timing belt jumped

[IndianaVX]

well,
misery loves company, and what better company to have than you guys!!!
yeah, it jumped, im bummed, and extended warranty is wanting to pay about 30% of the bill......did i mention that i was bumming???
i have searched, are there issues with the tensioner?? wondering if i should go with genuine parts, or good aftermarket? this one went out with 64000 on odometer, which seems kinda soon.

warranty company said, NO, you dont need to check the valves, and wont pay for checking. said NO, you dont need to replace the water pump, and NO, the tensioner is fine, put the belt on, and send me down the road. im thinking river without a paddle........
i havent called them yet, but i know im gonna be asking for a supervisor and telling him "thats not good enough"

i dont think the valves will be an issue. im fairly sure we are NON INTERFERANCE,
and i wasnt going that fast when it jumped. but i feel at very least i need a tensioner.

all that said, any points, or ammo you guys can suggest when dealing with this hoser at the warranty company wouldbe appreciated. i have to call them monday.

Wish me luck.......im gonna need it

[Tobert]

Fortunately, the timing belt is really pretty easy to do on a VX. I'm doing mine in the next 2-3 weeks and anticipate it will take between 4-6 hours with no help.

I'll probably throw a water pump in too, but it's not really a big deal to change that by itself. If you order one and give it to the mechanics doing the belt, they might throw it on for a very small increase in price. Definitely order that straight from Merlin -- rebuilt water pumps are nothing but trouble IMHO.

On a side note, if anybody wants to witness a timing belt replacement (and lend a helping hand), PM or email me so I can plan for you to be here when I do it. I'm in Grand Rapids, MI 49505.

[Mark B]

Does the timing belt have to be or recommended to be replaced on the VX after so many miles?
I have had other vehicles where the timing belt was replaced every 60,000 miles.

[uncle_asa]

According to workshop manual timing belt should be replaced every 100,000 miles under normal load or 75,000 under heavy load. Normally, you need to replace tensioner and pulleys with it. Good mechanics also recommend to change water pump at the same time. I replaced mine at 60.000 because I was not sure about the full history of my VX.

[Y33TREKker]

Going by the miles listed in the manual, the timing belt shouldn't have been an issue yet, so it must have jumped for a reason, and should be covered despite what the warranty rep says. The fact that it jumped at all would make me suspect a faulty component somewhere, so I'd most likely opt for replacing all associated parts; tensioner, pulleys, and belt. I'm sure there are differing opinions about going with factory or aftermarket parts. Even though it was a factory part that broke prematurely this time, I'd probably still try to err on the safe side and go with factory stuff.

Since it's going to be torn down that far anyway, replacing the water pump at this time would be the more cost effective way to go in the long run, otherwise you'd just have another similar bill for labor when you did decide to have it replaced. I agree that if you went ahead and bought a new one, the mechanics would probably change it for you (while they're in there) for a small additional fee. And given all that, going with a factory pump as opposed to a no-name "equivalent" should also result in more piece of mind that it was done right.

[Triathlete]

Fortunately, the timing belt is really pretty easy to do on a VX. I'm doing mine in the next 2-3 weeks and anticipate it will take between 4-6 hours with no help.

I'll probably throw a water pump in too, but it's not really a big deal to change that by itself. If you order one and give it to the mechanics doing the belt, they might throw it on for a very small increase in price. Definitely order that straight from Merlin -- rebuilt water pumps are nothing but trouble IMHO.

On a side note, if anybody wants to witness a timing belt replacement (and lend a helping hand), PM or email me so I can plan for you to be here when I do it. I'm in Grand Rapids, MI 49505.

For those of us who can't make the trip, how 'bout lots of pics and a how to!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? :yesy: :bwgy: :winky:

[Raque Thomas]

Had mine changed at my last oil change, took 15 minutes, cost $65, parts and labor.

[Tobert]

Had mine changed at my last oil change, took 15 minutes, cost $65, parts and labor.

That was probably the serpentine belt.

[Tobert]

For those of us who can't make the trip, how 'bout lots of pics and a how to!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? :yesy: :bwgy: :winky:

See my for sale thread :( The job is awesome enough to give up the VX, though. http://www.vehicross.info/forums/showthread.php?p=96834

I probably won't be doing the timing belt after all unless the buyer wants to pay for it.

[psychos2]

I would get a leak down test done. If there is a problem with a valve it will show up. If there is no problem with the leak down test I would install the belt and do a compression test. If the tests do not show any problems then you are ok. Or you could check the valve clearance and if there is a big difference on any of them you will know you have a problem. shawn

[IndianaVX]

well, heres the latest.
i didnt get ahold of Guardian Warranty Corp today, but i got ahold of Merlin at st charles
Timing Belt 55.73 w/o discount 148.61
water pump 148.61 w/o discount 174
belt tensionor rod 73.69 w/o discount 86.69

warranty company isnt wanting to replace water pump, im thinking it will go out with the new belt, and more tension, so that will be a failure and another deductible. i think 148 bucks is pretty good price, although water pump is covered in warranty. it just hasnt failed so they dont want to replace it.
the factory timing belt worries me, since it failed early, but yeah, i agree trekker, i will probably go with factory part.

NOW, anyone know about this tesionor rod??? is this the part that would fail, or wear out??? the tensionor is not covered in the warranty. Merlin seemed to think i would be in pretty good shape if i just replaced this rod. Does that make sense to you guys? i really dont know.

Tone, so you are saying its interferance!?! I thought i read in other post that it was NON interferance. THAT would change everything.
warranty corp DOES NOT cover diagnostices but valves, guides, "all internally lubricated parts" ARE covered.
hmmm, i gotta think about this some more on this "interferance" issue.......

thanks
david

[IndianaVX]

DUH.........
so in summary of last post
What are the feelings on just replacing the "tensionor rod"????
If i didnt use oem belt, is there another suggestion??? (gatorback, etc 0
do you all think the odds are pretty good that the pump will fail with the new belt??
More info on the interferance/non interferance issue, PLEASE, thank you !!!! (mechanic did say the other day, that they had read in a bullitin, or something saying " the engine may, or may not be an interferance engine."

[Y33TREKker]

While it's hard to tell looking at the cd manual, the tensioner rod appears to be the same type of hydraulic tensioner that's used on my other vehicle. In my opinion, this would be the most likely of the related timing belt components that could fail and cause the results you've experienced. Regardless of whether it failed or not though, if you're having the timing belt service done at this time, $75 for a new tensioner would be relatively cheap piece of mind for such an important component.

