Engine failure poll?

[woody]

I absolutely love my '99. I have almost 90K on it with no issues except it seems to lose oil somewhere...no spots or drips have been detected. I drove to memphis a few weeks ago and while there checked my oil. 4 quarts low!!! I had an oil change 3000 miles prior...I didn't have any over heating issues or knocking...
I'm not burning it...no exhaust smoke...anyone else having that issue??

[mrtew]

Yeah everybody's VX burns oil! I set my cellphone alarm to remind me to check it every week. I usually add a half a quart every three or four weeks. I can't believe that you got away with running 4 quarts low!!!! Supposedly it only holds 4.3 quarts (4 litres) total!!! I'm sure glad you didn't end up posting here with THE bad news, although it seems that the blown engine problem is pretty rare and is caused by extremely sudden loss of oil, not the normal slow burn.

[Thmstec]

Woody, the next day after I got mine the check engine light came on, so I went out and checked the oil- I must've been running on NOTHING, added 4.5 quarts and its been fine ever since except for an O2 sensor (knock on wood).

[Thmstec]

its been fine ever since except for an O2 sensor (knock on wood)

just my luck, it would be breaking down hours after that statement...

[Scott Harness]

I've got 113,000 miles. It did burn a quart every 1000 miles, for the last 4 years. Now it seems to be a quart every 500 miles. I need to start looking for a new motor I did see the motor thread the other day.

[mrtew]

just my luck, it would be breaking down hours after that statement...

I sure hope that's some kind of horribly unfunny joke!

[Zorak]

I sure hope that's some kind of horribly unfunny joke!

uhm, no.

http://www.vehicross.info/forums/sho...threadid=13756

[Collin]

My brother has 2ea. 1999 and 2000. The 2000 with 89,000 miles he bought off e-bay in 2006 for $13,000 shipped and drove it for 6 months before the rod knock. Went to check oil and there was none. Did have Mobil 1 in it before. Took it to the shop and the mechanic found the crank done with #3 main bearing gone. He said for about $6,000 he could get it back on the road. So went back to e-bay and found a 1999 with 90,000 miles for $6,200. Flew there and drove it back (400 miles). Next day put tires and had the oil changed with Mobil 1. Drove 2 weeks and yesterday got the knock with the check engine light on. Stopped and check the oil and nothing on the stick. Filled with oil and still have the knock and is getting louder. Now he has 2 blown motors Vehicross's. I (his brother,He does not have Internet) am a mechanic have never seen such crappy motors. If you have to add oil when you fill up with gas,you need to go buy something else. I see other people that have no problems? Did my brother just happened to get 2 turds? The 2000 would smoke a very little when would take off. But the 1999 would not smoke even if you would nail it on take off. There is a motor builder on e-bay that sells a longblock for $3,200 shipped to your door. I plan on calling them to see what upgrades they have done to help with the oiling problems. I will post to inform everyone when he does the repair. These SUV look cool and there was not that many made. Ilike them and he loves them, but to me there not worth the trouble.

[Anita]

Yeah everybody's VX burns oil!

Au contraire! I have 98K on my truck and it has never needed oil between changes. At least - not yet!

I've been pushing on the dealership where my mechanic is to have another VX meet there and have some kind of workshop on the care and feeding of the VX. I dont replace the PCV valve every oil change as many do, Im not a mechanic in any stretch of the imagination, the truck only gets her regularly scheduled oil changes and manufacturers suggested services. If my mechanic is waving a magic wand and making all better, I dont know about it.

When I hear of all the owners who have the oil problem, I wonder if something happened or didnt happen in the early years of those VX's that would set it to be an oil burner down the line - and can it be reversed.

Are there any other owners out there who dont have to add oil between oil changes? Has anyone had the problem but found a way to cure it?

[Cobrajet]

Are there any other owners out there who dont have to add oil between oil changes? Has anyone had the problem but found a way to cure it?

I've got 112,000 miles on my one-owner VX and NEVER have to add oil. Like Anita, I have performed all regular oil/filter changes, and have had each major service done by the dealer on schedule. Mobil1 since the first oil change, and Mobil1 filters. I've never changed the PCV valve, but assume the dealer has. I don't exactly "baby" my VX, but I don't flog it ALL the time either. I think it has something to do with the fact that my VX has been garaged both at work and at home since new, and was not subjected to weather extremes - sitting outside during hot summers and rough winters. Keep it clean, inside and out.

[woody]

I have a number of vehicles, 72 BMW 3.0 , Hummer H1, 59 bug, F250 deisel...And have had a host of others, yet never run into this problem. I cna't smell or visually see any smoke, even when I stand on it.
VW's all mark their territory, my BMW motor with 110 miles on it is just getting broken in and doesn't leak or burn a drop.
I'm glad to see others are having this strange issue.
I'll just set my cell phone to remind me and or check it every thousand miles...
Cheers All!!

[TheGanzman]

[QUOTE=mrtew;130349]Yeah everybody's VX burns oil! I set my cellphone alarm to remind me to check it every week. I usually add a half a quart every three or four weeks.[QUOTE]

Not so! I've driven mine 2 months/2,500 miles so far - hasn't used ONE DROP of oil! Bought from the original owner, who confirmed that it never used any oil for him either at 58K miles. I've also spoken to other VX owners whose VX's show no oil consumption - there ARE some "lucky souls" out there!

[Bantan]

Prefer to keep her, but I don't have the funds to buy a new engine for $6k so:

Do I buy a rebuilt engine for $4k?

Get a used 01 Axiom engine for $3k with 50k miles on it and risk having the same problem?

Or, doing an engine swap?

If so, which engine would be most compatible with the least amount of modification, and has anyone been successful in doing this?

[Petos]

The engine on my '99 Ironman died at 75k... although i am the 4th owner and cannot trust the odometer
Anyway, my budget here in Russia was $6k, and included crankshaft replacement and cylinder heads repair... no oil burn since... though i only put 1k on her so far...

[Gussie2000]

I changed my oil at 48569 about 6 weeks ago & right now my odo reads 49890

Since then I added almost one quart;I change my oil every 3500 miles using 0W-30
According to isuzu one quart of oil every 1000 miles is ok for this engine.
That statement is completly insane & they give this ridiculous stat due the huge amount of complains about their 3.5L instead of recalling all vehicules presenting this issue.
I always wonder why isuzu spent so much into designing such vehicule just to dump in a junkie engine like this instead of also designing a unique engine with more horse power & less issues