Engine failure poll?

[vt_maverick]

Make yourself feel better by comparing the replacement costs against buying a brand new car for $30K+.

Don't get discouraged!

[mrtew]

Just an extra 2cents. Besides the fact that reading this thread has seriously bummed me out about buying a VX. A failure of 600 in 6000 is 10% not 1%.

Where did you get the 600 number?

[vt_maverick]

He's quoting you:

The failures are horrible and everytime someone posts here I get that "there but for the grace of God, go I" feeling, but so far this thread documents 38/6000 of VX engines going bye-bye. Obviously there must be some that didn't get posted here, but a 1% failure rate would be over 600 engines. It looks like we have somewhere between a one-in-a-hundred and one-in-a-thousand chance of problems with a VX which is not enough to justify either that feeling of dread that I get when my oil is a touch low or brown, or the feeling that others get that maybe they shouldn't buy a used one. Right? What are the figures for other cars?

[mrtew]

He's quoting you:

Whew! I thought he was quoting an actual engine failure statistic, not my own reverse bad math from 4 years ago.

[Scott Larson]

It's a good thing that I'm a "Doubting Thomas", ( Well, make that a "Suspicious Scott." )
'cuz if I would have believed everything I heard about the VX, I wouldn't be the happy owner of one now! Hell, I've got a '98 Explorer with 150,000 miles on it (The same as my VX, by the way.) and it was supposed to blow up a loooooong time ago!!

[Junster]

Obviously there must be some that didn't get posted here, but a 1% failure rate would be over 600 engines.

From you, Sry just a little anal about math.

I'm still sold on buying a VX btw. All cars have some failures, one thing I noticed if it's true, hard to tell from just pics. Does the PCV valve lay on it's side? They need to be straight up to really work right. Also are there really no rocker arms? I'm curious how the cams actuate the valves. And how you adjust the valves. Has anyone just put the 02 oil rings on the 99-01 pistons? This oil usage thing has me curious. Isuzu is know for good quality engines generally.

[VX KAT]

Does the PCV valve lay on it's side? They need to be straight up to really work right.

No, it's upright.

[jhigareda]

Not complete failure though, but white smoke at initial start up. I took for engine done....

[deermagnet]

Also are there really no rocker arms?

That's correct. We don't need no stinkin' rocker arms!

I'm curious how the cams actuate the valves.

Our camshafts are driven by internal idler gears instead of a chain. We also have a spring loaded sub-gear assembly that takes up the back lash in the gears to provide high-precision valve timing and reduced noise. Valve action is controlled through an inverted bucket type tappet that rides against the camshaft lobe.

And how you adjust the valves.

Valve adjustment is made by increasing or decreasing the thickness of the shim until the correct amount of valve clearance is obtained.

This is a very rare Isuzu Tech video I have for adjusting the valves, if ya really wanna see how it's done.

7:11, 14.1 mb, 320x240, wmv file-
http://www.drivehq.com/file/df.aspx/publish/mgpa/techvids/valvadj.wmv

I'm an original owner with 238,000 miles on my engine. The valves have never been adjusted. It purrs like a kitten and runs like a dream, so I never saw a reason to have that done.

Mark Griffin (a VX lifer)

[Junster]

Thanks for a clear and detailed reply. It helped a lot. It's killing me trying to be patient cause I can't fund buying one for myself till March. I bookmarked and DL your link also.

[hxdiaz]

I got a new engine under warranty at 111,000 miles.

My 2001 Vehicross, original owner, began overheating in summer of 2009. A new radiator and other work for about $500 didn't solve the overheating. A second opinion quoted me $1500 for engine work, cant remember exactly what.

I had it towed an hour away to an authorized dealership for a third opinion. A couple days later they told me Isuzu authorized a new engine under warranty. I can't remember exactly what caused the engine to fail, but what great news. The drive train warranty of 10 years or 120,000 miles was one of the reasons I bought the Vehicross.

Now I see my Isuzu as an old man with a new heart. I now have about 25,000 miles on the new engine.

[fildigger]

Hi, Was this relatively unacceptable engine failure issue just reserved for the 3.5 unit or did the JDM 3.2 V6 suffer the exact same problems??

And sorry if this sounds ignorant (New here!)...What was the exact cause of the main reason for engine failure and why is the engine prone to consuming excessive amounts of oil?

Picking my 1st VX up this coming Sat' (3rd march 2012) So would like to do as much preventative maintainance as possible while running the truck

Thanks guys

[VX KAT]

Hi, Was this relatively unacceptable engine failure issue just reserved for the 3.5 unit or did the JDM 3.2 V6 suffer the exact same problems??

And sorry if this sounds ignorant (New here!)...What was the exact cause of the main reason for engine failure and why is the engine prone to consuming excessive amounts of oil?

Picking my 1st VX up this coming Sat' (3rd march 2012) So would like to do as much preventative maintainance as possible while running the truck

Thanks guys

I can't recall if the 3.2s had this same issue???

But, here's some reading in this thread that'll give you lots more info on the topic, and discusses several possible "causes"...not sure any one theory has been solidly proven or not.
http://www.vehicross.info/forums/sho...threadid=22034

[fildigger]

Thanks for that VX Kat...i did spot that thread while doing my intensive research on the Isuzu over the past few weeks...and it does seem uncertain to the reason for the engine 'Issues'.....

...i know from my JDM Subaru Sti and P1 (Prodrive) Subarus that the Japanese high performance engines were designed to run on 100 RON fuel (widely available in japan) and a lot of the Subaru STi fraternity over here in the UK got there cars re-mapped to run on the lower octane fuels over here (although it must be said that in recent years Shell V Power with a 99 RON rating is very popular with many high performance JDM owners using it religiously!!....I use it in my Forester STi)....

...Some of those that chose not to make allowances for the lower 95/97 ron that is the Regular fuel in the UK, did pay the price in the long term with catastrophic Engine failure! Usually in the form of big-end failure, with the shell bearings letting go!

Now, it appears to me that the JDM 3.2 V6 is designed to run on 99 Ron rated fuel...as above we have had the Shell V Power over here for some years (amongst a few other forecourts that now sell higher octane fuel)..

..So i shall certainly be running my VX on the best 99 Ron fuel i can get!

I would imagine the 3.5 was an engine specific for the US market, where lower grades of fuel are used....i wonder if Isuzu didn't quite get it right with the 3.5 and the result of 'Knock' eventually took it's toll on some of the engines????

Just a suggestion based on fuel related problems over here in the UK.

[Paul_A]

Hi, Was this relatively unacceptable engine failure issue just reserved for the 3.5 unit or did the JDM 3.2 V6 suffer the exact same problems??

And sorry if this sounds ignorant (New here!)...What was the exact cause of the main reason for engine failure and why is the engine prone to consuming excessive amounts of oil?

Picking my 1st VX up this coming Sat' (3rd march 2012) So would like to do as much preventative maintainance as possible while running the truck

Thanks guys

Hey Phil,
I wouldn't worry too much mate. It's the exact same engine as the Frontera 3.2 (I haven't heard of too many of them failing) ...It's as reliable as any engine out there if it's looked after... Oil seems to be the main issue... just keep an eye on the level... and change it preferably before its due. I also asked over on the Frontera owners group if anyone had an issue like this... I can't see anyone who has ...maybe it's just related to the 3.5?.... Were the U.S. models assembled in the U.S. or Japan?