Do all of the other pulleys the timing belt rides on seem intact? These would include the pulleys on the crankshaft, the camshafts, the water pump, the idler pulley, and the tensioner pulley. I doubt there would be a problem with the camshaft pulleys, but they should have no lateral or radial play. Same for the camshaft pulley. Regardless of how the water pump/pulley feels, I'd still say replace it anyway.

As far as the idler and tensioner pulleys go, if they turn easy, and no lateral or radial play can be felt, you could probably leave them as is, and is probably what Merlin meant when he said he thought you would be in good shape just replacing the rod/tensioner. (For what it's worth, when I did the timing belt job on my other vehicle, I replaced the water pump, the idler pulley, and the tensioner pulley as a just-in-case precaution, especially since I had it all apart anyway. That's just me though).

If the $55 is for a factory belt, I doubt you'll find a better price. And for an item like that, I'd personally stick with a well-known brand like Goodyear or Gates too.


IndianaVX --- More info on the interferance/non interferance issue, PLEASE, thank you !!!! (mechanic did say the other day, that they had read in a bullitin, or something saying " the engine may, or may not be an interferance engine."

Don't know about that at the moment, but...damn, you'd think that a factory(?) bulletin would be a bit more specific regarding such an important issue. :_huh:

[VehiGAZ]

Indiana - I have a suggestion for you based on what happened with my wife's old Passat...

See if you can get your mechanic to make the case to the warranty company that something other than the t-belt failed, and they may cover the work. The Passat's tensioner pulley assembly came apart and messed up the works. If the belt had broken, it was our responsibility, but since something else caused the belt to fail, it was all covered by her extended warranty - I only paid for them to put a new serpentine belt on when they put it back together... a $38 t-belt replacement!

Good luck!

[Tone]

I was wrong when I posted yesterday the 6VE1 was an Interference engine. I've checked with about a dozen engine publications online and they all agree concur it is a NON INTERFERENCE engine (most older Isuzu's were interference), except this site: http://autorepair.about.com/cs/doityourself/a/bl_timing_belt3.htm

There have been several owners here who have had the belt fail and NOT had catastrophic engine failure. I was in no hurry to change mine for that very reason that if it failed, at least the valves and pistons wouldn't meet - BUT, a broken belt could sure do some damage.

[JAFO]

How was it that you noticed the timing belt jumped? Was the engine running funny? I'm assumming, that if it jumped that it through the timing out of sync?

Also I'm glad that they are covering it for you. When I had my Jeep Wrangler the company that I had wouldn't repair anything. Everything fell into the loop hole called "Wear Items" which was not covered.

[kpaske]

IndianaVX - I concur with Merlin, I think it was more than likely a worn tensioner that allowed the belt to skip in the first place, so you should most definitely replace it. However, if you're going to take everything apart, you might as well replace the belt (and possibly the water pump also). I personally did NOT replace my water pump because I couldn't really spare the extra $150 at the time, but normally I prefer to err on the side of caution. Either way, replace the belt and tensioner and you're good to go for another 75-100k miles. Replace only the tensioner and you'll just have to tear it down again in 36k miles.

A word of warning - Mark is 100% correct about NOT rotating the cam shafts once the belt has been removed. Much of the published information is incorrect, and if you follow the CD manual letter for letter, you'll screw up your timing and the cam shafts will need to be reindexed. I know because I made that mistake myself and wound up having to have a shop complete the job for me. :madb: There is a TSB that explains the issues, and the correct way to reindex your cam shafts. The shop that does the work should have access to this TSB, but I also have a copy somewhere. If you need it I'll dig it up for you (please PM me). In all likelihood they will need to do this reindexing, since your belt skipped and the timing is probably off now.

FWIW, I also concur with Tone - I am under the understanding that this motor is, in fact, NON-INTERFERENCE.

[Ldub]

kpaske,

If you do find the TSB on cam timing, how about forwarding it to Moncha to add to the download section.

That right there could be some handy information to have. ;)

[Tobert]

Weird. I totally had my cams & stuff all out of whack and I don't remember having any particular trouble getting it all lined up. It was mostly a pain in the butt because the cams wanted to snap out of place due to valve spring pressure.

I followed the CD manual's procedure. Maybe I got lucky?

[psychos2]

How was it that you noticed the timing belt jumped? Was the engine running funny? I'm assumming, that if it jumped that it through the timing out of sync?


The ignition timing would not be off. But the cam timing would be. shawn

[kpaske]

Weird. I totally had my cams & stuff all out of whack and I don't remember having any particular trouble getting it all lined up. It was mostly a pain in the butt because the cams wanted to snap out of place due to valve spring pressure.

I followed the CD manual's procedure. Maybe I got lucky?You must have. :confused: I did the job TWICE myself, using the CD manual, to the letter, and my timing was all screwed up. I took it to a nearby shop, and it took them THREE tries before finding that TSB and correcting the problem.

I'll try to find that TSB and get it posted here. It's a little oily, but it should scan OK to be readable. ;Db;

[Tobert]

I've been trying to remember what I did to get it right. I am not a professional mechanic, so don't be afraid to correct me ...

* check #1 TDC on the crank by probing the #1 cylinder with a long screwdriver (don't rotate the engine with the screwdriver in the spark plug hole as you risk gouging or worse, breaking pieces off in your cylinder chamber -- it's probably safe if rotating with a wrench, but don't blame me if something goes wrong)
* work with the valve covers off so you can see which valves are open
* use only a wrench to rotate the engine to protect your parts and yourself
* take your time and wrap your brain around the process of how the cams and crank are synchronized, then it'll become clear how it should be

With that information, it's pretty easy to figure out if you're on the right revolutions from there. For example, you know when you're on #1 compression stroke when both valves are closed and you're at TDC. Then you can forward through the firing order and figure out where everything else should be when the cams and crank are set at the default marks.

Once you put the belt on, rotate it around a bunch of times by hand and follow the firing process in your head. If the firing order is 123456 (I don't think that's right for the VX), you should see compression stroke on #1 with both valves closed, then the same on #2 and so on ... simultaneously, the next upstroke on #1 should be exhaust ... you get it.

Save yourself some time and go buy a few of those metal office clips suggested in the service manual. They really help a TON. It would probably also be a lot easier with two people, but I did it myself.

When I put a new timing belt on my wife's Subaru, I actually started it up while the timing cover was still off to make sure I got it right. Don't run it more than a second or two as the engine will burn up without coolant around the cylinders and in the heads. The temperature gauge is useless without coolant, so don't rely on it ;)

[IndianaVX]

Okay,
heres the update.
My mechanic put a new timing belt on today. said the vx ran like new!!!!! it ran so well, that he didnt even feel that its necissary to do a compression check.
so i called merlin, ordered a water pump, and a belt tensioner rod. im going ahead and paying for these parts for peace of mind. so i should have my truck by middle of next week!!! I CANT WAIT!
this brings up a couple of things to my mind though. did i just get lucky that the valves didnt kiss the pistons in this interferance engine? or is this a sign that it is a non interferance? who knows, and at this point, i dont really care, im getting my truck back!!!

cant wait to shine er up, and smile again.

david

[volume311]

The engine is a non-interference engine, you'll be fine.

