Unknown Engine Trouble/Damage
09-08-2015, 04:18 PM
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Unknown Engine Trouble/Damage
Alright guys, let me apologize in advance for how long this thread is. I know its annoying, but you guys are my last hope.
I've had my '08 G37S Coupe for about 5 years now. It was a 2-year lease return when I purchased it in 2010. Low miles, great shape. Well, now i've had a massive problem occur and its been out of commission for about 2 months. I'll make as short as I can. Keep in mind, this car has about 76K miles on it.
Driving to work one morning, and literally about a mile from my house, the entire car shuts off. No sputtering, nothing. Just like someone pulled the power cord. All the lights in my dash came on, and the power steering went off, and I literally coasted to a stop. Out of nowhere. So, my instincts tell me its battery related (yes, my instincts are probably below avg when it comes to vehicle repair), so before calling a tow truck I have a neighbor take me to grab a new battery. I replace the battery on the side of the road, and the car sounds like its trying to turn over, just wont turn all the way over. So I think cool, i'll reset the security settings back at my place and get it figured out. I figured it was some anti-theft shutoff that was preventing it from turning all the way over because my windows were playing havoc after I hooked up the new battery. Well, get it home and I still never get it turned over. So, next step is have it taken up to Grubbs Infiniti in Forth Worth to have them look at it.
So, take to the dealership, drop off, and about 2 days later I get a call from the dealership with a diagnosis. They basically told me that the engine was out of timing, and that they couldnt even get it running long enough to get a diagnostic reading. So, they tell me the engine is shot, and it needs a new engine. And since they "...only replace new engines, not used ones..", it will be $13,000 for a new engine install. After laughing hysterically at this *** clown (because the car is probably worth about that amount), I told them a few other choice words/phrases. So I have the car picked up and taken back to my place.
Next step is I now take it to a home mechanic (friend of the family), just to see if he can give me an idea if the engine is bad or not. He has it for about a week, working off and on, when he has time. Doing research online as much as he can about the engine and possibly problems or toubleshoots. He's a diesel mechanic that works at a ford house (i believe), so he obviously didnt have the right equipment to give me a diagnostic. But, he does run an oil compression test, and it shows to be ok. Then he asks me if he can buy a sensor that he read about, to see if it would do anything. He said its $127. I said go ahead. So he ordered and picked up (from that same Grubbs Infiniti Dealership in Ft Worth), and replaced this sensor (i'll have to check the receipt, but I cant remember the exact name of the sensor), and once replaced, he said the car started right up. Turned over the first time. So he backs it out of his driveway, and tries to drive up the street to see what happens. Well, he said its now shifting really hard, and all the warning lights in the dash are on, but it drives. Then he hits 3500 RPMs and bam....same thing that happened to me.....the car just shut off like the power cord was pulled. He said he got it back to his place, pulled the sensor out and put it back in, and it started right up again. So it will drive, but shifts really hard, and all the lights in the dash are on. So the car runs (just not well), but if you hit about 3500 RPM's, it just shuts off.
So I get to a mechanic that does a lot of Infinity/Nissan (and other imports) work. Its been there a couple days. He tells me that they did find one cylinder out of timing. Said it could be fixable, but would need to pull apart and make sure no damage to that cylinder. So he wouldnt know for sure until he got it apart. Said with as low miles as it has, and as good a shape as it is in (it looks like the day I bought it)....he was thinking it was a timing chain or (one other option that I cant recall). Said if it was those, it would be about $1500-$2000 to fix. At this point, i'll be very happy if thats all it is.
So has ANYONE here have any advice at all? If its not fixable, I guess my only option is to find someone that will take it and part it out. I could probably get about $5-$6k for it (IF the engine is shot). I cant get anything for it on trade-in just because I cant tell them whats wrong with it yet. But are there any other options you guys see that I'm just not thinking of? Other than setting it on fire and reporting it stolen (which is a strong consideration).
Thanks for any help guys, sorry for the novel.
I've had my '08 G37S Coupe for about 5 years now. It was a 2-year lease return when I purchased it in 2010. Low miles, great shape. Well, now i've had a massive problem occur and its been out of commission for about 2 months. I'll make as short as I can. Keep in mind, this car has about 76K miles on it.
Driving to work one morning, and literally about a mile from my house, the entire car shuts off. No sputtering, nothing. Just like someone pulled the power cord. All the lights in my dash came on, and the power steering went off, and I literally coasted to a stop. Out of nowhere. So, my instincts tell me its battery related (yes, my instincts are probably below avg when it comes to vehicle repair), so before calling a tow truck I have a neighbor take me to grab a new battery. I replace the battery on the side of the road, and the car sounds like its trying to turn over, just wont turn all the way over. So I think cool, i'll reset the security settings back at my place and get it figured out. I figured it was some anti-theft shutoff that was preventing it from turning all the way over because my windows were playing havoc after I hooked up the new battery. Well, get it home and I still never get it turned over. So, next step is have it taken up to Grubbs Infiniti in Forth Worth to have them look at it.
