Just wondering if anyone has performed any additive treatments to this car?
Trying to determine overall reliability
Thanks
Anyone have experience with the Infinity I30?
- Thread starter Screwdriver
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Tons, i have a 1998 Auto, 102k miles
I use Mobil one 5w-30 or German Castrol when i can find it. I add a little LubeControl to the oil, FuelPower to the gas, and in the summer a little SLOB to the oil. But honestly this is all overkill. Run a good oil, good filter, and keep up on the trans, and this car will last you a long time. The Vq30de engine is bulletproof. What year, miles, and trans is yours?
Overall reliability is spectacular btw. Its a maxima for all intensive purposes. only things to watch are knock sensor, CV joints, and if its a 99 coil packs.
Mines never left me stranded, nor do i expect it too, i would love to sell it and get something with a 5 speed, but i cant part with it, its just too #@$%! good of a car.
Ugh...one more thing...
I did Auto-Rx my trans, and that helped alot with smoother faster shifts, and i now use Mobil one trans fluid and change it every 20-25k miles. I'm going to add a trans cooler too.
I have a 98 that has 163,000 on it
perfect reliability
I did a autoRx on it prior to changing to Mobil one at 35,000
change the tranny fluid bout every 35,000 and your good to go.
knock snesors and O2 sensors are bout it other than a water pump at some point
I am planning to purchase a 2001 with 94000 miles on it. The owners maintained the car exclusively at the Infinity dealer and is a friend.
Im just looking to see if that model won't need serious part replacements.
Also, are there any online resources, forums, user communities for that model?
Also, what kind of mpgs do you guys get?
Maxima.org is the place to be. Look in the I30 section, but for all driveline related stuff, go to the 5th gen forum, as its the same as a maxima
Also just for reference its Infiniti No y at the end
I see 20city-28ish highway, but i dont drive it lightly
We have a 98 with just about 98k on it and its not only been flawless on durability/reliability it also has taken very little else to run .
I don't know a 2001 like a 1998 , but there are enough similarities that the following (incomplete) might help down the road if not now .
1) If oil maintenance is "weak" the first thing you will notice is a small oil leak out of the lower edge of the lower timing chain cover . Most let this go if it develops - the logic is would you rather consume 1/4 -1Q per 3mo./3750K OR spend 1600/2200$ to repair the leak - its a real bear to get in there properly .
Second stage ie pass in my book would be excessive valvetrain noise before 150-250K - indicating not only the need for valve adjustment but absolutely P***Poor oil/other related maintenance - which usually means everything else has been neglected as well .
They will take an amazing amount of maintenance abuse for a long period of time before they bite .( Somewhat ironically they can have some important things going on without even a "bark" much less a "bite").
As an example of some small but significant long term items many at this mileage have a plugged PCV valve , a very dirty TB and airfilter , overworn plugs , and dirty oil -all with no "strong" seat of the pants indications for those that don't know . (We were looking last summer to pick up another one used - found the right G20 first - so some of this is what we saw then).
2) Many owners and DIYers seem unaware that the AT has its own self contained "ecm/diagnostic system" that at least thru 99 does not report all detected anomolies to the CEL etc .
I always check this as part of normal maintenance or inspecting one for purchase - it will sometimes "tell" before you necc. "feel something" .
If you get anything out of there or start to feel rough shifting - it needs or has gone past basic fluid maintenance(sometimes wrong fluid) at the very least - go long enough that way and you will need a "solenoid kit" if you don't already which isn't cheap - even if you do the labor and shop your parts prices .
3) If the parking brake isn't used and the rear brake fluid isn't occasionally flushed and you have a low enough use cycle you can get a mild but significant 2 part rear brake drag deal going - easy to avoid - easy to "fix" if caught early .If you get roughly 11-12 years out you can sometimes get a partial - one-way internal failure on the rear brake hoses - which if you have the former stuff going on can be easy to miss until you have replaced everything else .
4) Lower control arms (rear bushing)typically get "loose" in bumpy/hard driving/hi tire pressure/ environments fairly quickly - in any case its a normal wear item between 100-150-175K depending and does mean replacing the arm as an assembly .(Very easy to check for and to do yourself)
5) Like on many cars - techs sometimes like to leave certain splash shields off which does nothing any good there after .(Not so bad at INFINITI dealers in general) .
6)Run the 91 Octane if recommended still - the fuel economy pay back alone will make up at least 2/3s if not all the cost difference never mind all the rest - and there is alot of "all the rest" .
Your knocksensors ,sparkplugs ,fuel injecters and AT will thank you on the last two as well .
(Your vehicle has a spark retard feature (during shifts) that will with even just mid throttle have no useable margin if you run 87/88 octane and very little if you run 89 ie you will have more "shift shock").