[biju]

excellent news.

-biju.

[IndianaVX]

Hey people....
anybody got a copy of the TSB that kpaske was talking about?? looks like im needing it. got things together, new pump, and tensioner rod, put back together, and it runs like crap. im taking a copy of the post on page 2 for the tech training. hopefully that will help, but the tsb would be great. or if someone has the number, i can tell my mechanic to look it up, wherever they look that stuff up......
as always, all your help is appreciated!!
Thanks

david

[IndianaVX]

ok, i cant copy and paste the post that deermagnet made on page 2. anyone got a copy, or tell me how to copy this so i can print it out for my mechanic in the morning??
thanks again
david

[Anita]

ok, i cant copy and paste the post that deermagnet made on page 2. anyone got a copy, or tell me how to copy this so i can print it out for my mechanic in the morning??
thanks again
david

David,

Its a number of picture files so all you need to do is a right-click on each page and save it to your computer. Open up each photo with a picture/photo software and print them off.

[IndianaVX]

anita, mark,
thanks, as always you all are so helpful........
thanks again.
david

[IndianaVX]

:(

ok, i am at a loss of words.
Ive got a good mechanic working on the vx, he really is. has worked on my stuff for over 10 years.
BUT, hes having a heck of a time with the timing issue. I have given him the post from here. he has the same service bullitins. lines everything up proper, and then it wont start, or runs poorly.
He is complaining that what isuzu has printed is wrong(which ive read here too) and thinks that the problem is in the translation. he mentioned that he has the same problem with hondas, and other foreign makes.
hes done compression check, leak down, passed well within specs.

IM REALLY NEEDING SOME HELP.

it seems everyone has had this same problem. i have searched the threads, given him everything i have printed out on others attempts. (man, im getting a headache)

is there anything you all can think of that i can relay back to him that he might be missing? is it that easy to be out 180 degrees? he has oem belt.
if the cams WERE turned individually, and things got out of whack, man, im typing out loud, and cant even finish a thought.

am i correct in saying that the procedure on tones cd is wrong also? (no fault of tones)

I was joking about taking the shilloette to badlands, but im thinking i better call oldsmobile, and get that 3" lift and some terra grapplers for it.
Im sorry guys to have to ask, but can you scratch you heads a little more for me, and come up with some suggestions?
its gotta be just one of those small things that are head bangers, then, BAM the light comes on.
sorry to ramble so long

i gotta get an asprin or two..........

thank you all, really, thank you!!

david

[kpaske]

David,

So sorry I didn't get to this sooner. I've just started a new job, so I've been really busy and haven't been online in over a week. I went through the same B.S. when I tried to replace my own timing belt a while back so I know what you're going through.

The bottom line is, the Isuzu manuals are wrong. The TSB# IB00-S005 explains the correct procedure and I've uploaded the scanned images into my gallery. I hope this helps. Please send me an e-mail (not a PM!) if you have any other questions that I can help you with.

Kyle

[IndianaVX]

well, i STILL dont have my vx back....this is getting old.
my question for today, or tonight, is this.
if the timing is set wrong, or the cams are not turned till they "snap" into place, and then the belt is installed, and then the engine is fired up in this condition.....is there any chance of valves kissing or getting bent???
i dont know if something has happened while the mechanic has tested, and they dont want to tell me, which, i wouldnt think they would do that.....ive been dealing with this guy for years, but i did find out that its the "new guy" thats working on my rig. i told the secretary that i wasnt real happy about that. i brought it to them for terry to work on....terry is who has done all my work in the past, and he has done it well. she assured me that this new guy is qualified, and terry is activly involved, which is good.
BUT how screwed up can things be after two weeks of trying to set the timing on a 6VE1 engine, and me giving them service bullitins, and even a very detailed instruction given to me by a VERY QUALIFIED ISUZU SPECIALIST.... this is what is making me loose sleep....seriously. i have spent 300 bucks on gas in two weeks driving my g20
van. which was supposed to go towards my repair bill (whatever warranty doesnt cover) which brings me to another sleep looser......warranty isnt going to cover the time they have taken.....im sure warranty co has a set number of hours they figure for timing belt replacement, and this guy is working on and off for 3 weeks putting a timing belt on......thats gonna come out of MY pocket....which i am hoping they treat me well, and not charge me for all those hours......(here comes the headache again)
im starting to think im not gonna have the vx for the badlands meet :(
theres gotta be a joke in all this somewhere....How many mechanics does it take to change a timing belt???
sorry to whine and moan...
any response to my questions???

trying to stay positive

david

[IndianaVX]

OH, i almost forgot,
thank you kyle for the tsb. it WASNT the same one they had, so.........who knows..
also congrads on the new job. I hope its something you were looking for and will bring you happiness and riches, and its something you enjoy doing.
thanks for your help..

and another thank you to Ldub. thanks for the "email"
david

[Ldub]

and another thank you to Ldub. thanks for the "email"
david

No problem, I just hope your mechanic gets this resolved & you're able to hit the trails with the gang this weekend...I was kidding when I said that Silouettes RULE off-road. :p ;) :p

[IndianaVX]

***UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE ***
good news....kinda, but more bad.
good news is this, my mechanic found out the problem, which is the pin that holds the cam gear to the cam shaft broke, which allowed the cam to spin 180 degrees from where it should be. which explains why when everything was lined up on the marks, it still wouldnt run right, because the driverside cam was 180 degrees from where it should be.
another issue was the the bearing surface between the back driverside lobes was rough and scarred due to oiling problem. i havent looked yet, but i think this is a problem that others have had with the engine failure....or maybe it was the back driverside piston.
more good news is that cam, and other related failures are covered on my warranty, (from reading the brochure, havent talked to a rep yet) so thats good too.
bad news is, its already been two months already, and it looks like its going to be atleast a few more weeks before i will get it back.
my mechanic said he is looking at very least, getting a new head, and maybe a new engine. he said also that some warranty companys will replace the engine with used engines, instead of new ones. i told him to push for as much new stuff as he could, obviously.
soooooo, im sure i will be talking to merlin here pretty soon..
wish me luck, and thanks again for all the help.
if nothing else, i got an excellent write up on how to install a timing belt from a very qualified isuzu person, which i will post up soon.

thanks again peeps,

david

[IndianaVX]

also, a little "testemony"
im a praying kinda guy anyway, but its not often that i talk to God about the mechanics of an isuzu 6VE1 DOHc engine........but i did last night, asking him to help my mechanic find out what the problem was.
the shop opens at 800am. i had a phone call at 810am thismorning with terry, (my mechanic) saying " dave, i found out what the problem is, can you stop by, and ill show you what is going on..."

it seems that so often in our lives, when things are going rotten, we try, and we try to resolve them ourselves, and use prayer as a last resort, almost saying "well, ive tried everything else" instead of praying as soon as a problem starts up.

if you are going thru something in your life, let God know about it, yeah, hes got his own sense of time, and the answer my not be immediate, but that doesnt mean he's not listening and ready to help!

