

Any advise is appreciated!

[OwnerCS]

I've owned my Q for nearly a year and though it has a few issues it has proven to be an incredible car (especially given the $1700 price tag ).

Now that I am assured that the motor has a lot of life in it at 200k miles I am planning to do all of the work to get it into a like new state. Some of the issues I have noticed in my particular car are the speedo/ power steering aren't functioning, the catalytic converters both rattle, the ECU is throwing a KS code and a MAF code and the blower motor doesn't kick on except at highway speeds.

I am mechanically inclined, though not a true mechanic...My question is which repairs should be done first and how much am I looking to spend to get this beauty into top notch shape?

Any advise is appreciated!

Let's list the items that you have here.

1) Power Steering - Any leaks? Are you now driving without any power assist?

2) Speedometer - Did it stop working after you purchased the car?

3) Catalytic converters - Are you in a state where the vehicle must pass emission inspection and this could be an issue?

4) Knock Sensors - are buried under the intake plenum. Replacing the under plenum hoses around the knock sensors can run around $1,000 in parts. Our member named Lokim has some knock sensors for sale at a good price as I recall.

5) MAF - is the car stalling at stoplights or at idle? Have you checked the MAF connectors. There is a good reference to loose MAF in a recent post about a stalling problem.

6) Blower Motor - How long has this problem been occurring?

Help us break down the issues so we'll know more to be able to help as they have different solutions -- some are easy -- some are expensive.

I can tell you first hand that it was easy for me to spend $3,000 on parts during my first year of Q ownership. The second year was worse to a degree because I had to replace the transmission. So before you get too deep in the restoration process, you need to assess the amount of possible use and return that will be there for you at the end.

Most of my restoration work occurred over the past 18 months -- so hopefully next year won't see many unplanned repairs.

The best bet is to figure how much it will take to resolve the issue to make it road worthy compared to replacement and see which fits your budget the best.

[ThatsMyQ2Go]

Let's list the items that you have here.

1) Power Steering - Any leaks? Are you now driving without any power assist?

2) Speedometer - Did it stop working after you purchased the car?

3) Catalytic converters - Are you in a state where the vehicle must pass emission inspection and this could be an issue?

4) Knock Sensors - are buried under the intake plenum. Replacing the under plenum hoses around the knock sensors can run around $1,000 in parts. Our member named Lokim has some knock sensors for sale at a good price as I recall.

5) MAF - is the car stalling at stoplights or at idle? Have you checked the MAF connectors. There is a good reference to loose MAF in a recent post about a stalling problem.

6) Blower Motor - How long has this problem been occurring?

Help us break down the issues so we'll know more to be able to help as they have different solutions -- some are easy -- some are expensive.

I can tell you first hand that it was easy for me to spend $3,000 on parts during my first year of Q ownership. The second year was worse to a degree because I had to replace the transmission. So before you get too deep in the restoration process, you need to assess the amount of possible use and return that will be there for you at the end.

Most of my restoration work occurred over the past 18 months -- so hopefully next year won't see many unplanned repairs.

The best bet is to figure how much it will take to resolve the issue to make it road worthy compared to replacement and see which fits your budget the best.

Power Steering has been intermittent since I purchased the car. I haven't had much time off between work and school, I will degrease the motor and let you know about the leaks

Speedometer has been intermittent and typically goes with the power steering

Florida doesn't do annual inspections, but the rattle is a nuisance. I was considering test piping it though...what do you think??

I've read several write ups on the knock sensors but unfortunately they are throwing a code and from what I have seen as far as the service records I do have on the vehicle they haven't been done and the car has nearly 200k miles

The MAF hasn't entirely failed, though it does throw a code intermittently, further more it has stalled after pushing the motor some but its not an everyday occurrence. I usually spray down the MAF with MAF cleaner and it purrs like a kitten again.

Blower motor is very recent...as a matter of fact I am finishing this and I plan to test my relays today. I am hoping its just the resistor or a relay *crosses fingers*

If I spend $3000 getting this car back to good then I am all for it. I am not loaded but I do find that this car is my baby so if my baby needs $3k to be happy...I'd do it. Now if she wants $5k she better stick around for more than a few more years!

