You guys are GREAT!!!

Post by **Bayarea Q** » Tue Dec 10, 2002 9:21 am

Hello all,

Newbie here..... although, I have been lurking for a while. Read up on all the great info here! Such a relief to find a group with such in depth knowledge of the Q45. I purchased my 95 Q45 in May of 2001 with 48K. I LOVE this car, it's AWESOME!!! I now have 85K and not a single problem. The car runs like a dream.I plan to follow up with a few questions in a bit.

Post by **greg_atlanta** » Tue Dec 10, 2002 9:21 am

Welcome!

We can make a lot of suggestions to keep it running like a dream.

Give us an idea of what maintenance stuff you've done to date and we'll tell you what else to do. Did you do 60K service? (spark plugs, coolant, fluids, filters, etc.)

Where in CA?

Post by **greg_atlanta** » Tue Dec 10, 2002 9:21 am

Oh... I guess you're in Bay Area!

Dealers tend to be expensive there. But if you pamper your Q before stuff breaks you won't have to deal with them often.

Post by **Bayarea Q** » Tue Dec 10, 2002 9:21 am

Hey Greg,

Thanks for the warm welcome. I'm up in the north bay. Your right about the bay area dealerships, they are expensive! The closest to me is about an hour drive away. And after reading several of Q45 tech's posts regarding common dealership practices, I have steered away.

I am a complete maintenace freak....and finding this sight was great, as I have learned so much. Here is a list of what I have done to date:

1.) Full 60K service @ 60K2.) New Brakes front and rear....pads were fine but rotors were warped bad. Couldn't take it any more. My fault though, due to high speed braking when I first got the car. I could not belive the way this thing accelerated through 120mph!!3.) New front struts - I went stock, mainly out of ingornance. I did all the above prior to finding this site. I would have replaced all the rubber and gone with tockico blues. And saved money. 4.) Replaced all belts5.) From the moment I got my Q I have changed the oil every 3-4K using only 5-W30 mobil 1. I also use a K&N oil filter, what do you guys think about it?5.) After I found NICO....I checked my power steering fluid and it was brown just like anohther member, so I did the turkey bastor thing about 6 times with transmission fluid, and now it's nice and pink.6.) In reading Q45 techs post I realized (after closing look at my 60K service invoice) that most of what I thought had been done, had not! All the cheap short cuts were used.

Never going back there! And I have found a honest Tech.7.) At 78K I had the transmission flushed....as the 60K service just changed out 4 quarts.8.) Yesterday, @ 85K I had the pan drop, new filter, with Mobil 1. A new battery, and air filter. To my knowledge the pan had never been dropped so I was very anxious to see what she was holding. You guys would not belive how clean my pan and filter were!!! There was nothing in my pan at all....the magnet had maybe 1/16 of the finest black metal shavings I have ever seen. You should have seen the smile on my face.9.) Oh I almost forgot the dealer put S rated tires on my car. I couldn't belive it. So I got a set of Yoko 550's or something like that. I went with 225/60/15 stock load rating, tread wear is high @380 but I use the Q for commute. All highway and she loves it.

Any suggestions would be great!! I want to do a throttle body cleaning. But am wondering if I really need it? The next thing I'm going to do is some suspension work. I think my uppler link passenger side is gone. I can feel it pop when I back up out of a parking spot. Does that sound right to you?

Thanks again,Robert

Post by **greg_atlanta** » Tue Dec 10, 2002 9:21 am

Sounds like you're in good shape. Tokico blue shocks are actually more ideal for the rear (OEM rear shocks are kinda floaty). In front they're too harsh for some people. So use those next time you replace rear shocks.

I don't think there's anything wrong with a K&N oil filter, just stay away from K&N air filters.

The dealer probably did a throttle body cleaning with the 60K service, but probably just a matter of brushing it clean. Some shops can do a complete intake cleaning -- it's a system from BG Products which creates a thick fog of cleaners which cleans deep into the intake plenum (the big spider on top). That will make a HUGE difference if it's never been done before.

BG also has a pressurized injector cleaning process which runs a solvent through the injectors. That can help a lot too, esp. since California gas is hard on injectors.