God is good, REAL good,

david

t

[IndianaVX]

Well, heres the latest,
if ever given the choice, i WOULD NOT get a extended warranty from gaurdian warranty company.
the warranty company called me today, and said he found a shop that could REBUILD my cylinder head in one day, and send it back out the next day. i am totally disgusted. i had offered to go half way on a new head (899 complete head) and he was going to go for that, then i discover that he and my mechanic talked friday on this rebuilding thing, leaving me totally in the dark for the weekend. so it looks like the head will be rebuilt, if not done correctly, i will probably be broke down again in a couple of months. im trying to be optomistic, but a couple of weeks ago, my mechanic was saying how he wouldnt want to rebuild it from the way the "bearing" sirface was too worn, and to build this up, and then cut it back in would be a lost cause.
who knows.......bout fed up.
i guess ill have my vx back pretty soon though, so thats good.

david

[etlsport]

david, sorry to hear about all this happening to you and your VX :( i dunno what id do without my vx for two months, two days away from it and i was goin crazy! hope everything works out well though... heres to many years of minimal maintenance driving! :_beer:

[IndianaVX]

thanks etl, id go for those beers right bout now......lol

well,
yesterday, my cylinder head came in......after 7 days, not 1 day turnaround, and one day back. so im fired up, but tryin not to get too excited, you know......
so today, i figure they are putting things back together, and i was wondering about a motor flush, or at very least, change the oil, filter etc. so i stop by and ask them about this, and how things were going...........


the indexing pin was fixed, and only one cam needed work, so what do these guys so highly recommended by my warranty guy do??? take both cams out, then when reassybling, two of the gears were in backwards, and in the wrong place, and a bolt that holds the cop on, was sticking halfway out, and another bolt wrapped in paper, rolling round loose in the box the head was in........

I dont make this stuff up...............

so my mechanic is fixing what should have been fixed, when it was sent to be fixed.....he told the warranty company that they just singed an open ticket to get this going again which means to me, for the amount that this head repair is gonna cost anybody but me, we could have had a NEW COMPLETE CYLINDER HEAD FOR LESS THAN 900 BUCKS............go figure

i didnt even have the energy to ask when they thought they would have it done.....

Hopefully, in the next 30 days i will be back in the vx saddle again!!! lol

take it easy people
thanks

david

breakdown date 3-30-2007 76 days ago

[biju]

Hang in there! Hope all comes together as it should, and she runs like new!

-biju.

[IndianaVX]

well,
its done.....sitting in the parking lot at the mechanic. but i cant drive it till the billing is all done. how ever long that will take errrrrrr.......man, its so close......i actually went and sat by it earlier tonight.....its all dusty, rr tire is low, the cladding looks soooooo dry. the alarm was on, so i couldnt get inside. i havent sat in it for so long. i dont think ill be able to sleep tonight........this is like Christmas, and you already know what your present is, but you cant play with it full time till its "offically opened" man, i cant wait much longer........
it will be interesting how this whole warranty issue plays out.

[Ldub]

GOOD NEWS...& with any luck, a happy ending. :cool:

[Dino]

Oh man I hope so too.. :cool:

[IndianaVX]

well, first thing thismorning, 8 am, i call warranty company and tell them to get on the ball, my truck is done, and a bill i ready, all this on an answering machine, and ask for a call back on when i can pick it up. so i wait till about 1 and call back, and leave another message asking same, and how things are progressing, at 4 i call, and the warranty guy answers,....says he hasnt heard a word from my mechanic, but would call him right away and get me back in my truck. i STILL dont hear from anyone so at 515pm (my mechanic closes at 530) i call my mechanic and ask if he talked to the warranty guy, and he says he called, but got called away on an emergency, and couldnt finish the billing thing, the warranty guys son was riding a bike, and apparently got struck by a car........**note, i hope and sincerly pray the boy is alright**

so, i simply say," so i guess i wont be able to get the truck tonight"
my mechanic comes back with "well, ill tell you what dave,....YOU can come in here and pay the bill, and then YOU can deal with him on getting your money back....."
i asked how much the bill was, and i dont have that much cash on hand this week, but i about went off on this guy, i have known him for years and given him alot of business, as well as many referalls...........WELL THATS OVER.
I WILL NOT TAKE MY TRUCK TO TOWNE VIEW AUTO CLINIC AGAIN.......

sorry this thread has become somewhat of a blog, but after reading it thru, it may come in handy in a court case that may be comming in my near future.
thanks to you all for your support, i really appreciate it,
and i ask you all to keep this warranty guy, his wife and son in your thoughts and pray its not serious.

thanks again people........maybe tommorow
david

[Solitude]

I have been reading this post and was wondering what happened to the 10yr/120,ooo mile warentee.. (probably a stupid question but thought you said 64,000 miles and is the timing belt supposed to be changed according to scheduled maintenance before that?)

[Ldub]

well, first thing thismorning, 8 am, i call warranty company and tell them to get on the ball, my truck is done, and a bill i ready, all this on an answering machine, and ask for a call back on when i can pick it up. so i wait till about 1 and call back, and leave another message asking same, and how things are progressing, at 4 i call, and the warranty guy answers,....says he hasnt heard a word from my mechanic, but would call him right away and get me back in my truck. i STILL dont hear from anyone so at 515pm (my mechanic closes at 530) i call my mechanic and ask if he talked to the warranty guy, and he says he called, but got called away on an emergency, and couldnt finish the billing thing, the warranty guys son was riding a bike, and apparently got struck by a car........**note, i hope and sincerly pray the boy is alright**

so, i simply say," so i guess i wont be able to get the truck tonight"
my mechanic comes back with "well, ill tell you what dave,....YOU can come in here and pay the bill, and then YOU can deal with him on getting your money back....."
i asked how much the bill was, and i dont have that much cash on hand this week, but i about went off on this guy, i have known him for years and given him alot of business, as well as many referalls...........WELL THATS OVER.
I WILL NOT TAKE MY TRUCK TO TOWNE VIEW AUTO CLINIC AGAIN.......

sorry this thread has become somewhat of a blog, but after reading it thru, it may come in handy in a court case that may be comming in my near future.
thanks to you all for your support, i really appreciate it,
and i ask you all to keep this warranty guy, his wife and son in your thoughts and pray its not serious.

thanks again people........maybe tommorow
david

Very disappointing...(cue Tom Petty)http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/TP.jpg
the way-ay-ting is the har-dist part...