If "converting back" to 91 , it can sometimes take as much as 3/4 tankfuls before you realize all the benefits - it can take a long time for the engine to "relearn" depending .
Of course , you can just "wipe" the memory and then drive it a lttle bit vigoriously .
7) Since this has been a dealer maintained vehicle one way or the other I would get a printed copy of the service history .
I would also pay special attention to the 90K inspection/service - look for things recommended but not done .
We ran into 2 great looking "dealer maintained" I30s that basically had had very little done outside of oil changes , brake services and tire rotations - the owners "declined" just about everything else except one partial coolant and one partial AT each .
Although these cars are in a relative sense phenomenally reliable as a group , like most Asian makes in this time frame they have a surprisingly large tsb/campaign book behind them - no biggie but if you spot a non standard problem look there first .
To Infiniti's credit (and others shame) they are quick to declare a tsb - so either after or at the same time I'd be checking that any "necc. to apply" tsbs etc had been done esp. if you are buying from the first owner .
(A good dealer will have all this already done) .
Bottom line here is just some kind of "basically correct" maintenance along with no "cracked and wracked" makes these cars an outstanding choice both used and for the long haul - esp. when you consider price .
FWIW , Its a very "simple" and "straight forward" platform to work on - much better that way than the early G20s ... or old Q45s . 
My ex-significant other had a 1995 Infiniti J30. While it wasn't an I30 i would assume they would be similar other than the rear-drive set up of the J30.
The ex's J30 was driven pretty hard and saw lots of miles over the years. When it was sold in 2005 it had 260,000 miles and still looked and ran great. It had been maybe 30,000 or so since the last tranny flush and it had been parked for approx 6 months after the ex bought a new mini to replace it. The last time i drove it, the tranny felt as though it was starting to slip a bit between shifts. However after 260k i dont consider that unusual.
It had regular oil changes at the local quick lube place every 3000-5000 miles with pennzoil dino 10w30 and had tranny flushes with pennzoil DexIII/Mercon at 75,000 (First) and then approx every 25,000 miles from then on (all flushes, the pan was never dropped).
The only problems that were fixed other than normal maintence were:
-adjustments of the traction control
-front brake rotors
-sunroof motor
-interior stereo panel lights
Everything else was orig. We had belts, hoses, brakes, and new plug wires and plugs, but thats normal. All in all a very fun, fast, comfortable, and reliable car.
Screwdriver:
I have a 2001 I30 with 69k well maintained miles on it. I'll second the comments offered by kcryan (no relation) and g20ooh.
Having been dealer maintained, it's likely all relevant TSBs have been complied with but check with the dealer (and ask to see your friend's service records, if he's kept them) to be certain.
Don't "screw" the oil companies by running 87 or 89 octane. It's your ride that you're hurting, not XOM. My dealer claims the VQ30DE has major EGR valve problems when 87-89 octane is used on a regular basis.
Hopefully, the tranny has seen at least one fluid change and hopefully two. Running a bottle of Auto-Rx through the crankcase for 1,500 miles, followed by a rinse, can only help, regardless of the oil used and/or frequency of oil changes.
I'm not a fan of Mobil 1 in that particular engine. I ran that oil (5w30 M-1) religiously until several UOAs showed higher than normal lead readings. Part of it was Techron fuel additive. Part of it was (and is) the fact that the VQ30DE prefers a thicker oil. I'd recommend Valvoline MaxLife full syn 5w30, though I'm running green GC at the moment.
I'd change the spark plugs (and use only the OEMs (NGK)) at this point and not wait until the 105k mile recommendation.
The rotors on that car are somewhat thin, i.e, if Bubba at the tire store doesn't use a torque wrench and uses an air wrench instead, overtorqueing could lead to warped rotors. That could happen on any car, I'm sure, but it seems more so with this car.
Happy motoring! 
1996 Infiniti I30T
Yes I've had some experience! How about 430 FWHP?
Here are a few things I've done, too many to remember all.
350Z mass air sensor
Amsoil EaAU cold air in take through the passenger side fog lamp area
- V2 Vortech supercharger with 3.1 pulley and internals from the mustang unit
- Vortech after cooler modified with 5 gallon tank and 3 radiator coolers and extended cooling up to throttle body
- 60 shot JWT nitrous set up
-(2) Optima batteries in trunk with flaming river emergency shut off button for track
- Griffin custom aluminum higher capacity radiator
- Relocated oil filter using large chevy truck filter
- Royal Purple racing engine oil with heavy duty setrab oil cooler
- Fully modded auto tranny with beefed up gears, oil pump, and valve body, and final drive ratio change
- High stall torque converter
- (2) setrab tranny oil filters with redline ATF and large external filter
- Exhaust, Gasket matched and ported and polished exhaust manifolds, down pipe, and full 2 1/2"
exhaust and custom random technology cat converter
- QTP 3" electric cut out to dump exhaust out the side of the car at a full 3"
- Ported and polished throttle body and extrude honed upper and lower intake manifold which are
ported and polished and gasket matched to the heads
- 350Z 370 fuel injectors with 1 set colder NGK double plat plugs gapped to .028
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- HKS high energy ignition amplifier and spi fire coil packs.
