Nissan 350Z / 370Z Tech Forums banner
Cancel
Create thread New Garage Forums

My New Z has a not so great Idle noise

1 reading
Jump to Latest
1.9K views 9 replies 3 participants last post by  Leotie  
E
#1 · (Edited)
I picked up my first Z over the weekend, a 2008 350Z HR. Initially, I wasn't aiming for a tuned ride with aftermarket upgrades, but given the market and the limited selection in my area and the neighboring cities, most options were barely roadworthy. Seems like tuner cars dominate the scene around here.
During my inspection, everything checked out except for some cable fraying that could benefit from some heat shrink.
Took it for a spin, and man, the exhaust makes it sound like a racecar—too loud for my taste, to be honest.
Now, here's the problem:

The next day, on a cold start, I noticed an issue that didn't come up during the warm start when I first checked it out. There's a clear idling issue. The previous owner mentioned it was tuned using Revup and had been running on E85. He said switching to premium wouldn't be a problem but warned me the fuel mix might be off until I've run through a few tanks to even it out.

This is my first time dealing with a tuned car, and I want to tackle this idling issue head-on.
Should I dive into inspecting the parts myself, or should I consult a local tuner for their take first?

I'm trying to decide whether to start with my usual mechanical/electrical checks or go straight to a professional tuner.

Video of Revlimiter is the last image.

 
#2 ·
Welcome, but none of your links are working. As to your question, did the seller disclose how to access the tuning maps that were created with the UpRev tune? There should be an E85 tune, as well as one for use with 91 octane (or higher) unleaded fuel. Unless you've got the right map activated, I'd go back to the same tuner to figure out the idle before it damages the engine.
 
E
#8 ·
Yeah, he did. He showed me how to switch it to octane mode, and that's where I've had it set. He even sent over a video on how to control it, but unfortunately, it's not responding to the inputs from the video. I noticed the steering wheel in the video looks a bit different. I reached out to a local tuner today, and he mentioned it might be a compression leak, or maybe the tune. The hourly rate for race shop dealing with compression leaks is pretty steep.

I talked to the owner today since we hadn't finished the bill of sale. I mentioned the issue right after a cold crank, and he claimed he's "never seen it". I called him out on it, and it was pretty clear he knew about the compression issue and sold me the car while the engine was warm so it wouldn't be noticeable. When I brought up the Texas State Lemon Law, he got a little panicked and then asked what that was... and this guy's a mechanic by the way.. we actually did the whole car exchange at his work/dealership. He pretty much denied any issues and told me to get lost. After some back and forth and threats of suing, I just left. The idle did calm down on the drive home since the car warmed up from an hour's drive.

So, I'm thinking the next step is to do a compression test first, see what's up, and then decide if I should fix it or just go ahead and see the tuner?

There is also a laundry list of test I could perform too..
 
Nissan 350Z / 370Z Tech Forums
posts
621K
members
40K
Since
2004
A forum community dedicated to Nissan 350Z / 370Z and Infiniti G35 / G37 owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about performance, modifications, troubleshooting, exhaust, turbos, maintenance, and more!
Full Forum Listing
Explore Our Forums
Nissan 350Z Interior & Exterior Maintenance & Repairs New Member Introductions Wheels & Tires