So, take to the dealership, drop off, and about 2 days later I get a call from the dealership with a diagnosis. They basically told me that the engine was out of timing, and that they couldnt even get it running long enough to get a diagnostic reading. So, they tell me the engine is shot, and it needs a new engine. And since they "...only replace new engines, not used ones..", it will be $13,000 for a new engine install. After laughing hysterically at this *** clown (because the car is probably worth about that amount), I told them a few other choice words/phrases. So I have the car picked up and taken back to my place.
Next step is I now take it to a home mechanic (friend of the family), just to see if he can give me an idea if the engine is bad or not. He has it for about a week, working off and on, when he has time. Doing research online as much as he can about the engine and possibly problems or toubleshoots. He's a diesel mechanic that works at a ford house (i believe), so he obviously didnt have the right equipment to give me a diagnostic. But, he does run an oil compression test, and it shows to be ok. Then he asks me if he can buy a sensor that he read about, to see if it would do anything. He said its $127. I said go ahead. So he ordered and picked up (from that same Grubbs Infiniti Dealership in Ft Worth), and replaced this sensor (i'll have to check the receipt, but I cant remember the exact name of the sensor), and once replaced, he said the car started right up. Turned over the first time. So he backs it out of his driveway, and tries to drive up the street to see what happens. Well, he said its now shifting really hard, and all the warning lights in the dash are on, but it drives. Then he hits 3500 RPMs and bam....same thing that happened to me.....the car just shut off like the power cord was pulled. He said he got it back to his place, pulled the sensor out and put it back in, and it started right up again. So it will drive, but shifts really hard, and all the lights in the dash are on. So the car runs (just not well), but if you hit about 3500 RPM's, it just shuts off.
So I get to a mechanic that does a lot of Infinity/Nissan (and other imports) work. Its been there a couple days. He tells me that they did find one cylinder out of timing. Said it could be fixable, but would need to pull apart and make sure no damage to that cylinder. So he wouldnt know for sure until he got it apart. Said with as low miles as it has, and as good a shape as it is in (it looks like the day I bought it)....he was thinking it was a timing chain or (one other option that I cant recall). Said if it was those, it would be about $1500-$2000 to fix. At this point, i'll be very happy if thats all it is.
So has ANYONE here have any advice at all? If its not fixable, I guess my only option is to find someone that will take it and part it out. I could probably get about $5-$6k for it (IF the engine is shot). I cant get anything for it on trade-in just because I cant tell them whats wrong with it yet. But are there any other options you guys see that I'm just not thinking of? Other than setting it on fire and reporting it stolen (which is a strong consideration).
Thanks for any help guys, sorry for the novel.
09-08-2015, 05:51 PM
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I'm not sure man. I was just told by the guy that has it now that they identified one of the cylinders that was out of timing. Thats the one they're going to examine and try to fix (IF no further damage has been done). But I didnt ask exactly what code it threw. Said the oil compression test came back ok. He said he was hoping it was just a timing chain or a rod, so I was just wondering if people had come across a similar issue. Or if anyone on these forums knew of some infiniti dealer or parts specialist that would purchase (in the event the engine is bad). From what I can tell, I can get a used engine for about $4200 shipped to me from Houston. but hell, by the time I pay for labor to pull the old one out, put this new used one in, and sell....i'd be almost breaking even anyway.
09-08-2015, 08:36 PM
#4
Reading the codes would have been very helpful in this case, but from what I've read in other places, the situation you described is exactly what others have had happen when their cam/crank sensors go out - car just goes off. This might be what your Ford mechanic was messing with.
It might be too late, but you can try replacing all 3 (your mechanic likely replaced one of them already) and see if it helps. Then again, it may be too late and your timing is now off.
It might be too late, but you can try replacing all 3 (your mechanic likely replaced one of them already) and see if it helps. Then again, it may be too late and your timing is now off.
09-08-2015, 11:47 PM
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Reading the codes would have been very helpful in this case, but from what I've read in other places, the situation you described is exactly what others have had happen when their cam/crank sensors go out - car just goes off. This might be what your Ford mechanic was messing with.
It might be too late, but you can try replacing all 3 (your mechanic likely replaced one of them already) and see if it helps. Then again, it may be too late and your timing is now off.
It might be too late, but you can try replacing all 3 (your mechanic likely replaced one of them already) and see if it helps. Then again, it may be too late and your timing is now off.
Yea, i'll see if I can get them from him. Would it still be throwing a code properly, or did i possibly screw that up when I replaced the battery?
Anyway, I appreciate the feedback. I'll run this by the company that is trying to fix it now. Maybe its atleast something for them to consider.
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