Everything happens for a reason Bud, hang in there. ;)

[IndianaVX]

dubster...........

i prefer.........."breakdown, GO AHEAD AND GIVE IT TO ME....... my vx, that is......


thanks bud

quad, i think timing belt replacement is 100,000, and although my belt broke, it was due to a piece on the cam breaking, and not the belts fault.....(poor lil fella) and im pretty sure that warranty you mention is for original owner, which i am not.....and i am dealing with an extended warranty, not the factory.......
thanks

[Maverick]

ive been away for quite awhile, hope everyone is well..

sorry to see all the trouble indiana.., seems no matter what we do, if we dont or cant do it ourselves, theres a high chance of getting hosed... local Isuzu dealer charged me almost 5k awhile back for a new head (after labor, one head was 1375 give or take a few bucks, its been awhile, and some routine maintenance that somehow ended up at over 3500 more $$ )
the warrentee on that part is up, and after (low) pressure washing my engine a few weeks ago, the paint on the valve cover came off. looks to me like they put in a re manufactured head, or possibly even a used one and just prettied it up to make it look new, i paid for new factory parts... too late to do anything about it now though, been too long, and took me too long to figure it out. they were also supposed to change the t-belt, but i later found out they didnt even change the spark plugs, so im still concerned about what i paid them for and they didnt do...
anyhow, i feel your pain...

so , is it definite this is a none interference engine? the posts confused me a bit.. im behind on my maintenance and have been very concerned about snapping my t-belt, i would worry a bit less if its non interference, not allot less, but a little... itll be another month at least before i can attempt to change mine, unless i have no other choice... :/

[IndianaVX]

WOOOHOOOOO!!!!!

Well, ill give you all one guess, as to what is in my driveway.........times up.....

I GOT HER BACK!!!!
yes, its true, i got my vx back on thrursday, late afternoon, so i drive it around so carefully for a couple of hours. but i figure im gonna have to take it down the highway, and give it some gas, so off i go. as im giving it a steady acceleration, im thinking, this doesnt sound right, and even more, THIS DOESNT FEEL RIGHT. i mean, i do remember the airbox making some noise when accelerating, and it has been 3 months, but i can tell, and something is WRONG. i HAVE NO acceleration, and i sound like some kinda poser ricer. so i pull in over at my parents house so i can check things out. when i raised my hood to investigate, this is what it sounded like.........


http://s169.photobucket.com/albums/u213/IndianaVX/?action=view&current=Picture004.flv

AWWWWWW CRAP!!!

it was already sprinkiling, the sky turned dark, my fists pointing at the ground, face towards the sky, screaming.....NOOOOOOOOoooooooo.......... (fade to black) lol

so im thinking im doomed, i am so depressed, i putter home, the shop is closed so i just limp on into the driveway. it had quit raining, so i go ahead and wax, and coat everything so atleast the vx is clean again, and wait till morning to call the shop.
when i call i tell them that im comming in for them to listen to, and FIX, what is wrong. i tell them something was left off, exhaust i thought, maybe something in the intake manifold.....they say bring it in.

when i get there, they look all upset and so i raise my hood, and i say listen to this.....so they check it out, and discover that the nut on the bottom of the egr had come off, (i think, never was put back on....) and so i leave it there for a couple of hours to cool and be fixed.

when i got it back....MAN WHAT A DIFFERENCE!!! its back, my vx is BACK!!!!
the acceleration, the smoothness, all of it. it stunned me how awful the truck sounded, and how terrible my acceleration was. i mean, the engine made alot of noise as it reved higher, but it just wasnt moving the truck to match, all because of the egr basicly being disconnected.
so i am back in the truck, and loving it.

??????????????????????????????????????????????????/?//?????????????????????i do have one question, or issue. i cant remember hearing this before. but when i accelerate evenly, but givin it alot of gas to get moving, i hear the airbox noise, or suck, all thru the rpms till about 3800-4000 rpm then it gets quiet, and starts the airbox noise again at around 4500, or when it shifts. like i said, i dont remember hearing that lack of sucking noise anytime in the "power band" before. ANY IDEAS????

summing up the warranty company, i give em about a 5.5 on a 10 scale.
they did pay 1100, of a 1700 dollar bill. so i wound up paying 618.23 for my end which included my 100.00 deductable. where most of MY bill was is
mechanic would charge 7 hrs on something, the warranty would only cover 5.5 hrs, leaving me the balance. this happened on about 5 line items.

i did get new intake gaskets, new plugs (double platnum...have to look that up later...) valves adjusted. so thats good stuff too, just not sure how the double platnum plugs work with the vx.

so today, im gonna drive, cruise, just get back in touch with my truck.

:)

[IndianaVX]

maverick,
sorry to hear about a ISUZU DEALER doing that to you, and choosing your fights wisely, yeah, probably too much time passed to really do anything about it, but i would put at least a phone call in.
as far as the engine being interferance or not, i am about 98.634 % that it is a NON INTERFERANCE engine. if i were you, i would go ahead and replace it, and the belt tensioner, and probably the water pump too. merlin got the tensioner, and pump for me and it cost like 220 bucks. which reminds me,
i asked my mechanic for my old pump back, but he didnt have it.......makes me wonder, alot, but ill let it pass....

there are folks on here that have changed the belt themselves, but i think it depends alot on how mechanicly inclined you are. i think the biggest tools you would need on this project it time, and paitence.
good luck with it, i have step by step instructions if you want or need them....actually have about 10-12 pages of timming, etc...and 2 how to's from start to finish.
so keep us posted....

david

[Y33TREKker]

Glad to hear you're back on the road Indiana. I sometimes wonder what my decision would be if my VX developed a similar serious problem, fix or sell, but overall I believe that a brief period of frustration wouldn't be enough to make me let go of such a unique vehicle.

[Ldub]

FINALLY !!!...I'm happy for you David, & pretty sure you'll find it was worth the wait. :cool:

I'm spending the day under "her highness"...I got up the ambition to drop the tranny pan & put in a new filter & fluid etc. Sure is a hot one out there.

