Expensive tick fix down the road... ?

Having the annoying, classic '93 3.2l SOHC tick was getting to me, so like anyone I went and bought seafoam, put it all in there (the crankcase oil) let the engine run for 20 mins, noticing that the ticking was not going away at all the entire duration of the twenty minutes, which was a bit dissapointing, so then I drained it out, and it was about the consistency of water, as expected (the used oil was). Put on the new filter added the new oil, hoping to hear a quieter, tickless engine. To no avail. I was greeted at the next startup, by the exact same ticking, no change in the sound. Maybe I was just expecting too much, but I was really confident that Seafoam was really going to do more than that. So what kind of options are availible to me? Should I try some other lifter product? Or am I like at the point of no return, where the lifters are going to have to be manually cleaned, and/or replaced ( sounds expensive and troublesome!? ). BTW this truck has 149,000 miles on it, and natrually I expect to keep it till it will keep no more. Thanks for any input.

maybe it is the timing belt tensor?

I thought my lifters were sticking and tried Valve Medic several times. Thinned out the oil, but didn't change noise. Turned out to be timing belt tensioner. Was at 100K anyway, so did the job, no more ticking.

I don't know much about where locations of things are in the engine, but I do know that the sound is coming from the lower passenger side of the engine, from what I assume about the timing belt tensioner, is it at the front of the engine, behind the black plastic cover? If its the tensioner I assume the noise would be coming from the front of the engine. I know very well that there is a noise connected to a tensioner problem.

Just confirm for me that it can be the tensioner when the noise is coming from the lower passenger side of the engine. Thanks for all the help.

Oh, also how much did the tensioner fix/replacement cost?

FWIW - I don't believe the noise you're hearing is the famous tick on the SOHC 3.2L.

Reason I say this is I have the SAME exact noise, in the SAME exact location as you're describing - and it's not the tick.

I also had a run in with the "tick", and had two different noises for a few months - my tick began at 139K, and after numerous, very short oil/filter intervals with my usual oil - Havoline, and a round of a heavy duty diesel/gas engine oil, Rotella - my tick has ceased, for now.

I now run Rotella 5w-40 with an OEM filter permanently, but I still have that other noise, on the passenger lower side of the engine.

Mine has been there for a LONG time, have no clue, it gets somewhat louder for a few days following an oil change. But overall, not too noisey.

What ever it is does not like thin oil, 5w-30 - though the tick did, but does seem to like Havoline 10w-40 (the tick did not like the Havoline) or the Rotella synthetic 5w-40.

Since the Rotella has silenced the tick, and greatly quieted the "other" noise, that's what it'll get.

Wanted to mention, that I have also heard it in other 3.2L's, some louder, some softer, but it's audible.

Mine's audible on cold mornings, but after running for 10-15 minutes, you have to tuck your head into the wheel-well to hear it.

See no reason to believe it "the noise" will decrease lifespan - I thoroughly believe if something was majorly wrong, I'd be using a lot of oil. I'm not even using 1/2 qt in 3k miles.

I have also changed to 5w40 & noise has subsided. I am using mobil1 truck & suv, thought about changing to Rotella but it is not a true synthetic as the base oil is dino. It is still an excellent oil and will increase mpg 1-1.5. These days it pays to use synthetics.

No, it's not a true synthetic, but rather a Group III oil.

I tried a true synthetic, GC - Green, the truck ran fine, but got LOUD.

Honestly, I'm not fond of putting a true synthetic in a 145k engine, and I'm not particularly fond of the UOA's I've seen of Mobil 1 products, from Bobstheoilguy website.

I'll run the Rotella for another week, then change oil/filter and run another 3K cycle on that oil and then do a UOA.

If more Isuzu owners would do UOA's on the Mobil 1 oils they're using that would prove helpful - to some extent.

Kingler 5 - hows the ticking problem? I am at 70k miles in my 1997 Trooper and have the ticking noise. It's very embarrassing and get's quieter when cold, louder when hot, mechanic told me my engine would probably seize shortly due to engine parts starving for oil (causing the noise)......tried Seafoam, Valve Medic, 15W50 Mobil 1, back to 5W30 Mobil 1 - am going to try 0W30 this weekend to see if that helps...how do I know if its the idler issue vs. hydraulic lifters? My clicking increases in frequency as the engine RPM's increase.....thoughts?

it could be your tappets or valve lash adjustment if its coming from intake valve cover area pull off your valve covers and start engine dont be stupid and leave stuff lay near moving parts and get a screwdriver or something and push down on your lifters i think thats what you call em once the noise stops or gets quiter you found the problem now loosen the nut on the lifter not all the way and tighten it down until the noise stops and usually turn it an 8th of a turn more now if promblem not gone check for more noisy lifters if none found take off intake manifold and theres your tappets pull all of them out dont mix any parts up and check for wear on bottom of tappets they should be flat if there worn replacement of them all and the camshaft is usually recamended when your done you have to coat them with a certain type of lubricant i think its cam lube some manufactures recamend different types i forgot though and charge the hydraulic system

no offense volare and saturn owner, but you don't know what you are talking about here. this noise on the isuzu 3.2L v6 engine is very well known and well documented -- they are hydraulic lifters and don't get adjusted anywhere no-how you are describing. i've seen some of your other posts, and i think you probably know quite a bit about vehicles and their engines etc, but you might want to get educated on the isuzu before so easily leading someone down the wrong and possibly expensive path.

:2cents:

btw, are you thinking of buying an isuzu? which model?

//bc

haha ok