Engine Life Poll........For extensive scientific purposes #2

[CoastieCosta567]

This #2 extensive super weird science experiment for the engine life.
I really want to know one thing.
Does the power mode "ON" decrease the life span of the Engine?
I think with 4K+ VX's on the road, and from 1997 till now, I think we have enough field to work with here, and this experiment should shed a really good light on this question.
Please all, collaborate and be as honest as possible, your Engine might or may not depend on it . :)

[Gussie2000]

I hardly believe the power mode button affects the engine in anyways as this feature is directly linked to the transmission,not the engine.

[Triathlete]

The power mode simply changes your shift points. The engine revs a little higher allowing more line pressure to build giving a little crisper shifting...or something like that.
From all I have read the crisper shifting is actually better for your tranny since the clutches slip less.
I have 140k on my VX...power botton on 95% of the time, no issues, burn no oil and still get 16-20the mpg with large heavy offroad tires/rims and a lift.

[pbkid]

The power mode allows the engine to red line beforr shifting is the way I understood it. If thats true, it puts more stress on the motor at higher rpms, if the oil pump isnt good enough to keep up boom, blown up motor due to loss of oil.

[Triathlete]

Nope...goes nowhere near redline. Maybe 500-1000 rpm higher than normal. That still leaves a whole lot of rev before redline. I don't think my vx has ever been near redline.

[Y33TREKker]

The power mode simply changes your shift points. The engine revs a little higher allowing more line pressure to build giving a little crisper shifting...or something like that...
This is my interpretation of what happens when the "Power" button is used also. More horsepower is produced higher in the rpm range of the engine, so changing the shift-points of the trans allows the driver to take advantage of those engine characteristics (for towing, passing, etc), although whether those shift points coincide with engine redline probably depends on individual variations from stock rim/tire sizes.

[89Vette]

Power mode only affects the shift points. Even then, it only raises them 500-1000 rpms. Even then, that only happens with sufficient throttle opening.

There is not correlation between power mode and redline (unless you floor it more often in power mode). Getting to redline depends on one thing...the go pedal. (Of course, you could put the shifter in 3rd/2nd/1st to force the motor into higher rpms.

Power mode works because there's better leverage in a lower gear. Power to the wheels is a function of engine power * trans gear * diff gear. Stay in a lower gear longer and that "trans gear multiplier gets you better leverage/power. The end result is faster acceleration in a range of conditions where
1) the pedal isn't pressed enough that normal mode would also have rpms
2) the rpms are in that 500-1000 rpms where the shift point changes --AND--
3) the pedal IS pressed enough (about 25%?) where the shift point does move up a bit.

There is no way that the selection of power mode will affect engine life.

The only way you could find a correlation is to link drivers getting to/near redline significantly more often when they're also the type to use power mode. IOW, if you like power, you probably have that button on and push it to redline more often.

This poll will reveal nothing.

[CoastieCosta567]

This #2 extensive super weird science experiment for the engine life.

Thats why its called an experiment, to test if it did. Now with results pretty much in, its more easy to speak up and have a more open opinion. If results said other wise, then things would be different and I bet we would all be scratching our heads. Again its an experiment, nothing more and nothing less. :D, now with the tranny poll, that one does have different results. Not sure if it can be valid and use to answer the question, but does it show more proof that a theory can be established from the results, maybe. We still need to get more responses in to start to even start to consider the question. :)

[Gussie2000]

And knowing how unreliable our engines are i can't think of any VX'er pushing to the limit their engines,especially with the oil burning issue,the more RPM the more you burn oil.

I recall three years ago i went upstate NY with my brother-in-law and on my way back to NYC i made 110 mph for several miles,1rst and last time because once i get back home and check the oil level i was surprise how much oil was missing

[Chopper]

I run 80 for 20 minutes every day.
it is not unusual to brush 90+
No oil issues, no engine issues of any kind ever
not all VXs were created exactly equal....no machines ever are.
They probably got sorted a bit better toward the end of the run

[89Vette]

And knowing how unreliable our engines are i can't think of any VX'er pushing to the limit their engines,especially with the oil burning issue,the more RPM the more you burn oil.

I recall three years ago i went upstate NY with my brother-in-law and on my way back to NYC i made 110 mph for several miles,1rst and last time because once i get back home and check the oil level i was surprise how much oil was missing

Two thoughts....

There have people surprised by this phenomenon in more than just VX vehicles. In some conditions, climates, driving intervals, etc... it's possible for moisture/condensation to build-up in your crankcase. (Often this occurs with short driving intervals/times) Then, when you take a car out on the road, driving for a more extended period, the condensation in the oil heats up and dissapates. This causes the level on your stick to drop...making you think you've burned more oil than you have.


While you and KB may consider VX engines unreliable, how bad is it really? There are 103 responders to the engine failure poll. If Moncha let us know how many owners have passed thru this forum it would help. It would help to determine how to revise this statistic....

Of 4100ish VX's imported to America, we have 103 reported here. 103/4100 is less than 1% failure. Maybe the normal failure rate for any given product line is .01%. For the VX, .025% would be higher. Does it really warrant panic? I'm not convinced, or I wouldn't have purchased one.

__________________________________________________ ______________________________________
BTW...My 2001 burns almost no oil during 3k oil changes. There's nothing wrong with the motor and it's over 80k miles.

