I took my 350Z to the dealer where I bought it for its 7500-mile service. When I got the car back, along with the invoice was a list of services performed. This doesn't look anything like the Nissan official maintenance schedule, and doesn't make sense to me.

For example:

11. Inspect and adjust idle RPM -- 750

13. Inspect and adjust engine timing - set 15 degrees

And so on. Am I crazy, or does this look like a leftover maintenance schedule from the 1970s? Is there such thing as setting the timing and idle on a modern computer-controlled engine like that in the Z? That was something we used to do on those old carburated engines with a single coil and a mechanical distributor. Is this dealer completely without a clue, or am I wrong about this?

I am concerned that my Z is in bad hands. Please, someone with real knowledge on this, give me some input.

The funny thing is, they checked these items off as if they had done it! How do you set the timing on a 350Z?

Thanks for any help. I am wondering if I should start taking my Z elsewhere for service, despite the convenience of this very nearby dealer.

 

A little wierd. Idle, yes. Timing, no. The idle sure isn't like the old days, but at least you still and adjust it at the computer!

But, you are right... I would ask how thee adjusted the timing??? I mean just exactly which chip did they put in... I might want one!

 

Thanks for the reply, Wags.

Any other responses to this? Does anyone else have these kinds of bogus checklist items from their dealer service? Is this normal, or do I have a really bad service department? Any advice? Should I go to a different dealer? Or is it not a big deal?

 

That does seem a little odd, did they charge you for those extra things?

You may have been lucky and got an Enthusiast/Z-lover mechanic who did that because he saw a need.

Or on the other hand, maybe you got a newbie car jockey that wanted to see what it was like to play with the ECU.

Anyway, I was watching Speed channel the other day. The new ECU's control everything. Idle, timing etc....
I am sure all they had to do was connect up to the programming terminal and set the options.