Passenger side upper link usually wears faster than driver's side, so probably time to replace.

Only things not mentioned are brake fluid (good to flush at least every two years, if not more often) and coolant. Dealer changed coolant at 60K, but they probably only drained it once, which doesn't do a great job. Use distilled water and Nissan green AF.

Post by **Bayarea Q** » Tue Dec 10, 2002 9:21 am

Greg,

Thanks for the great info! I don't think the dealer cleaned the throttle body at all.

As there is no mention of it on their invoice. I have been reading the posts about the DIY cleaning, and think I might give it a try. My shop just got a coolant flush machine, so that's next on my list.

Why do the passenger upper wear faster? Do you know an estimated price for this repair? I am thinking of getting the rear sway bar....I would lovet the car to feel a little more solid during hard cornering.

Post by **paintwgn** » Tue Dec 10, 2002 9:21 am

Mobil 1 anything is great stuff, but why are you using 5W-30? It would be good in Minnesota in January but 10W-30 might be better in in the San Fran area.

Post by **Bayarea Q** » Tue Dec 10, 2002 9:21 am

I'm about 60 miles north of SF, so it gets a little cooler at night / early morning. At the coldest is goes down to 40 degrees. Is that to cold for the 10 W30? I hear you though I have been thinking about it, especailly during the summer. To be honest I use the 5 W30 because that's what I read in the owners manual. I know how important it is to have fast flowing oil at startup, so I didn't want to play around, as some cold mornings I here a little vavle clatter for a second.

Post by **Q451990** » Tue Dec 10, 2002 9:21 am

The 1990 manual recommends 5W-30 for ambient operating temperatures of 60F or below, and 10W-30 or 10W-40 for operating temperatures from 0F and above. I checked the owner's manual for the 1996 Q45 and it recommends 5W-30 for all temperature ranges. You have to remember that all of the auto makers were reducing oil weight recommendations in the mid-90s to increase fuel efficiency.

Since the Q engine didn't really change much (at least the bottom end) from 1990-1996, I think I'd go with the original recommendation. Even the 1996 manual says that 10W-30 is fine above 0F.

Also, if you're using Mobil 1, the viscosity is much more stable across a broad temperature range - so you shouldn't have to worry about the oil thickening, especially in 40F temperature.

Heath

Post by **Bayarea Q** » Tue Dec 10, 2002 9:21 am

Heath,

Just to be sure my understanding is correct: the first # represents the cold flow or viscosity, and the second hot. Right? Is there anything else? After reading many of Fred's posts I have thought about this a lot. I was just affraid to switch from what was in the manual. I just assumed it was the correct oil for all those bearing clearances Q45 Tech is always talking about. I was actually considering going with a blend of two. How do you feel about that?

Thanks,Robert

Post by **Q451990** » Tue Dec 10, 2002 9:21 am

Actually, I didn't really know what the numbers mean... just sort of did what you did and read the book. I just found this article at www.howstuffworks.com that explains a lot about oil. (This site has a lot of very good explanations about other topics too... I sat there for about 10 minutes looking at their model of the 4 cycle engine!)

All I was saying is that the original recommendation of 10-W30/10-W40 for the 1990 Q was probably a good one for the clearances in the engine... then they changed it to 5-W30 later on to increase fuel economy. With everything there's a trade-off, and I suspect that they were trading a little engine protection for a small increase in fuel mileage. Since I value engine life more that gas mileage I'd lean towards the 10-W30. That said, I'm definately not an oil expert... hopefully TexasOil, Q45Tech, etc. will weigh in on this too!

Heath

Post by **greg_atlanta** » Tue Dec 10, 2002 9:21 am

Bayarea Q wrote:Why do the passenger upper [link] wear faster? Do you know an estimated price for this repair? I am thinking of getting the rear sway bar....I would lovet the car to feel a little more solid during hard cornering.

Passenger side wears faster since the edge of the road is always rougher than the center of the road. Driver's side has it easy (more level, less holes, etc.)

The part is around $100.