[IndianaVX]

ARRRRGGGHHHHHH!!!!!
THE SAGA CONTINUES........
on the way to the shop to take care of these codes ive been throwing, i accelerated just to see what the vx would do today, and it sounded like it went completely out of time again.......i barely hit 20 mph, and when i came up on a hill, the engine was making a dreaded knocking sound....... but once i got to the shops parking lot, at idle, i couldnt hear any knock, and it reved alright..........who knows????

the most irritating thing about all this is my peace of mind is shattered. i will never be able to hop in the vx again and feel secure. with the comprimised head, the chepo plugs they put in there, and who knows what else, im just afraid that now everytime i drive it, any little ping or tick, im gonna be freaking out about it.

i apologize for the open forum venting, and ranting, but my kids dont really get it, and my wife just knows im disgusted,

i know you all understand what we are dealing with in keeping these trucks on the road and in good shape.
i appreciate this great forum, and the help and understanding it provides.
you know ill keep you posted.....as for noww, the vx is in the shop again, and it may be a while before i get it back..

take care of yourselves, and your vx's!!!!

david

[IndianaVX]

here is the latest,

my o2 sensor #1 left bank is bad, and my catalitic converter is toast. the shop told me that with the truck running the way it was, it was dumping too much fuel, and burned the thing up
but if it was dumping too much fuel, then why was the code reading "lean fuel on acceleration"????
something doesnt sound right, and me owning a vehicross is starting to not sound right either.......
i dont think warranty company is gonna cover any of these two items, merlin quoted me 798.15 for the converter, and 103.58 for the 02 sensor.
i am in way over my head to make the case that the cylinder head repair was faulty, and caused this latest trouble.
i just dont know......

oh, and the shop also told me that there may be other things pop up after i get THIS repair done....is there a chance that the other cat. converter could go bad, or is it seperate enough that it wouldnt be affected by the left side.......

rattum frattum frickum frackum...........

[IndianaVX]

well, the vx is dead.......for now..........im talking to a lawyer tommorow, or thursday.
and although this thread has become a bore, a long depressing bore, i think it will come into play nicely in a court situation to give a time frame of events, and how things transpired.
when i talked to the shop today, they were basicly blaming ME for the catilitc converter failure.....go figure
they said that when i drove it when the belt broke (???) and over the course of the weekend,(150 miles) that when i was driving, there was too much fuel being dumped into the cat. covert. and thats what burned it, and the 02 sensor up......

the points i intend to raise are as follows, which are all documented in this thread, and hopefully the warrany companys paper work as well.........

back a couple of months ago, maybe page two, i was told that the new belt was put on the vx, and it ran great, but due to the water pump not being in yet, they couldnt finish the job......
well, if the cam was in the condition that it was in, then this couldnt have happened, when the water pump DID come in, they put the belt on, and couldnt get it running, which later they discovered that the cam was spun 180 degrees, so either they lied about it running previously, or they damaged the cam over the course of the 2 or 3 weeks of trying to set the time.

point two,
they obviously didnt take the truck on a test drive of any worth or run diagnostics computer when they completed the head install, because ANY mechanic that is worth anything would have noticed the lack of power, and the AWFUL growel that was made by not haveing the egr tube hooked up to the bottom of the egr valve..........

point three,
again, there was no test drive after the egr was connected because if there was, they would have thrown the codes i was experianceing over the weekend, in which case, i would think they would have kept the vx in the shop, and figured out why it was throwing the codes. in MY opinion, they set me up for failure by letting me take the vx as completed. me with the understanding that my vx was in shape to drive, i was actually destroying my catalitic converter, or CONVERTERSSSS, plural . (1500.00)

I dont like to play the blame game, but who is at fault here?? me, for doing what you are supposed to do when you get a vehicle back after 3 months, which is to drive it? OR, the shop that gave me a faulty completed repaired vehicle to drive only to damage it further???

if you have an opinion on this, if anyone is even reading this thread anymore...lol...please post your opinion, good or bad, i would like to hear it. ive never taken anyone to court,or small claims court before. anyone had any experiance in a situation like this???

well, wish me luck, cause i need it right now.
thanks for all the support you guys have given me over this whole ordeal.
thanks, gobs and gobs.......lol

david

[IndianaVX]

ok,
todays scoop. i talked to local isuzu dealer about the catalitic converter situation yesterday, and he told me that the warranty on the cat convert was 6 years, or 60,000 miles......im at 64,000 so obviously, i was soooooo bummed yesterday, couldnt sleep AT ALL last night, i just couldnt figure out what i was going to do, sue these guys, get another job, or what. so as usual, i ended my day in prayer, and again, talked to God about my truck, and my situation. well thismorning, i was talking to my warranty company, and they dont cover the cat. converter either. but he said i might call customer service at isuzu of america corp. offices. so i asked them what the warranty was on the cat's and he told me 8 years, 80,000 miles!!!! i asked him to double check, he did, and repeated the same!! he said i just needed to take it to a isuzu dealer, and have em fixed!!! i called the dealer again, and he agreed!!!!!! so, im having my shop roll the vx out to the parking lot, warranty company is going to cover tow bill to get the vx to the dealer, and they said they would fix it!!!!!!!
there MIGHT be a diagnostic fee, but that too will be waived if they find the converters are toast. and the 02 sensor was destroyed by the converter, so i SHOULD be covered as well!!! the converter got so hot, that it melted the threads on the sensor, it looked pretty bad.
so what more can i say, things are looking brighter once again........
Thank God.........he is good, so very good.

[IndianaVX]

called the isuzu dealer today, and they cant fix it. it is out of warranty:rolleyes: even though i was told 8/80,000. what they failed to tell me was that was for original owner. so the great service guy roger (really) at bob rhorman isuzu asked for a "good will" repair of my truck, and got the call back and it was denied too. so i asked about what kind of bill i have, and again, roger being the good guy he is, said awww, dont worry about it....no charge!!

my question for today is,
roger said that there might be the ability of putting a "test tube" on there instead of a cat converter. from my understanding is this is just a steel tube, with the flanges welded on. he also said that the guys in the shop "might" be willing to do it. but im assuming that i would lose my o2 sensor, and have to live with a check engine light for the rest of the trucks life.

so anyway, im loosing it, gonna go troll the streets for some valium:eek: jk

but my only option for now, is to have it towed back to my house, and sit it by the desoto, until i talk to the BBB, and my attorny.

i still feel like if the repair shop wouldnt have given me the truck while it was throwning the codes it was, i could have saved the cats.:rolleyes:
im trying to make the connection. kind of a chicken or the egg thing, maybe.

