sonicii

Well it depends on what the mechanic means with 'front radius arm', I am assuming he is talking about the lower control arm or compression rod?? Since you have had the lower control arm bushes changed, I can only assume he is talking about the compression rod bushes which are also a common problem on these cars. VDC on my 05 will not bother me unless a wheel actually slips. It is quite sensitive and as soon as you get even the slightest bit of slip it will kick in and correct it. However, I have never had VDC kick in without first feeling or hearing some slip. That said, the rear on my car is a bit too happy to kick out, especially in the wet and the VDC often has to catch it. Traction control is not the same as VDC, although some do confuse the 2. TC only keeps your driven tyres from spinning when excess throttle is applied. VDC monitors steering wheel angle, individual wheel speed and a Yaw/G sensor attached in the middle of the car, and if it detects any loss of control it can cut engine power and apply brakes to individual wheels to correct it.

Anything that could cause the car to turn more or less than it should for the steering input will trigger VDC. Compression rod bushes could do this is they are bad enough.

A friendly Nissan dealer, or anyone with a suitable OBD2 reader with this capability.

you will need consult or any datascan device that can read the steering angle output. It should read zero when the steering wheel is in the 'straight ahead' position. If it doesn't, the VDC will think you are trying to turn more or less than you actually are and then try to correct your path to what it 'thinks' you are trying to do. Consult, or some aftermarket datascan devices will let you calibrate this item if required.

If the locksmith needs your BCM PIN, then he isn't cloning your key chip, he is supplying a new keychip with its own preset code.

Well, I have placed an order for a new LuK DMF and Exedy clutch kit. Should be here in a couple of weeks, then I will have to arrange a time to fit it. Will post the results back here.

If you have a JDM V35, you do not have a rev-up engine.. they only were available on the 350Z or the USDM G35 I believe the rev-up engine had 220kw - 350Nm. Our non-rev-up has 206kw - 363Nm.

Not likely to be wheel weight. I would say worn or failed suspension components, causing the car to not corner as well as it should and the VDC system is detecting this as 'slip', or the ST angle adjustment for the VDC system is out.

Nah.. you don't want to take a car with great handling and destroy it by removing half the body rigidity. if you want a convertable, buy an MX5.

Excellent.. thanks for the info!

Thanks. Looks like just under $1k for a LuK DMF (OEM) and an exedy clutch kit (clutch plate, pressure plate and throwout bearing). I should be able to do the work myself, which should save quite a bit in labour. And a good excuse to buy myself a transmission jack. Does anyone know if it is worth doing the rear main seal on the engine or the transmission input seals while the transmission is out? or do these not give much trouble?

I don't think it is the timing chain. It only occurs intermittently and only when accelerating. I also wouldn't expect timing chain noise to go away when I put pressure on the clutch pedal. It is also silent at idle, where timing chain noise is usually most noticeable.

After all this time, this noise has started again, however, it now seems to happen under light throttle once the engine is fully warmed up, and only occasionally. I have found if I put some pressure on the clutch pedal (not enough to disengage it), the noise stops, so I think that is a fairly reasonable indicator that it is a clutch problem. The other weird thing is it seems to be louder if I am making a hard right turn while accelerating, which made me think 'engine mounts' for a while, but they appear all ok. Looking around now for a replacement DMF and clutch. I don't want to go with a single mass fly as this is my daily and I spend a lot of time under 2k RPM, and many with SMF say that it is quite noisy under 2K.

The US models do have both, I had just assumed the Canadian models are the same too. I have never seen a stock cluster showing only KM to 260/280km/h

It is hard to know what to think. My parents were told 40 years ago 'there is no way your kids will drive petrol powered cars as we will run out of oil before then'. Now some people are saying there is enough for another 1000 years. Not saying we shouldn't look for alternatives, but if we really do have a lot more untapped oil, then it is going to reduce the motivation to change.

It will be when when can stop the south Americans carving up huge chunks of the Amazon forest for farming solely to produce Ethanol! Which makes it a bit counterproductive. This will be the challenge.. with China currently buying large chunks of land in other countries so they can grow food. Where are we going to plant enough farms to produce 85 Million barrels of ethanol per day? Not trying to bag ethanol, but I don't think ethanol alone will ever come close to replacing oil.

There is a chassis number which I guess is 'international',but more digits are required for Australian records, so the government adds a bunch of numbers before the chassis number for the VIN as recorded on your Australian registration.

That is the model code. The VIN is the chassis number - PV35-500141. In Australia they add a bunch of digits to the front of that number for the VIN.. something like 600001. Check the compliance sticker, it should have a full Australian VIN. or if it was registered in VIC, I think they also stamp the full VIN into the body near one of the strut towers.

If the ECU were able to adjust, would the stock injectors be able to keep up with 33% increse in fuel demand?

Indeed!! Many people think octane or RON is some sort of fuel quality figure or fuel energy density figure.It is not, it is just an indication of the fuel's resistance to detonation. Both LPG and E85, have octane ratings above 100, but they return reduced fuel economy.

If only they did them in a 6sp manual!

Yes, i believe that is correct, it is just a 2nd map with a fairly heavy timing retard (and fuel mix richen). The FSM specifically says the knock sensor is a 'last resort safety device' and is not a tuning device, so when knock occurs the ECU just smashes back the timing to try to prevent damage, it was not intended to 'adjust' to low octane fuels. And the other false perception is the ECU uses the knock sensor to advance the timing for higher octane fuels. the only ECU I know that actually uses multiple knock sensors to 'tune' the timing is the newer WRX STI ECU.

According to the FSM, the ECU switches to a 'knock map' when it detects knocking. But I have never observed it or tried to trigger it.

You have been able to for quite some time I believe??

Of course. Ethanol has a lower energy density I have had 3 Nissans before the V35 and none of them benefited from running a higher octane fuel than they were made for. if the V35 is indeed made for 96RON, then my preference is not to go below that, which means 98 is the best option.