I have a 98 Infiniti Qx4 with about 99,000 on it at this point and I am trying to get some ideas as far as maybe doing an oil flush. Is it necessary to do one with a high mileage, and if so what do you suggest as far as a do it your self or professional. I am just trying to stop any sludge build up and prevent myself from a engine over haul anytime soon, car is running great but just want to do some preventive maintenance. I have also noticed a little “Kick” when starting from a stop position, not sure if it’s transmission problem or what any ideas?

I'd recommend never doing one, if you've kept up with your oil changes there's no reason to do this. Go to any of the Nissan/Infiniti forums around and you'll find many owners with your engine with 200,000 or 300,000+ miles that are still going strong.

These oil flushes are the next cash cow for the oil change outlets, they are really pushing them when they aren't necessary.

I agree with lewisnc100. I wouldn't recomend an engine flush. I would however recomend a tranny oil change if you havn't gotten one done yet. Not sure if the newer Pathys/QX4 have tranny filters or screens I know I changed mine (oil and screen on 90 Pathy) and it solved a tranny chatter.

Denis

for that "kick" that you're experiencing, does it have to deal with a sticky gas pedal? if so, i had the same problem, where i had to put a little more force on the gas pedal to release it from its "at rest" position, but when it would get unstuck if you will, the extra force would cause me to give a little more gas than i should from a stand still...thus giving a little bit more of a take off than i'd like.

if this is your prob, just disconnect your air intake hose from your throttle body, get some spray throttle body cleaner (around $4), and spray into the throttle body...have a towel handy as a lot of gunk will start flowing out =P after i did this, i was good to go...20k miles after, and still smooth on acceleration from a stop =)

I have a 98 Infiniti Qx4 with about 99,000 on it at this point and I am trying to get some ideas as far as maybe doing an oil flush. Is it necessary to do one with a high mileage, and if so what do you suggest as far as a do it your self or professional. I am just trying to stop any sludge build up and prevent myself from a engine over haul anytime soon, car is running great but just want to do some preventive maintenance. I have also noticed a little “Kick” when starting from a stop position, not sure if it’s transmission problem or what any ideas?
Personaly I would not flush, but then I have been using synthetics since I got the vehicle. The little kick may be the throttle plate sticking from carbon buid up in the throttle body. If cleaning I suggest that you do it prior to an oil change and with the car not running and install a rag at the opening since all the black gunk will run out and hit the parts below the TB. Use a soft tooth brush and clean every oil change.
My 97 has a lot of miles and I am curious what MPG you are getting highway.

Personaly I would not flush, but then I have been using synthetics since I got the vehicle. The little kick may be the throttle plate sticking from carbon buid up in the throttle body. If cleaning I suggest that you do it prior to an oil change and with the car not running and install a rag at the opening since all the black gunk will run out and hit the parts below the TB. Use a soft tooth brush and clean every oil change.
My 97 has a lot of miles and I am curious what MPG you are getting highway.


On high way I am getting around 16-18 depending this is after about $700 in general maintenance, but I live in Oregon and drive up to Washington through the Gorge and it's windy as hell mass head wind so that might not be as accurate as it could be. Thanks for the info. Oh, by the way what is the best kind of oil on your opinion to use in a Qx4 I have been using since I owned it Castrol GTX Synthetic so yea? And my mechanic said to just run some fuel injector cleaner in my gas from time to time rather then having all the fuel injectors cleaned he said it was UN necessary to do so?

On high way I am getting around 16-18 depending this is after about $700 in general maintenance, but I live in Oregon and drive up to Washington through the Gorge and it's windy as hell mass head wind so that might not be as accurate as it could be. Thanks for the info. Oh, by the way what is the best kind of oil on your opinion to use in a Qx4 I have been using since I owned it Castrol GTX Synthetic so yea? And my mechanic said to just run some fuel injector cleaner in my gas from time to time rather then having all the fuel injectors cleaned he said it was UN necessary to do so?
Apparantly my 1997 is an oddball, either that or because I do all my own service work, I get 30 MPG on an imperial gallon of gas staight highway. With about 50% city & hiway I get 22-26 MPG. The vehilce has well over 100,000 miles now and timing belt and all belts have been replaced. The timing belt looked and felt like new, but you never know when fabric will finally let go. There was no wear at all to the naked eye. I use Mobil 1 now, for about 30 years. I bought the car used at 24K Km and put synthetic in as soon as I got it and I change it by time only, every 3 months. The tranny gets changed yearly as does the antifreeze, all fluids are changed at no more than 2 years that includes the pumkins, brake fluid, transfer case which is a bi**h to pump new fluids in. The brakes are cleaned and adjusted every 3 month as well as tire rotation. I now commute 120 Km a day in highway and stop and go and MPG is 22-26 miles per imperial gallon. It has been a great vehicle with very minor warranty problems, front shocks, complete exhaust sytem, 1 O2 sensor. Under my own I have had to replace 2 small links in the suspension, 2 O2 sensors. I will remain with Mobil 1 since compression is as it was when new, no oil leaks, never a top up of oil between changes. I also pull the brakes 2x a year and clean. On the second set of front pads with the original rears at 105,000 miles.

I use throttle body cleaner sparingly and always before an oil change and I never spray it in the TB, I simply wet a rage with it then with a soft tooth brush clean as far as I can reach in. I also use an O2 safe injector cleaner no more than 2x a year and presently use Lucas conditioner for a whole tank and that should do it for a year. I have some rusting on the two running boards but the Krown undercoating has limited the rust. We use a lot of salt here.

At 9 years old I hope to get yet another 11 years out of it. So far it is still as tight as it was when I first bought it.

Hope this helps
Al