[Solitude]

Hello.. I am sorry to hear about your troubles.. but Dude.. its like the lookie-lews at the scene of a car wreck.. your listing of the troubles should be good documentation for court action.. not sure if it will help though.. have been thinking about selling mine as the windows suck, the paint sucks. the hood is cracked.. and it doesnt have 33,ooo miles on it yet.. the transimission is a year old and Thank God I am the original owner or it would have really been bad...

and I only owe one more year on it .. laffs.. anyways.. probably a rambling post but hey.. typeing your thoughts outloud..kinda clears your head..

Here's to a clear head

Peace,

[IndianaVX]

quad....

EXACTLY!!!! im just itching to burn the bridge down with that shop....but i gotta time it right, or the whole thing could really, really suck......worse than it does now!!!

thanks, and sorry to hear about your trouble too, and a dragon at that....that really sucks.....good luck with it

[IndianaVX]

[QUOTE. probably a rambling post but hey.. typeing your thoughts outloud..kinda clears your head..

Here's to a clear head

Peace,[/QUOTE]


LOL...rambling on one post is nothing compared to a 3 month long ramble!!! LOL

take it easy,
a clear head is worth alot.......:)

[IndianaVX]

too many mechanics,
this boil is comming to a head.
today, i called the origonal shop, and told them i refuse to pay my 70 dollar bill, until my truck is running. the mechanic asked why. i told him that i have spent 1700.00 dollars already, and the truck still doesnt run, and the cats are bad. i told him i thought it was pretty shoddy that he give me my truck back as repaired, and the egr was disconnected, and about not test driving it enough to see that its throwing codes.
his response was, the egr nut "just fell off" and that "we took it for a 7 mile test drive to painted hills" which no one in their right mind could go any faster than 40 mph. i told him that it was still shoddy, and should have been taken on the highway atleast a bit to get up to "normal" speeds of 60. he was irritated.
then i call the isuzu dealer who is looking at the cats. their shop manager has quit, but as stated a couple of threads above, he told me no charge. i talk to the new guy, and he seemed to think that the truck was repaired with new cats, and was ready to go. the claims guy at isuzu of America had heard a word back from the couple of messages he left with the dealer.
so as it stands now, i may or may not have new cats. i may or may not have a running vx. it has gotton so confusing. monday, i was told nothing could be done, that guy quits, new guy says it looks like its done, but doesnt see any parts listed on the paper work, but i could come and pick it up, and doesnt know what my charges are. arent dealers supposed to contact you befor they do any work?? i even told them that, to contact me befor any parts were put on.
heck, i may have a 2000.00 dollar bill tommorow, which i dont have this week, so my vx may become a "hostage"
*sigh*

[IndianaVX]

drum roll please......
cedar point doesnt have a roller coaster that compairs to the one ive been on today.
thismorining i call the isuzu dealer to clarify what was going on with the vx. he told me that the techs determined that the timing belt was installed WRONG. with the timing being off, this caused the engine to start pouring gas down the cats which is why i was getting the codes. this is why my repiar was denied, and why the good will repair was denied also. so we closed the conversation with me asking what my bill was, and the isuzu guy said 90.00, which i thought was alright, i would at least know what was the matter, no, it wasnt running, cats wernt put on, but i knew what was wrong.

THEN..........

after struggling thru my day, with all this grinding in my head and trying to work, i get a call at 5:30. its the isuzu dealer. mind you, this is his second day on the job as service manager. so he calls and says "david, i have good news for you" and then my connection goes out on my cell phone. AGGGGGHHHHHH, so i drive up to the top of the proporty where i have a signal, call him back, and he continues with the good news.

YES, my timing is off, and thats why my cats went bad, BUT, (heres the good part....
wait for it.....)

he made some phone calls, had a pow wow with some people, and discoverd a federal emmisions act of some sort, and isuzu is going to replace my cats, apparantly at NO CHARGE!!!!!! he also said that he will make sure that my timing is set correctly, but that he would probably have to charge a little for that service, but with the other news he had given me, that is no problem AT ALL!!!!
i dont know what emmisions act or thing hes talking about, but hey, im not complaining. WHAT A GUY!!!
he also said he would give me a full write up on what is wrong with the timing for my suit against the other shop so that i would have a good offense!!!

he did say, that that the parts were on order as we spoke, he didnt know when they would be in, but they were ordered. from another recent post, theere seems to be SOME wait, but im getting pretty good at that.

wow, what a relief....i still have a bit of a battle, but my vx is in goood hands now, and thats worth alot.

[Chopper]

Sometimes ya just don't go to the dentist for a haircut, no matter how confident he is. Cool that it's almost comming home, and ironed out. My son just did an engine swap on his toy, and ended up shipping it to a tuning specialist on that particular engine. He's in S.E. Pennsylvania, the tuner is in Texas. He is going to fly down, pick it up, drive it here( E. central Fla.), then back home. Has an iron butt, that one has. Good vacation, expensive tune-up :rolleyes:Fortunate you had another vehicle, while this saga played out. Were it your one and only, this ugly situation would have been uglier. By the way, SUE them, don't forget extra vehicle costs, time out of work,etc.. Get some counsel...yesterday. Wayne

[IndianaVX]

for those interested, heres the latest update........

this past thursday i called the isuzu dealer, and he said that on tuesday 1 of my cats came in, and he is waiting on the other one. he had no idea when that one would be in, but aparently my name is high on the list for the next available one. i dont know if that list is country wide, or COUNTY......lol.....but anyway, this guy is going the extra mile to get my truck back on the road. although im not in it yet, i am very pleased with the service i am gettin from Bob Rohman Isuzu hundia. its been a long time, cant wait to get her back again. its even worse that its 20 or so miles away and i cant just go drive by and look at it. sigh........thats about it for now.

developing one virtue more than others......lol......is that healthy???

