I am getting ready to do some work on my 1997 3.2 SOHC Rodeo and have a few questions. First of all I wasn't planning on changing the hydraulic assembly on the tensioner, just the tensioner itself. Has anyone had a problem with their hyd assy? Also what brand and type of spark plug is recommended? And last I would like to chang out all the hoses but when I go to O'Reilly Auto Parts internet site it is hard to figure out just which ones to order. Any help would be appreciated.

I have a dead 1995 Rodeo... I had changed the timing belt 3 times without changing the hydraulic tensioner. Then at about 204k the tensioner got weak and started knocking... Put a brand new tensioner from ISUZU in at 208k, all new idlers, new belt... About 15 minutes of running the belt spun bending the valves, I now have a dead 1995 Rodeo.... Not sure if the 97 is identical to the 95... Anyway, either I put it together incorrectly (I did it properly 3 times before) or the new tensioner exposed a bad cam bearing due to the extra tension....

The hydraulic assembly provides the proper tension. This is the part that fails and causes the knocking. This is the part that I would make sure I changed when doing the timing belt. The tensioner roller is just a pulley. I would change it, too. You get everything but the hydraulic tensioner and belt in a timing belt installation kit. It also includes the idler pulley. Good luck!

Thanks.

In regards to the spark plugs, I recently installed NGK plugs, and they are improved over the bosch I was running.

In regards to the hoses, I had no luck with the normal parts stores, I was able to get one heater hose from Napa, but it came in 2 days after I HAD to have it - truck blew heater hose right in front of Napa.

I ended up getting all my replacement hoses, aside from the easy to find upper/lower large hoses, from the dealership - probably paid more, but I couldn't find them anywhere else, and I don't have an O'reilly's in Denver.

When you do do your hoses, make SURE you get the ones on the passanger side near the firewall - heater core/engine block hoses, I nearly forgotten these one's until one blew a seam one morning. If your's are still OEM, they are for sure on their last leg.

I don't have a digital cam available right now, and my sister has my truck today - but if you take a general picture of your engine bay and post it here, I'll help point out what hoses for sure were either failing, or had failed on my '97 in the last year.

If I recall currectly there's at least 7 that are detrimentally effected by the heat/elements and all 7 of these were or had spent their last life this year; there's a million more coolant hoses (not really, but seems that way) that I've slowly been exchanging out time by time in this last year.

The 95.5-97 3.2L's have factory engine oil coolers, which adds addition hoses to the mess; don't forget about the transmission cooler line hoses as well, if you have an automatic, and make SURE to use good screw type clamps and not the OEM clamps.

I've seen, and experienced it myself - on my '91 Rodeo, where the OEM cheap clamps on the transmission cooler hoses weaken and break off, sending ATF everywhere. That was the very 1st thing I did when purchasing my '97 Rodeo nearly 10yrs ago.

When I had my timing belt package done - by my mechanic; he did the waterpump, idler pulley, timing belt tensioner, tensioner roller, crankshaft/camshaft seals, and the belt itself, as well as one or two other parts, just recently looked at the invoice again, but can't recall exactly, and I'm at work.

If you plan to keep the truck, make sure to definitely do it to your liking so you don't have to go back in anytime soon.

Welcome to the 'Zu gang!