'09 G37x - no start, LOW oil p0340 - HELP
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 741
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From: Aurora, CO
I definitely am learning a very painful lesson here. I got a call from the place the car is at now - they guy things the timing chain is stretched?
Going to have to pay him $1350 for rotors and brakes he already replaced and his diagnostics and a new cam sensor.
Then what, do I have it towed to Infiniti and have them diagnose in the hopes that they can fix it? How much are we talking here to replace the engine?
Going to have to pay him $1350 for rotors and brakes he already replaced and his diagnostics and a new cam sensor.
Then what, do I have it towed to Infiniti and have them diagnose in the hopes that they can fix it? How much are we talking here to replace the engine?
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Joined: Oct 2013
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Since the car is 5 years old with 115k miles, it might be in your best interest to source a used engine to get it running until you decide to get rid of the car. You can get an idea of what that might cost by checking LKQ, but I imagine it'll be much lower than $10k.
LKQ Corporation - Parts Search
Good luck.
LKQ Corporation - Parts Search
Good luck.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Apr 2014
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Is there a way to get a more concrete diagnosis of the problem other than getting readings showing that the timing appears to be retarded by a few degrees?
I should mention that they did say they could try replacing the ECU but that their hunch is a stretched timing chain.
I should mention that they did say they could try replacing the ECU but that their hunch is a stretched timing chain.
Just recently another member posted that you can have your car serviced at a nissan dealership instead of infiniti at a rate of $53/h less, just for your future reference. Since it's already at infiniti you might as well wait until they diagnose it and depending on what they quote you an alternative would be to look into buying a used engine. I saw some recently with ~30k miles for $3k, shipping included. Getting it installed would be another story because I know of only one person locally that I would trust to do this job and he is a master technician with years of experience. I'm guessing anywhere from $2500-4000 for the install but really it all depends what is wrong with your engine and how much the fix will be.
I managed to ruin my last car in a similar way. I also had over 100K miles and used a light weight oil combined with me driving it hard as usual during the summer, it ate all of the oil in one month! I only found out while I was driving and heard ticking. I could have replaced the engine but I ended up just selling it for what the parts I upgraded on the car were worth and getting my infiniti.
also, what is up with that mechanic changing your rotors and brakes lol? Did you bring it in for that or ask him to do that or authorize it? I've never brought my car to a mechanic to check out the engine and come back to a $1300 bill for brake work lol.
I managed to ruin my last car in a similar way. I also had over 100K miles and used a light weight oil combined with me driving it hard as usual during the summer, it ate all of the oil in one month! I only found out while I was driving and heard ticking. I could have replaced the engine but I ended up just selling it for what the parts I upgraded on the car were worth and getting my infiniti.
also, what is up with that mechanic changing your rotors and brakes lol? Did you bring it in for that or ask him to do that or authorize it? I've never brought my car to a mechanic to check out the engine and come back to a $1300 bill for brake work lol.
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Joined: Feb 2011
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20K on Mobil 1 was not the problem, the engine run with only 2 Qt oil was.
Considering what happened, that's possible.
Thread Starter
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I do feel a bit slighted about the whole brake situation. They told me first and foremost that they got the engine running without the cam sensors, so it wasn't seized, and that the sensor needed replacement. They then told me about the rotors/brakes/calipers in rear needed replacement. I supplied the rotors and brakes, and had them overnighted (assuming they would have had the sensor replaced by then as they said)....after overnighting them the rotors and pads, they told me that they got the wrong part (sensor) twice, and that they are getting the correct one overnighted. Apparently my rotors and brakes showed up first so they worked on that - then installed the new sensor....then told me I need new engine.
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Driving a Leaf at this point is probably what I deserve. But I do love the way my G37 drove. Fingers crossed. Would love to get another 30k miles out of it. Is the VQ37VHR an interfering or non-interring motor?
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 741
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From: Aurora, CO
The VQ37VHR is an interference engine. That shouldn't be an issue unless the timing chain actually broke or slipped significantly. That could result in valves being bent as the piston moved up on the compression stroke.
Just wanted to say I appreciate everyone's input on this. I'm an idiot - plain a simple. I never really understood the consequences of not "getting around to" an oil change - never in a million years did I think it the oil level would drop 3 quarts in 20k miles. Why I choose to learn lessons the hard way in life - I will never know.
I can only hope at this point, that I get better news from the Infiniti dealership. I intend to have the car towed to the nearest one WITHOUT telling them that I have been told that the engine is bad by the previous mechanic. I would rather have Infiniti diagnose it and reach their own conclusions.
My plan is to go pay the "AAA" certified repair place the $1350 and say thanks for nothing (the "master-tech" that was working on my car is technically off today - I'm told he stopped in early this morning to look at the car once more and concluded that the timing chain was stretched, then went home and had someone in the front office call me to tell me the bad news...this guy proceeded to tell me they can fix it by replacing the engine with an $11,900 jasper? motor....obviously trying to get car out of there asap) I asked how the guy that called me how the tech came to that conclusion, and he said: 1. because the engine runs without both cam sensors installed and 2. because of the abnormal readings that he gets when the cam sensors are installed.
The only thing that is giving me some hope is that the engine really did seem to run fine, it idled fine, purred like a kitten...no engine knocking, no loss of power, etc. The knocking noise I referenced in my OP is sporadic and is not originating from the engine. Also the occasional start and stalls that I experienced seem to be pretty common on the '09 G37's (based on google research). Either way I learned my lesson - just hope it doesn't force me into buying a new car right now. I'm not prepared for that.
Thanks everyone for taking the time to respond to my post. I appreciate it.
I can only hope at this point, that I get better news from the Infiniti dealership. I intend to have the car towed to the nearest one WITHOUT telling them that I have been told that the engine is bad by the previous mechanic. I would rather have Infiniti diagnose it and reach their own conclusions.
My plan is to go pay the "AAA" certified repair place the $1350 and say thanks for nothing (the "master-tech" that was working on my car is technically off today - I'm told he stopped in early this morning to look at the car once more and concluded that the timing chain was stretched, then went home and had someone in the front office call me to tell me the bad news...this guy proceeded to tell me they can fix it by replacing the engine with an $11,900 jasper? motor....obviously trying to get car out of there asap) I asked how the guy that called me how the tech came to that conclusion, and he said: 1. because the engine runs without both cam sensors installed and 2. because of the abnormal readings that he gets when the cam sensors are installed.
The only thing that is giving me some hope is that the engine really did seem to run fine, it idled fine, purred like a kitten...no engine knocking, no loss of power, etc. The knocking noise I referenced in my OP is sporadic and is not originating from the engine. Also the occasional start and stalls that I experienced seem to be pretty common on the '09 G37's (based on google research). Either way I learned my lesson - just hope it doesn't force me into buying a new car right now. I'm not prepared for that.
Thanks everyone for taking the time to respond to my post. I appreciate it.
I've gone 19k on my oil before but I ALWAYS keep two spare quarts of Amsoil in my trunk and I check the oil monthly and top off as needed. The oil does gradually burn off due to evaporation and small amounts getting into the combustion chamber, although not enough to smell or smoke.
Learned that lesson on my first G35 Coupe when taking it to the dealer, they informed me that I was two quarts low.
Keep us posted and all the best of luck to you my friend.