[IndianaVX]

the latest,
i called isuzu of America customer service on monday, and told them the situation with not having catalitc converters available, and got a case number and a promise that the agent would be looking into the matter, and i would get a phone call if they found anything out.
so naturally, i figured i would just have to call back in a couple of days, or in a week.... welll,
tuesday morning, i got a call from i of A , and they left a message that they authorized the replacement of my cats with aftermarkt, so i could get back on the road. GREAT, although i usually like to go with orig. equip, i am at the point i will take exception.
today, i called the dealer, just for my week end update, and he told me that they have been looking since tuesday afternoon to find some aftermarket cats, again to get me on the road, AND GET THIS..... (if i understood him right) then, when the other factory cat comes in......wait....waaaait....they will schedule me to come in and have the aftermarkets replaced with the factory cats.......and still on isuzus bill, as of now.

so i am now putting the apb, (i think thats the code) for catalitic converters, both the driver, and passenger sides. aprihend at all costs, if not for me, do it for yourself, for when the time comes.:eek:

is there finally a factory part to dethrone the roof rack from the "impossible part to replace" throne:rolleyes:

so in summary, although im am still without my vx, MY experiance, (so far) has been GOOD, with isuzu. and i have nothing but great things, (so far again) to say about bob rhorman isuzu, indianapolis, take care of your cats, and, tonight, before you go to sleep.......be sure to peek into the garage and check on your vx.......maybe go out, and give your it a hug. (make sure hood is cool) and appreciate how much pleasure that unique little suv brings you.
(ok dave....keep it together.....:p )


thanks people,

david

[cyronman]

Hey Indiana,

clear out your PM box, I got a message to send ya.

[IndianaVX]

hey cyronman,
can you email it to me??? bucks are tight till i know what truck repairs gonna cost me, gotta re-up my support here, and cant do it yet.....i weeded out old messages, and still not under limit here......
maroonghia@yahoo.com
thanks, ill be watching for it.
david

[Y33TREKker]

Any chance MagnaFlow would have an applicable high-flow aftermarket catalytic converter for the VX? Maybe something from a Trooper, etc. would be close enough in fit to swap in for the time being?

Either that, or just hollow those suckers out. ;)

[IndianaVX]

after a looooong wait, i got a call tonight. it was the dealer asking what time i wanted to pick my vx up in the morning!!!!!!! Honestly, im scared to death. i asked if they found out what was throwning the codes, and he said it wasnt throwing any codes. hmmmm.......it was throwing codes before the cats went out..........man, i just dont know. my stomach is in knots. i even told him, "as much as i want to pick it up in the morning, do you want to keep it till monday, to make sure timings set alright, and no codes are being thrown?" he said no, its not throwing any codes, come and get it, and if it does ruin these cats, isuzu is payin for it.........i am worried about ruining a vx.

he told me also that isuzu is stamping out my replacement factory cats on the 27th of sept.
I am excited, but it is a muffeled excited, im afraid im gonna be driving home, and not be able to go above 50........keep your fingers crossed

[Y33TREKker]

There are drumrolls......and then there are drumrolls.

No doubt we all know what kind this one is.

[IndianaVX]

YUP, ITS TRUE!!! i went and picked up, (man, i have to come up with a name for her..... lol ) my truck!!!!! and it feels gooooooood. i had almost forgotten how good. so yeah, ive already put 100 miles on her, im driving my wife crazy with the "you thirsty, im thirsty, lets go get a drink." and the "do we need bread? ill go get some.....:p "
so im pretty happy, but down deep in the dark corners of the vx, the computer looms, just wanting to take my happiness away with a P0154......AWW CRAP, I KNEW IT, I KNEW IT, I KNEW IT......"honney, i gotta go to autozone, ya wanna go?"
P0154 = 02 sensor no activity bank 2 sensor 1
i figure, no problem, they forgot to plug the 02 sensor in. but the truck is running great!! it was raining, so i didnt crawl under there then. so on the drive back home, it quit raining, so i went to roll my window down, and it seems the glue i used (JB KWICK) had given up on keeping the clips and glass together, and my widow comes off track. well i get home, and crawl under there to plug the thing in, and for some reason they put, what i can only asuume is an 02 sensor, and cut the wires off right at the sensor!!??!!
and there sits my female plug above it getting wet, and dirty. so i cut the male plug off my old sensor and plug it into the female to keep stuff outta there. then it starts sprinkling again, so i do my widow fix in the sprinkles, and actually, the glue i used ELMERS ULTIMATE GLUE (gorilla glue knockoff) needs some water to set up, so it was alright.
but why X100, would they do that, cut those wires, and is the truck going to go up in a puff of smoke? only time will tell, no later than monday morning, when i call the dealership.

but even all this couldnt take the simle off my face. since ive picked it up, my mind has been all a twitter on the things i want to do. i even found myself in radio shack, looking at mercury switches, and lights for etls engine compart light. and oh, my hood insert needs work, gotta get that done, oh, and the magnetic bra.......how those holding up???
ahhhh, its good to be back in the vx again.....

[Ldub]

:clap: :dance: :smack: :dance: :clap:

[IndianaVX]

its funny too, i pulled up on the wrong side to get gas, and i dont care how many times ive done it, but ive forgtten how to set the clock, and to set the clock/station mode......gotta look that up AGAIN.......

man, i love this truck.......

[Chopper]

Wow, been waiting a long time for that post. Congrats brother. O2 sensor is no big deal...you won't become a Car-B-Q. Might not have had an O2 wrench, and cut them...then did a crap job of rejoining them...heat, rain etc. Really bad excuse...but I've certainly seen techs do dumber stuff. Again welcome back to the world of the living. :)

[etlsport]

awesome! glad to hear you got it back... very strange about the o2 sensor... buddy of mine had his front radiator support replaced a couople years ago.. got his car back and they had cut the wires to the electric fan... who knows why people do things


p.s. the magnet bra is holding up great... i emailed bob the other day.. email got bounced back to me saying his inbox was full.. but he still replied a couple of days later so i dunno if that was just a mistake or what.. but if you cant get ahold of him for whatever reason let me know, ive got a second bra in the box i would consider selling (still undecided but pm me and we'll talk if you can't get one from bob)

[tom4bren]

Welcome back to the living Indy.

I thought I was going through withdrawals with my Proton down for the better part of 2 months with bad CVs. Life's great when you're driving a VX.

[IndianaVX]

well, in what i hope is the last installment of this ordeal, i think its REALLY over.
i just got back from the isuzu dealer with my new factory cats installed, so new, they still stink! (gotta burn off for a bit) but they are on there. the dealer also put new 02 sensors, and some gaskets as well.

ALL UNDER WARRANTY

:dance: :clap: :dance:


also, this past weekend, took a road trip and got 360 miles on a fill up.
it was pretty much all highway with ac running, going about 65. and at that time only one cat was replaced, so now with both on there, maybe it will get a little better even.

and so, dave, and his beloved vx lived happily ever after.......:heart:

also, just to give some more cudos to the guys at bob rhorman isuzu, great bunch, good work, and great to work with. thanks especially to Jim, the service manager. also he told me that there had been 2 other vx's stop in there for work in the month that he had mine. he said one was set up for some "major offroading"! so i gave him some cards to hand out to fellow vxr's.

[Y33TREKker]

Great to hear Dave. It's just too bad having a VX serviced has to turn into such an ordeal for some owners. Welcome back to the road.