Engine failure poll?

[GoIsuzu]

I'm currently dealing with three customers who are having problems with internal oil consumption on the 3.5L. Of those three, one is a VX still under warranty when the oil consumption monitoring was started. Just a couple days ago we got the go-ahead to start the actual process of dropping a new long block under the hood.

If you have an older 3.5L the rule of thumb is to check your oil every time you fill up. If you find you're often low on oil and your vehicle is still under warranty* I'd suggest calling your local Isuzu dealership and get the ball rolling. The process could take weeks or months, depending on the rate of oil consumption and how often you drive the vehicle.

* Remember that if you're the second owner of the vehicle and not immediate family of the original owner your warranty coverage is cut in half. For example, as a second owner of my Isuzu my 120,000 mile/10 year powertrain warranty is reduced to 60,000/5 years. Which means my Isuzu is no longer covered under warranty, though it would be if I were the original owner.

[mrtew]

...If you have an older 3.5L the rule of thumb is to check your oil every time you fill up. ...

Always good advice, of course, but from the stories I've heard the loss of oil is sudden and catastrophic, not something you'd catch like that... people say one day it's fine and the next day blammo. Right?

I'm hoping, like everyone else, that these are just normal random explosions that happen to a certain tiny percentage of all cars and we only know about them because we are so tighly knit and such prolific writers, but you can never have too much info when you're trying to protect a vehicle as beloved as most of ours are.

[majork]

I have a ninety-nine with 142,000...its used a modest amount of oil since it was at 8000 miles....about a 1/8 quart every 1000-1200 miles...

I made sure over that time to keep it topped off......but I have not noted any knocking or tapping

assuming a non-defective engine, with synthetic use since day one...how long would these engines normally maintain peak performance before needing a rebuild

What about upgrading the oil pump and the head to improve oil flow...are these parts available?

[brianboru]

Hi,
Rod knock just started last night - 1999 with 61k mi. So, where do I get an engine and how bad is it going to hurt (my wallet)? I would be REALLY upset except ths is one of the best and most fun of all the vehicles I have owned.
Also is it possible to drop the oil pan to actually check out the damaged rod?
Thanks,
Brian

[VX_PA]

Brian, that's sad to hear. I'm not sure how much a new engine will run you. It seems that the prices have gone up since I replaced mine a few years ago. You should be able to pull the oil pan and notice the damage to the rod if it is bad. You may have to turn the cam to check all the rods thouroughly though. Good luck to you and sorry to hear about your misfortune.

[WyldWeasel]

I'm curious about Majork's question, as well. Would replacing the oil pump with a beefier one fix (or at least mitigate) this engine failure issue? Are there any other mods that could be considered preventative maintenence?