I'm buying a G35X tomorrow that is throwing a code for right cat. If I can't clear it with seafoam and have to replace it.... if I buy a set of Berks high-flow I should do both of them or just change the right?? This car is a normal commuter car will those high-flow cats be okay and is there a better quality I should be buying for the price? Any and all advice greatly appreciated..im just learning.

 

I believe they only come in pairs, but you would definitely want to replace both at the same time. If one is gone, the other will be on its way out, plus it would mean less exhaust flow on one bank of the engine which could cause weird problems. If you just want to get rid of the SES light, you can install non-fouler extensions between the cat and o2 sensor, but if you are in an emissions checked area AND they put the sniffer on your exhaust pipe, you might still fail. From what I've read on here and other G/Z forums, Berks is the highest quality HFC, but I have no personal experience with them. Check youtube clips of Berks on stock exhaust to hear what it will sound like. I believe it'll be a little louder, but not too much.

Good luck!

Edit: Also check out this thread, you can probably get a better deal from a forum sponsor

 

Having the exact code would help since there are upstream (A/F) and downstream O2 sensors.

 

Thank you I will have a sensor tomorrow and will check the codes myself

 

Great but if you need high flow cats don't go near Berks (search Berks HFC'S) you'll discover many members have made that mistake and paid big $$ for their error in judgment! Fast Intention HFC are far better without issues of any kind!
Gary

 

Thanks for the feedback
if you had a G35X a very tight budget and reliability in mind what would you do? The car is for my son who is living out of state he needs to be able to travel from Pennsylvania to Mass safely.

 

Find a set of used OEM catalytic converters and keep the vehicle mostly stock.

However, and this is all opinion so take it or leave it, I wouldn't purchase a G35 for someone on a tight budget. The G35 is a luxury sport sedan/coupe, luxury = money, sport = money.

For a budget vehicle I would stick to a base level honda, toyota, nissan and stay away from anything luxury or sport.

If you absolutely must have AWD/4WD look into a mini pickup like a frontier or tacoma, otherwise go for a FWD civic, sentra, carolla. Better economy, better overall reliability.

 

Thanks for the feedback and completely understand. I'm dealing with a teenage boy who values the coolness of the car... so now I'm online trying to help him manage the car as inexpensively as possible.... which I'm completely willing to do I was 17 once...lol.

 

If the code being thrown is P0420, P0430 there are a number of possible causes. Exhaust leak, intake air vacuum leak, stuck fuel injector, stuck fuel damper, fouled spark plug, camshaft skipped a tooth or other timing-related problems, failed O2 sensor, failed catalytic converter.

Definitely do some troubleshooting before just replacing the cats, check the spark plug, check the fuel dampers (mechanic stethoscope and listen to both sides, they make a little clicking sound when working properly and it will sound the same on both fuel rails), exhaust leaks will probably take a muffler shop to diagnose if it's a small leak, use an OBD2 scanner with real time data to verify the sensor 2 O2 data is cycling properly, remove the catalytic converter to visually inspect the honeycomb for melted spots.

This is why I don't recommend the vehicle, a 2007-2011 Civic Si has all the same technology but is mechanically simpler to troubleshoot, the parts are cheaper, it's nearly as fast as a G35 and priced the same. If you wanted something a little sportier for performance then an Si the Acura RSX-S is about a second quicker but the Si is PLENTY fast for a 17 year old.

 

Thanks so much for the feedback I am definitely going to do whatever I can before replacing the cats.

if I was picking the car for him it would be a Toyota or a Honda...lol.

he really doesn't need the speed I know for him it's all about the looks and the all wheel drive for the snow.
it's a 2006 ..160k miles we're hoping to get two to three years out of it paying 2,300 for it.... assuming $500 a year for maintenance... doing as much himself or with a friend as possible.

 

Yeah it doesn't take a LOT of mechanical skill to fix broken vehicles just a lot of time and patience during the learning process. Expect to replace things like the rear differential bushing since it's probably LONG overdue, use only 6 point sockets (or good gear wrenches, the "Performance Tool" brand gear wrenches can take a ton of abuse) and a lot of PB blaster to remove all fasteners. Familiarize him with the proper points to jack the vehicle from and where to place jackstands on the pinch welds. Use a torque wrench for ALL fasteners regardless of how small or large they are. Do all scheduled maintenance items since it's fair to assume the vehicle may have never been maintained and every fluid might need replacement to keep everything running smoothly and not prematurely failing.

My list of things on day 1 would be something like this:

-New OEM NGK plugs, standard heat range.
-Spray MAF with cleaner
-New air filter, inspect entire intake tract for leaks, replace all 3 PCV hoses with silicone hoses from Z1 motorsports, check PCV valve for proper rattle when shaking
-Cabin air filter
-Drain/fill engine oil and oil filter with a QUALITY filter not some budget trash
-Drain/fill automatic transmission
-Drain/fill rear differential
-Drain/fill front differential
-Use a turkey baster to suck all power steering fluid out of the reservoir, replace that volume with new fluid. Perform this for 4 consecutive weeks to exchange nearly 100% of the fluid.
-Remove all wheels, inspect tires THOROUGHLY for wear/damage/age, replace rubber if it's older than 5 years listed on the DOT stamp. With wheels removed inspect brake pad thickness and perform brake bleed at this time.
-Bleed brakes, replace all fluid, pay particular attention to the nonstandard bleed order.
-Check coolant lines for wear
-Replace engine drive belts and both the primary and AC tensioner
-Have the AC system tested for proper operating pressure, you can do this yourself with a cheapo R134A recharge can if it has a pressure gauge on it, if it's only a tiny bit low add refrigerant, if it's substantially low I wouldn't introduce a bunch of stopleak into the system it just craps out the seals and makes repairs more difficult/expensive in the future
-Verify that the trunk spare tire and jack are in operable condition, put a 1/2" drive breaker bar and 21mm socket in the trunk and throw away the stock tiny 21mm lug nut removal tool.
-Put a small tool kit in the trunk, verify it has a 10mm socket needed to remove the front/rear license plate, install the TOW HOOK into both the front/rear holes behind the license plate to make sure it works otherwise there's no good way to pull the vehicle onto a tow truck without damaging the body. Also a good idea to carry your own tow strap with a small shackle to attach to the tow hook, if you remove that stupid plastic partition on the passenger side of the spare tire you can pile a TON of safety crap in that cavity just don't block the air damper in the far corner.
-Verify all lights work
-Check battery for age, replace if older than 5 years, clean battery terminals and apply electrical anti-oxidation grease.
-While under the vehicle, spray Every. Single. Bolt/nut/fastener with PB blaster, suspension/exhaust/etc if you see a bolt then spray it, be careful around the brake rotors if you end up taking them off in the future you'll appreciate it, plan on using about 1/2 of the can under the car.

Perform all system resets after the MAF has been cleaned and the spark plugs/air filter have been replaced.

http://nicoclub.com/archives/g35-350...procedure.html

This is typically called the "pedal dance method", use a stopwatch to track the second counts they need to be pretty exact, another option for ECU and idle air reset is to use an OBD2 scanner to perform them. If you have an android based phone the app Torque Pro or Nissan Datascan both work great with a bluetooth OBD2 dongle like the BAFX bluetooth OBD2 adapter.

Optional items that I would perform in the first month include:

-Compression test to get an idea how much life is left in the engine
-Replace the plastic coolant bleed valve with the metal Z1 valve, it's not a matter of IF it will break it's a matter of WHEN.
-Drain/fill coolant since it's probably really old and carrying particulates from a worn impeller or thrust erosion points of the engine, buy a Lisle spill-free funnel and google how to bleed the system, now is a good time to install that Z1 bleed valve.
-Preventative replacement of MANY suspension bushings that are likely VERY worn, compression arms, ball joints, tie rod ends, wheel bearings, urethane upgrades are wonderful but not needed.
-Have alignment checked/corrected
-Preventative replacement of both cam phase sensors and the crank sensor since they can easily leave you stranded on the highway WHEN they fail. Use only Nissan OEM sensors, Amazon has a good price on them.
-Wash the vehicle thoroughly and go to town with a Nissan paint pen and fix any chips in the paint.

https://www.z1motorsports.com/coolin...e-p-11190.html

The day 1 maintenance is a pretty full first day, make sure to only use Nissan Matic-J or S for the automatic transmission.

Prepare for the FUEL GAUGE possibly giving the wrong reading, run the first tank of fuel to nearly empty to make sure the gauge goes all the way to the bottom, a very common failure item is the instrument cluster (combination meter) to actually be empty when it shows 1/2 tank or slightly less.

Struts are probably worn and need replacing, get out on an empty highway and brake check the **** out of the car a couple times to make sure the ABS unlocks wheels properly and that it behaves in a predictable manner when you need it most.

The vehicle does an ABS self check after it's been started and the vehicle reaches 10mph, you will hear a little "buzzing" sound from the engine bay for about 1 second, this is normal but can be unnerving for folks not familliar with the system.

These cars run amazing when they're well maintained and a little PREVENTATIVE maintenance keep them running strong with little downtime for repairs.

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/inv/200...067-41185P.pdf

The factory service manual is available online from the fine folks at NICOCLUB, familiarize yourself with it, the document starts at FWD.

http://nicoclub.com/archives/infinit...e-manuals.html

EDIT!!! Get in the habit of checking the engine oil EVERY WEEK on a cold motor before it's been started for the day, these engines do have a history of oil consumption and if your son is the typical "lead foot youngster" he will likely be consuming some oil vapor from the PCV system. This is "normal" consumption and not something to worry about just top it off every week or it WILL cost you an engine.

 

Wow thank you so much for taking the time to lay all that out for me really great advice!!!

 

Ho lee cannoli that was a good guide. Sticky that.

 

Thank you all for your help I've got great news!!

I was able to pass inspection yesterday after the seafoam treatment seem to do the trick no catalytic converter needed!! It did take me about 250 miles to do the relearning after I clear the engine light.

on a side note I love this car more than ever!!! while I was doing the driving for the relearning prior to the inspection I got caught up in an eight car crash instigated by a turkey on the highway.... the G35X handled so well in adversity that I came out with barely a scratch on the left quarter panel while 2 other cars flipped over multiple times!

while this car is for my son it may be on my list for my next car!!

thanks again for everyone taking their time to advise me.

 

Awesome glad you got everything squared away! Damn turkeys...