Get the 20 mm Q45a rear sway bar kit. It's about $200-250.

http://www.infinitipartsusa.com <--- best prices

Post by **szh** » Tue Dec 10, 2002 9:21 am

Okay, here are my dumb questions of the day:

Why do upper links wear at all? Aren't these metal parts that are supposed to make the suspension follow a certain line of travel? Assuming that the part is metal, why would they need changing (other than if they physically broke)?

Z

Post by **greg_atlanta** » Tue Dec 10, 2002 9:21 am

They have big rubber bushings too. If they were all metal, the car wouldn't ride so nnnnniiiiiccccceeeeeeee.

Post by **Q45tech** » Tue Dec 10, 2002 9:21 am

Everything has rubber isolation bushings, these are the major maintenance costs as most are directional [stiffer in one direction than another] thus they are non interchangeable [without replacing the metal part they are attached to] because of the difficulty in getting them positioned correctly!

The radiator, the engine , the transmission , the drive shaft, the rear diff, the rear subframe, the front and real suspension all isolated to reduce vibration and thus need of replacement after 60-100k.

Post by **Bayarea Q** » Tue Dec 10, 2002 9:21 am

Heath,

I agree with you, I would rather have better engine protection than slightly better mileage. However, I am still a little hesitant to switch. Maybe Q45 Tech or Fred, can give me a little reasurrance? I'm thinking of switching to a heavier oil when summer returns for sure. I'm just not sure if I should go with a 5/40 or a 10/30 or even a 10/40?? If my understanding is correct (which I doubt) I'm leaning towards the 5/40 so the oil will have the same good cold flow, with the added protection of the 40 weight. If you experts could point me in the right direction I would appreciate it!

Robert

Post by **Bayarea Q** » Tue Dec 10, 2002 9:21 am

Greg,

Thanks for the link. I will look into it. Is the $100 per upper link? Or do they come in a set? I have a poor understanding of suspension components....am I replacing the rubber bushings only? Or the unit, or both?Also, I asked my Tech to check the suspension and he squezed the lower links (Sorry I don't know what there called) and he could not move them at all. So he said they were perfectly fine. Do you guys agree with that? I already went in and replaced the front struts....so I don't want to waste labor money by going back multiple times in the samea area. Does anyone have a link to a cool suspension page, with pictures and explanations of parts? All these links, tie rod ends, bushings I'm a little confused.

Post by **DAEDALUS** » Tue Dec 10, 2002 9:21 am

Links are $105 each. No way to replace the bushings only; you have to buy the entire part. Not sure which lower link you're referring to, but squeezing anything down there brings a smile to my face. I know from experience that some of these "tests" performed either don't tell you anything or tell you the wrong thing. For many rubber components, a visual check is the best. The best diagrams I have found are already in the manual, but of course there's no explanation of how the parts work as a system.

Post by **szh** » Tue Dec 10, 2002 9:21 am

greg_atlanta wrote:They have big rubber bushings too. If they were all metal, the car would ride so nnnnniiiiiccccceeeeeeee.

LOL.

(Thanks to everybody who responded to my dumb question!)

I get it! So it is the rubber bushings that wear out and there is no apparent way to replace them without changing out the metal part too. Seems like a more expensive solution, but probably necessary - to maintain tighter tolerances, the directional alighnment that Dennis mentioned, etc., between the rubber and the metal, I gather.

Okay, I learned something again! Thanks, folks.

Z

Post by **DAEDALUS** » Tue Dec 10, 2002 9:21 am

Depending on which bushing you're talking about, they may be replaceable. Some, like the rear steering knuckle bushings, have steel sleeves that are part of the bushing; you press the old bushings out and press the new ones in. Tolerances are maintained and it's cheaper than replacing the entire knuckle. You can also replace the tension rod bushing, but it depends on how much the labor is costing you. The extra time required to replace the bushing may or may not be worth the difference in the cost of the parts. That is, you can replace the bushing only with more labor or the entire tension rod with less labor.

Post by **greg_atlanta** » Tue Dec 10, 2002 9:21 am

Bayarea Q wrote:I already went in and replaced the front struts....so I don't want to waste labor money by going back multiple times in the same area. Does anyone have a link to a cool suspension page, with pictures and explanations of parts? All these links, tie rod ends, bushings I'm a little confused.

