First Post - 1997 Trooper loud clicking noise

[mshafe01]

I have owned my 1997 Trooper since new and really love it. I have 74k original miles on it. I have never had any problems and have only changed oil, air filters, and a head light bulb. Just last week I started hearing a tapping sound that speeds up in direct relation to the RPM's of the motor. It also appears to be loudest when it's cold.

I have run Mobil 1 5W30 since new and replaced filters with every oil change at 3500 miles.

The dealer is claiming my hydraulic lifters all must be replaced and it will be $2400 minimum. I planned to keep this for another 10 years until my son is old enough to drive it.....help!!!!!

[rodeo02]

There are a few theories as to the cause of the pre 1998 3.2 tick. Clogged / collapsed hydraulic lash adjusters, clogged oil galleries, lube problem to the aux rocker shafts in the heads are the main ones. Experimenting with different oil/filter combinations, oil adds, etc, can help quiet them. The good news is, these engines can be loud (tick) hammer away at themselves and still last 300K miles! I definately would not put $2400+ into the valvetrain!!

G/luck
Joel

[mshafe01]

Originally Posted by rodeo02

There are a few theories as to the cause of the pre 1998 3.2 tick. Clogged / collapsed hydraulic lash adjusters, clogged oil galleries, lube problem to the aux rocker shafts in the heads are the main ones. Experimenting with different oil/filter combinations, oil adds, etc, can help quiet them. The good news is, these engines can be loud (tick) hammer away at themselves and still last 300K miles! I definately would not put $2400+ into the valvetrain!!

G/luck
Joel

Thanks a bunch Joel, you just listed a bunch of stuff I have no clue about. Am I doing damage driving it with the loud tick? If experimenting with oil, does higher viscosity seem to help more or going with some 0W stuff....I am running 5W30 Mobil 1 right now. I don't suppose any of the cures for the items above can be done by the mechanically declined like myself? Does Hayes cover these fixes?

Anyone in the Kansas City area on this forum who would know an honest mechanic who'd check the things listed above rather than telling me I needed all my valves replaced?

Joel, thanks again, I love my Trooper and don't want to get rid of it.....(in fact I was looking at a 2001 Limited on ebay last night)

[rodeo02]

Mobil-1 is an excellent oil, but it's main advantage is allowing extended oil change intervals of say 7K and beyond. Dumping M1 early is a waste of $$. I'd experiment with different conventional oil viscosity ranges, (maybe 5w-20, 5w-30, 15w-40) use a good filter and run it!
G/luck
Joel

[GOBOGIE]

Save your money... keep using the Mobil 1, I've had the "Tick" for over 100K as engine is still going strong. It will not harm the engine so don't worry.

Some of the items that have made a difference in quieting the tick:
- Duralube
- 5w - 30 Mobile 1 full sythetic (like the Isuzu TSB recommends)

And yes it will at times drive you nuts, but if you can put up with it, the vehicle will last for a long long time even with the tick!!!

Good Luck,
Cory

[rodeo02]

Originally Posted by GOBOGIE

Some of the items that have made a difference in quieting the tick:
- Duralube
- 5w - 30 Mobile 1 full sythetic (like the Isuzu TSB recommends)

Oh man Say it ain't so! Duralube is one of the more horrible things to add to your sump: http://www.ftc.gov/opa/1999/05/duralub2.htm Some components of duralube can *supposedly* break down & turn into hydrochloric acid. Definately a way to waste a good batch of M1. AFAIK, the isuzu TSB recommends M1 0w-30.

G/luck
Joel

[GOBOGIE]

Originally Posted by rodeo02

Oh man Say it ain't so! Duralube is one of the more horrible things to add to your sump: http://www.ftc.gov/opa/1999/05/duralub2.htm Some components of duralube can *supposedly* break down & turn into hydrochloric acid. Definately a way to waste a good batch of M1. AFAIK, the isuzu TSB recommends M1 0w-30.

G/luck
Joel

Interesting to know Joel! The Duralube only helped mine in the early stages... I should have clarified that. Haven't used it in about a year. I forgot if it was 5-30 or 0-30 for the weight of the oil. I'll take your word for it.

Damm ticking :-)

[rodeo02]

I know whatcha mean Cory! I've probably used the stuff over the years- long before things like automotiveforums were around . I know I've used slick-50 in the past . I remember even buying a bottle for my father-in-law once about 12-13yrs ago .

G/luck
Joel

[trooper5]

I have a 1995 Trooper that's been "clicking" for about 50,000 miles now (137,000 mi. currently). Used to drive me batty. Searched high and low for an answer to this all over the interent and forums. I've tried many different techniques, all to no avail. Some people can get it to quiet down a bit while others like myself can't get anything to work. The 5W or zero-W seems to be the best way to go. Won't solve anything but may quiet it a bit. The bottom line to fixing it is to have the lifters replaced. That's a high price from the dealer. I'm sure if you find a good mechanic they could do it for 1/2 that.
I too was hoping to give this to my son for his first car(7 more years!). It is now my third car, so I don't drive it much anymore. But when I do, boy is that clicking annoying! I think it's more embarrassing than anything else.
Sometime in the next 7 years I'll probably have those lifters replaced, but for now...click,click,click.click,click

Good Luck.