[3Q Jay]

Where are you in FL? I saw a DJ2 '94 around cocoa beach merritt island last year --last saw it for sale on MI in the summer. If you want to head my way i'll be happy to take a look at it

[ThatsMyQ2Go]

I'm just outside Orlando (Winter Springs, Seminole County) Cocoa is not far at all roughly 45 mins. Not to sound dumb but whats a DJ2??

[3Q Jay]

DJ2 is paint code for 'black emerald'---the dark green metallic, which from your avatar at first glance i thought you had.
I live near the beach, but sometimes work in Titusville---straight east on the 50.

[ThatsMyQ2Go]

Ooooh! Okay!! Yea I'd love to see if its still for sale. Even if it is a different color I'm sure it would make an awesome parts car or hell if its in good enough shape use my G50 for a donor car. My G50 is running okay right now but it def needs some work...typical MAF failure symptoms reared their heads earlier (Rough idle, bucking at speed, and this time the motor actually stalled) On the bright side the ABS light is now off (loose relay)!

[OwnerCS]

Here a couple of links on a power steering issue that sounds familiar when power steering and speedometer both go at the same time.

power-steering-comes-and-goes-t334771.h ... g#p3619084

post5177428.html?hilit=intermittent%20p ... g#p5177428

[ThatsMyQ2Go]

+1 CSOwner I will have to check that out...I would have never thought about the cluster but I suppose that makes sense, since the odometer would go out too during the failure and now the speedometer is not functioning at all...even when I would start it cold (it used to work fine on cold starts) I go to work late tomorrow but I am off on Thursday...I will have to rip the dash apart...hope its not as "fun" as it looks!

[ThatsMyQ2Go]

OK So a brief update and possibly a complication to the original starting point (with regards to replacing the cluster)

Today I pulled my car in on a bay to do my regular top off. I checked the power steering fluid and it was a little low after removing the cap and bleeding the pump. I topped the fluid off, and rebled. no noise, no problem with steering. I intend to monitor the fluid to see if there is a loss of fluid.

Also noteworthy...I went down stairs to check the drive shaft, u-joints and to see if I could find the remaining wire for the brake wear sensor (someone cut the sensor off but apparently didnt tie the wires together so I wave a brakes worn light....worse yet I can not see where the wires would go and reading wiring diagrams is like speaking Japanese to me) I observes that one of the boots on the rack was torn I had one of the other techs at the shop I work at turn the wheels for me. I did not see any fluid leak from the rack.

So my question is with no fluid visibly leaking from the rack a) is it safe to assume the rack is OK? b) does the power steering working in the absence of my speedo working eliminate the cluster from being the problem? and lastly I am seeing an insulation of sorts on the power steering lines...is it safe to remove this insulation or what ever it is for the purpose of visually inspecting the high pressure line?

All help is appreciated...

[Infinitiguy19]

Down stairs? What kind of shop is that?

Replace the boots ASAP or have a rebuilt rack handy! Remove the boots and inspect them for any fluild on them.

Why would you want to mess with the high pressure lines if they are not leaking? Is there any fluid near them?

[ThatsMyQ2Go]

I work at a Valvoline (free fluids, and maintenance ) i am suspecting a leak (minor) simply due to the fact I am having to add PS fluid, while not regularly definitely adding a pint every other month.

i checked out the rack and it didn't seem to be leaking but I would definitely rather do the boots than replace the rack, the driver side boot has separated entirely so I can actually see as i turn the wheels over if fluid were leaking from it, the passenger side boot is in good shape (from a visual stand point) also I have seen ATF in the driveway and have confirmed it is not from my transmission. Not a major amount looks like spotting, but it is possible that the fluid is from my room mates Nissan (I haven't noticed the same spotting in my work parking spot as of yet)

Other things that are leading me to believe its the high pressure line is that i saw trace amounts of ATF in the area of the high pressure line after degreasing the motor.

Also...and this might get me laughed at since I am a lube goob. Prior to the check up yesterday I did a top off not too far back on the fluid, had a car pull in and I totally forgot to bleed the PS pump, and pulled my car out so I could pull a customers car in. It was pretty obvious that air was in the system when I popped the cap off it yesterday.