Best thing to do is jack up one side and take a look... most of the front suspension components are visible (a few things are hidden under the belly pan).

The upper link is a very easy job. All you have to do is remove the wheel, remove a few bolts and swap them out.

The tension rods aren't as easy, but there's no advantage to replacing them along with replacing the shocks. They have big silicone filled bushings (about 2-3" round) on one end (if they start leaking they need to be replaced). You can see them by looking under the front of the car.

The rear suspension is much more confusing. I've learned it well since I had extensive damage from slamming into a curb a few years ago in icy weather.

Post by **PalmerWMD** » Tue Dec 10, 2002 9:21 am

paintwgn wrote:Mobil 1 anything is great stuff, but why are you using 5W-30? It would be good in Minnesota in January but 10W-30 might be better in in the San Fran area.

In your region in winter.In MOBIL1 the best grade in a hi performance engine is 0w-40.They dont make their 40 weight in a 5w- for the US market and their 0w-40 is the closest equivalent.Its only been out for a limited time and early sceptism that suspected sypersyn was another move down from the previous formulation, the way tri syn was, has not been borne out.

It may be too early tell yet, not much oil analysis reports with MOBIL 1 in SuSyn formulation out yet, but so far it all looks very good.In summer you can stick with the 40 weight if u ,like or go up to MOBIL1 15w-50 depending on your application.

Fred...

PS: Also use the search function for the the 240SX general chat section for a thread titled "oil talk"

Post by **mccluredude** » Tue Dec 10, 2002 9:21 am

Bayarea Q,I'm in the North Bay as well. I live near Sebastopol and work in Petaluma.

I bought my 94 Q45t about 3 weeks ago and I just used the Infiniti dealer in San Rafael for a transmission flush and a hesitation diagnosis. I was not impressed with their quality of service or their prices. They didn't want to do the pan drop and couldn't even do the transmission flush because they didn't have the right adaptor.

Can you recommend a shop in our area? I want to do the transmission pan drop and have my intake plenum cleaned. Dealer said a clogged EGR is causing my hesitation between 1300 and 1800 RPM.

Many thanks!

Post by **Bayarea Q** » Tue Dec 10, 2002 9:21 am

Hey Mccluredude,

Nice to see a fellow Q member in the area!! I live in Santa Rosa, and work in San Rafael. I didn't know there is an Infiniti dealer here in San Rafael. After reading your post, I think I'll stay away. The independent shop I use is great, but I doubt they would be the best to use for a tought job / diagnosis.....There name is Watt Automotive, in Santa Rosa. Phone # (707) 544-8952. Tell them you know Robert, and they will take care of you. I've had the following done there: Pan drop & transmission flush with my own mobil 1 for 200.00All 4 brakesNew front strutsOil changes....I bring own oil and filter. Charge $12.00They just bought a powersteering flush and coolant flush, so I'm going to do both soon.One of the benefits of using this shop is they give you free loaners for as long as your car is in the shop. There old volvos, but it beats renting a car! Just make sure you communicate what and how you want things done. Also request to go back in the shop. I love examining everything when it's torn apart.How do you liket your Q so far? Who did you buy it from? How many miles?

Post by **mccluredude** » Tue Dec 10, 2002 9:21 am

You know what? I think I serviced their fire extinguishers last year. Do they sell mostly Volvos and the office is separate from the shop? Just west of 101 off College? Yeah, they were good people if I remember.

I'm liking the Q a lot. Although it's a damn heavy car. I'm used to my XR4ti which was a blast, so I'm still getting used to the cush ride and automatic transmission, but I'm liking it. I've got 150k on mine right now and I'm hoping to get another 5 yrs out of this one without breaking the bank.

Post by **Bayarea Q** » Tue Dec 10, 2002 9:21 am

yep, that's them. The Volvo guys. I feel they do honest work and have a lower rate than anyone else I've been too.

XR4ti.....is that that ford/merc turbo coupe? Your Q is faster right?I wish I had the T model. That's why I'm going to do some suspension upgrades in the near future.

Another 5 years shouldn't be a problem. How is other than the problems you've stated?

Fire extingishers....what type of work do you do?

You guys are GREAT!!!

You guys are GREAT!!!

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