- Engine was pulled and balanced and blue printed, heads cc'd, new JWT cam, 9.1 compression
pistons from Dq30DET and heavier valve springs and retainers, Rods were shot peened and
reshaped and polished, and an oversized oil pump from the 3.5 engine fit right in
- Walbro gss342 255lhp in tank fuel pump
- Nismo fuel press regulator and resized 6 an fuel lines
- Brembo front big brake kit and matching cross drilled rear rotors
- Volk LE37T Wheels 17"x 7.5 16.5 lbs
- Dunlop 225-45-17 9000 tires
- full JIC Magic Coilovers FLT-A2,
- electro mechanical steering rack with separate control for steering pressure and power steering cooler.
- 4 separate spal engine bay coolers for hot las vegas summers along with fans on all coolers and
vents in front fenders and 2 ventallation grills in hood
- Triangulated stillen strut tower bar and rear addco anti roll bar
- BlehmCo full lower tie rod arm
-tracton bars
6 point roll bar fully padded with 4 point-schroth harnesses
underhood fire extinguishing system (halon) andseparate hand held halon in passenger compartment
custom 3 amplifier 9 speaker panasonic sirius radio
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. . . . . . . . . .My mother-in-law has an 01 I30, GREAT car! Nothing but routine maintenance for it's 80,000 miles.
Thanks guys!
My friend is a woman in her 50s who's done everything the dealer has recommended, even the $600 'cleanings'. She has all service records as well, so I know the car's been taken care off
Recently pulled out the I30 logbook and owner materials as well as the "shopping for a used I30" "notebook" .
So some odds and ends and clarifications .
Quote:
1) If oil maintenance is "weak" the first thing you will notice is a small oil leak out of the lower edge of the lower timing chain cover . Most let this go if it develops - the logic is would you rather consume 1/4 -1Q per 3mo./3750K OR spend 1600/2200$ to repair the leak - its a real bear to get in there properly . Added : Depending on the year and how things express this leak from inadequate oil maintenance can include or start at the front (crankshaft) oil seal . A real "winner" will be leaking forward x2 and will also have leakage at the rear main bearing seal . A "bonus" "winner" will possibly/likely have timing chain tensioner and or guide problems as well . 4) (Front - of course there are no rear) Lower control arms (rear bushing)typically get "loose" in bumpy/hard driving/hi tire pressure/ oversized wheel and tire environments fairly quickly - in any case its a normal wear item between 100-150-175K depending , and does mean replacing the arm as an assembly .(Very easy to check for and to do yourself) . Added : IF powersteering fluid leaks are created or allowed to develop ( fluid , hose , and hose clamps - occ . inner seals on rack ) typically you will wipe out the forward bushing on the same arm and if allowed to go long enough you can start affecting adversely things like inner tie rod and sway bar mounts . As with #1 ,"Normal" or "adequate" maintenance avoids all this . 6)Run the 91 Octane if recommended still - the fuel economy pay back alone will make up at least 2/3s if not all the cost difference never mind all the rest - and there is alot of "all the rest" . Your knocksensors ,sparkplugs ,fuel injecters and AT will thank you on the last two as well . (Your vehicle has a spark retard feature (during shifts) that will with even just mid throttle have no useable margin if you run 87/88 octane and very little if you run 89 ie you will have more "shift shock"). If "converting back" to 91 , it can sometimes take as much as 3/4 tankfuls before you realize all the benefits - it can take a long time for the engine to "relearn" depending . Of course , you can just "wipe" the memory and then drive it a lttle bit vigoriously . Added : On a '98 at least , the factory specified octane range is R+M/2 = 89-93.5 ("normal" altitude) . It is definitely worth staying above 91 and in markets where available running the 93-93.5 . (During part of this vehicles life 91 was the highest available in certain locations (non altitude dependent))
G20ooh wrote:
<< Run the 91 Octane if recommended still - the fuel economy pay back alone will make up at least 2/3s if not all the cost difference never mind all the rest - and there is alot of "all the rest" .
Your knocksensors ,sparkplugs ,fuel injecters and AT will thank you on the last two as well . (Your vehicle has a spark retard feature (during shifts) that will with even just mid throttle have no useable margin if you run 87/88 octane and very little if you run 89 ie you will have more "shift shock"). . . . >>
G20ooh, what do you mean by "shift shock"? Do you mean that it will produce more stress on your transmission? Throw a transmission-related CEL? Please explain.
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