Vicki needs a new heart...

[pbkid]

What guys in Denver are you referring to? I'm interested in joining that conversation. I would also like to know if I could replace the Isuzu transmission with a GM 4L60-E along with the LLR 3.7L.

I dont remember the specific thread but there was a shop in Denver that was working on doing a 3.7 H3 swap into the VX, and also working on a grand prix swap too, if i remember correctly. Maybe one of the forum search guru's can help us out?

[H3_VX]

I dont remember the specific thread but there was a shop in Denver that was working on doing a 3.7 H3 swap into the VX, and also working on a grand prix swap too, if i remember correctly. Maybe one of the forum search guru's can help us out?

VXKAT to the rescue perhaps?............

[pbkid]

VXKAT to the rescue perhaps?............

haha, you even posted in this thread-

http://www.vehicross.info/forums/sho...hlight=H3+Swap

[H3_VX]

haha, you even posted in this thread-

http://www.vehicross.info/forums/sho...hlight=H3+Swap

LOL, Yup, I remember this thread, but its mostly about the LH8 V8, not the LLR I5. I believe i'm the one who brought the LLR into the conversation.

[MSHardeman]

Just a quick update; pulled the valve cover this past weekend to see if I had a valve hanging open but, alas, that wasn't the problem. Everything looked just perfect under there. No wear, no gunk, no build-up.

Have an appointment on Friday with a mechanic to do a leak down test. They will pump air into the cylinder to see if it holds any air (I doubt it will with no compression in that cylinder). If it doesn't hold air, they will then continue to pump air into the cylinder and try to listen where it's coming out. If they hear it coming out of the exhaust pipe then it's an exhaust valve problem. If they hear it coming out of the intake/throttle body, then it's an intake valve problem. If they hear it coming out of the dipstick, or see the oil bubble, then it's a cylinder problem (hole in the piston, blown rings, scarred cylinder).

Oh boy, can't wait!! (that was sarcasm)

[MSHardeman]

Well, it's official (for sure this time), Vicki needs a new heart.

Went and had a compression test and cylinder leakage test done on the engine this morning and the results weren't good for cylinder three. In the compression test all cylinders had 153 to 157 PSI except cylinder three which read 40 PSI. When they performed the leakage test cylinder three didn't hold any air, or oil, at all. As they pumped air into the cylinder they clearly heard the oil bubbling by listening at the dipstick tube. That means that the valves are sealing fine, but either the rings are shot, there is something wrong with the piston, or there is something wrong with the cylinder itself. There's no way to really tell what is going on in there without tearing the engine down.

Could tear my engine down and try to re-build it, but who knows what we'll find once we get in there and that could keep the VX down longer than I can be without it. Might also find out that it isn't re-buildable at all, which would be even more time and money that I can't afford to spend. Guess it's time to start looking for a new engine.

[Scott Larson]

Sorry to hear that Mark, I was hoping it was a "simple" valve problem. I'll be glad to help if I can...

[MSHardeman]

I dropped Vicki off at the surgeons this morning and she should be going under the knife very soon. She was a little scared and nervous, but I held her tire and told her that everything was going to be just fine and that when she woke up she would feel like a kid again. I also let her know that we would need to take it easy for a little while, but that we would be tearing it up both on and off road before she knew it.

I have to say that the new Isuzu engine was VERY pretty and VERY complete with only minor things needing to be switched over from the old engine. It was still in the crate with plastic covering it, but I did get some pictures that I will share when I can get them off my phone. One of the pieces of paper stapled to the crate said that the engine had a manufacture date of October 2011. Super cool, because I thought that it was a "new" engine from 2001 or so.

[VXorado]

Does Vicki have an ETA for completion?

[JoFotoz]

Get well soon Viki!!

Jo

[MSHardeman]

Does Vicki have an ETA for completion?

The surgeon.....ummm, mechanic......thinks that they MIGHT be able to get it done by tomorrow evening, but it may push into Tuesday (due to the holiday) sometime. I also asked them to clean the fuel injectors and split the common chamber apart and give it a good cleaning too because the last time I looked in there it was covered with oil gunk.

Can't wait to have Vicki back to full power.

[Gussie2000]

Good for you hard !

Make full sense get her a new engine if you gonna keep for the long time instead of getting into a car loan.

Wll you share how much $$$ the engine cost ?

[Triathlete]

Glad to hear you are getting her squared away Mark!

[Mile High VX]

Congrats Mark!

I'd do the same for mine...

Hope she's back in your hands soon...

[VXorado]

Can't wait to have Vicki back to full power.

I bet you're excited.

My engine has been chugging a little recently, probably nothing but the exhaust sounds a bit like Vicki's in Moab. I haven't noticed any difference in power or had CELs, it's just the way it sounds. I'm changing spark plugs tomorrow and I'm hoping that will make the engine purr. I'll admit, i'm a little worried i'm developing the same issue... hopefully its just in my head.