I believe there's way more people who don't understand (or want to pay for) the level of maintenance required to keep any given vehicle in that top 5% -- considered "excellent". By that, I mean many people just buy a car and drive it. If, with the VX, there's a less-than-perfect design for the oil-ring, then people who slack on oil changes (or drive in dusty/bad environments), they could see a higher incident of failure. From that, can we really conclude our engines are reliable? Not from my perspective.

[Gussie2000]

Two thoughts....

There have people surprised by this phenomenon in more than just VX vehicles. In some conditions, climates, driving intervals, etc... it's possible for moisture/condensation to build-up in your crankcase. (Often this occurs with short driving intervals/times) Then, when you take a car out on the road, driving for a more extended period, the condensation in the oil heats up and dissapates. This causes the level on your stick to drop...making you think you've burned more oil than you have.


While you and KB may consider VX engines unreliable, how bad is it really? There are 103 responders to the engine failure poll. If Moncha let us know how many owners have passed thru this forum it would help. It would help to determine how to revise this statistic....

Of 4100ish VX's imported to America, we have 103 reported here. 103/4100 is less than 1% failure. Maybe the normal failure rate for any given product line is .01%. For the VX, .025% would be higher. Does it really warrant panic? I'm not convinced, or I wouldn't have purchased one.

__________________________________________________ ______________________________________
BTW...My 2001 burns almost no oil during 3k oil changes. There's nothing wrong with the motor and it's over 80k miles.

I believe there's way more people who don't understand (or want to pay for) the level of maintenance required to keep any given vehicle in that top 5% -- considered "excellent". By that, I mean many people just buy a car and drive it. If, with the VX, there's a less-than-perfect design for the oil-ring, then people who slack on oil changes (or drive in dusty/bad environments), they could see a higher incident of failure. From that, can we really conclude our engines are reliable? Not from my perspective.

I am completely convinced that these engine were poorly designed.Of course maintainance plays a huge role in the life span of any engine,but when your are dealing with a engine such as our it requires twice the time and some times the money to keep the VX on the go.

I spend several hours and research enough to openly admit that we all driving a unique vehicule with engines that has a huge potential to go boom at anytime even with the best maintainance you can perform.

And you got to remember that our engine is also use in the trooper and the rodeo.

There is several websites in which isuzu customers shares their experience with and is really sad to ready how many of them reports premature engine failures.

Speaking of my personal experience i bought my VX with only 38k back in 2008 and proven proof of maintainance was given to me upon request,short after my engine develope a valve knocking/tapping.
My mech who's a former isuzu specialist told me to drive the VX 'till the engine stop working.Yes, i can had the engine rebuild right away,but he honestly admit that it could fail again after a entire overhaul.why ? Simply,this engine was made with few,but serious flaws.

No car manufacturer never recall vehicules for engine failures,is just way too costly and instead they rather invest in develop an better engine.

Isuzu received thousands of claims for engine failures,but never openly admited.

If your VX doesn't have issues you are part of a small lucky group of isuzu product owner

[VXR]

you got to remember that our engine is also use in the trooper and the rodeo.

There is several websites in which isuzu customers shares their experience with and is really sad to ready how many of them reports premature engine failures.

It is also good to remember that people who have no engine problems do not often seek out websites to tell everyone.

[Ldub]

I am completely convinced that these engine were poorly designed.Of course maintainance plays a huge role in the life span of any engine,but when your are dealing with a engine such as our it requires twice the time and some times the money to keep the VX on the go.

I spend several hours and research enough to openly admit that we all driving a unique vehicule with engines that has a huge potential to go boom at anytime even with the best maintainance you can perform.

And you got to remember that our engine is also use in the trooper and the rodeo.

There is several websites in which isuzu customers shares their experience with and is really sad to ready how many of them reports premature engine failures.

Speaking of my personal experience i bought my VX with only 38k back in 2008 and proven proof of maintainance was given to me upon request,short after my engine develope a valve knocking/tapping.
My mech who's a former isuzu specialist told me to drive the VX 'till the engine stop working.Yes, i can had the engine rebuild right away,but he honestly admit that it could fail again after a entire overhaul.why ? Simply,this engine was made with few,but serious flaws.

No car manufacturer never recall vehicules for engine failures,is just way too costly and instead they rather invest in develop an better engine.

Isuzu received thousands of claims for engine failures,but never openly admited.

If your VX doesn't have issues you are part of a small lucky group of isuzu product owner

Gustavo...

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't you the one who drains out all his oil, then replaces two quarts with diesel, or kerosene, or something, then runs the engine with nothing but that in the crank case, as a flush?

Ya gots me to wondering...:_thinking

[89Vette]

I am completely convinced that these engine were poorly designed.Of course maintainance plays a huge role in the life span of any engine,but when your are dealing with a engine such as our it requires twice the time and some times the money to keep the VX on the go.

Engines that are poorly designed don't last this long....
http://www.vehicross.info/forums/showthread.php?t=22557

[subject47]

I have noticed that Driving on the interstate with power mode on is a nightmare, it always downshifts to climb even the weakest hill, but in normal operation it would hold the gear and the speed. The needless down shifts leed to needless high revs that would cause more wear on the motor and tranny.

Not to mention i found i get better fuel mileage in normal on the interstate vs power mode. I do however drive the vx up to Rausch Creek and down to Ky often, both trips have some long steep climbs.

In the city however I always leave it in power.