Honestly though my main concern with regards to the lines was in respect to the insulation that appears to be on the lines. I don't want to mess with the lines but with that insulation on it I can not see if my suspicions are on point. If anyone can tell me if their G50 has any insulation on the lines it would be helpful. If it is a part of the design then I would get that insulation when I get the new line, otherwise I will know that its safe to omit the insulation.

[OwnerCS]

Well since PS lines have disappeared from the OEM parts supply, be careful with your working lines. If a line is broken and no OEM replacement is available, there is a place in CA that repairs hoses named http://www.thehoseshop.com/.

Here are some pictures from my rack boot replacement job below.

[Q451990]

Don't try to remove the webbing that's wrapped around your hoses. It serves a purpose, and I suspect it would be difficult to remove anyhow. Your best bet is to degrease everything. Then while the car is idling, have someone turn the power steering to the stop and hold it for a couple of seconds. A seemingly small leak that's almost impossible to see will look like a shower head spraying fluid under there.

If you don't see any leaks from your rack, I would remove the cracked boot, clean all of the old grease out (it probably has road grit in there) and replace the boot. Might as well do both at the same time... you'll need a front end alignment when you're done unless you are really good at marking the tie rods - and even then you'll need a front end alignment

Heath

[Rex]

I think this was mentioned, but if your speedo is not functioning (indicating 0) your power steering will not function. Not sure why this happens, but when Rsiwicki was trying to but in a yellow box (to correct speedo error after 4.11 swap) he had the same issue. Check connections to cluster.

[ThatsMyQ2Go]

@ Rex This puzzles me also. I took the car for a 20 mile cruise to see if the power steering would eventually give out and it was as buttery as a brand new car, yet the speedo never budged. I am wondering if the speedo/odo is unrelated and that it is a simple coincidence. I am about to check for fluid loss now.

[ThatsMyQ2Go]

No noticeable loss of fluid...Now I am contemplating speaking with my supervisor at work. I paid for the power steering to be serviced at the shop on my day off and left it in the hands of a co worker from a different location. I am thinking it was not bled properly by my co worker I will continue to monitor that for the next few days and report when I know more. I am still confused about the speedo not functioning yet my PS is. is there a fail safe that makes this possible. Also I found that the brake wear sensor goes to the SMJ yet I have no idea what to look for or where is it. I want that warning off! Thanks for all the help guys!

[Rex]

The brake pad warning message can be defeated by twisting the ends of the wires together on the pass side at each caliper ... though it seems senseless to do this as the $25 pads from Autozone, etc have the sensor??

[ThatsMyQ2Go]

Truth be told, I tried that. Unfortunately I suspect the previous owner did too because I can not find the wires o tie them together...it was definitely cut off at some point though

[Infinitiguy19]

Both sensors have connectors that they plug into. Jump the connectors and the warning light will stay off.

And why would you use Valvoline fluids for the Power Steering system? I know the "Flush" Machine they use and its not worth it. Valvoline Instant Oil Change does not use Valvoline fluid, They use some other of fluid which is said to be "Universal".

My point is that you can use real Valvoline Power Steering fluid which is clear or Mobile 1 synthetic ATF which I think is better. Pull as much fluid out with a cheap pump and put the new stuff in. Repeat till it smells and looks like new.

Does the machine they use still have the speaker on it?

[OwnerCS]

My point is that you can use real Valvoline Power Steering fluid which is clear or Mobile 1 synthetic ATF which I think is better. Pull as much fluid out with a cheap pump and put the new stuff in. Repeat till it smells and looks like new.

When Valvoline PS fluid runs clear after a change, you know you've cleaned out all of the old contaminated fluid.

[ThatsMyQ2Go]

Actually the power steering fluid I used was Valvoline MaxLife ATF I don't use universal fluids in my vehicles or on any vehicle that actually calls for ATF. Last time I heard we didn't have speakers on or PS flush machines...maybe some do, but I have never seen one in a Valvoline IOC or Mobil 1 LE. I work at Valvoline so its not a matter of cost...I use my own fluids and their equipment