[GOBOGIE]

Originally Posted by trooper5

I've tried many different techniques, all to no avail. Some people can get it to quiet down a bit while others like myself can't get anything to work. The 5W or zero-W seems to be the best way to go. Won't solve anything but may quiet it a bit.

Agreed, the Mobil 1 is the only thing that really makes a difference albeit not a complete fix... it just makes the ticking barely tolerable :-)

Cory

[Ramblin Fever]

If the clicking "just" started from out of the blue, I would have a hard time believing it to be the hydraulic lifters, especially when using the same Mobil 1 oil that the TSB recommends.

And, using synthetic oil at 3500k intervals, with that I have a REAL hard time believing your oil galleries or lifters are clogged.

Any one else think that it could also be his timing belt tensioner? Or perhaps an exhaust leak?

[GOBOGIE]

Originally Posted by Ramblin Fever

If the clicking "just" started from out of the blue, I would have a hard time believing it to be the hydraulic lifters, especially when using the same Mobil 1 oil that the TSB recommends.

And, using synthetic oil at 3500k intervals, with that I have a REAL hard time believing your oil galleries or lifters are clogged.

Any one else think that it could also be his timing belt tensioner? Or perhaps an exhaust leak?

The Mobil 1 oil does not always take the ticking noise away. In my case it just turned it down several decibles(sp?).

The timing belt tensioner has a much harder and louder knock to it (usually) than the hydraulic lifters. Lifters have that ever so gentle tick which worsens as the vehicle's oil temperature warms. An easy way to tell is if it doesn't do it when the vehicle is in cold weather (ie - winter) when you initially start it, it's probably not the timing belt tensioner.

The most silent drives I have in the '94 now are the first five minutes in the middle of winter ;-)

In your case, best case scenario would be the timing belt tensioner as it is much much cheaper!!!

[mshafe01]

Originally Posted by GOBOGIE

The Mobil 1 oil does not always take the ticking noise away. In my case it just turned it down several decibles(sp?).

The timing belt tensioner has a much harder and louder knock to it (usually) than the hydraulic lifters. Lifters have that ever so gentle tick which worsens as the vehicle's oil temperature warms. An easy way to tell is if it doesn't do it when the vehicle is in cold weather (ie - winter) when you initially start it, it's probably not the timing belt tensioner.

The most silent drives I have in the '94 now are the first five minutes in the middle of winter ;-)

In your case, best case scenario would be the timing belt tensioner as it is much much cheaper!!!

Tried Seafoam, Valve Medic, 15W50, and now back to 5W30 - nothing improved the clicking...how embarrassing....quieter when cold....louder as the engine warms....will try 0W30 this weekend.....took to a mechanic who said he'd seen this many times before and the engine will wind up seizing as the noise is caused by engine parts starving for oil....sludge buildup he said.....he told me I need a new motor (($8k)......I can't believe this noise has no impact on reliability....it sounds aweful......I think I'm dumping it and getting a 2006 Odyssey as I can't stand to be stranded with an engine frozen in place....plus I can get $7k out of it now and if the engine blows, I'll only get $500.....any other thoughts? I loved my Trooper and planned to drive it for another 10 years plus (until my son hits 16 and can drive it).....

[GOBOGIE]

Originally Posted by mshafe01

Tried Seafoam, Valve Medic, 15W50, and now back to 5W30 - nothing improved the clicking...how embarrassing....quieter when cold....louder as the engine warms....will try 0W30 this weekend.....took to a mechanic who said he'd seen this many times before and the engine will wind up seizing as the noise is caused by engine parts starving for oil....sludge buildup he said.....he told me I need a new motor (($8k)......I can't believe this noise has no impact on reliability....it sounds aweful......I think I'm dumping it and getting a 2006 Odyssey as I can't stand to be stranded with an engine frozen in place....plus I can get $7k out of it now and if the engine blows, I'll only get $500.....any other thoughts? I loved my Trooper and planned to drive it for another 10 years plus (until my son hits 16 and can drive it).....

I am in no way a mechanic but every one that I've talked to (including at the Isuzu dealership) have told me that nothing will get harmed in the engine itself. From what I understand it is mostly rocker arm noise and these are more located towards the top of the engine hence the other parts of the engine (what's beneath) IS getting oil.

Again, this is just from my experience. I've tried the seafoam as well with no results. I have tried damn near every oil additive and despite what negative things happen when you use Duralube, I had great success with it for the first year that the ticking happened. I would say to just drive it, mine has easily been ticking for over 100k now and is still running strong and has good power. I too wanted to dump it as it was very embarrasing to me as well but I didn't and in the end am glad as it is the most dependable (even with the annoying ticking) vehicle I've ever owned.

As I stated prior the Mobil 1 is the only true long term solution that I have had.

[TexasRho83]

Hello all, I purchased my 94 Trooper in TX just a few months ago and it had about 180k miles on it. Never quite noticed a ticking noise until I moved up here to WA state (obviously colder weather) and even then it was mostly upon startup when it was loudest - but as I suspected, once the engine warmed up it was significantly more quiet. I was using 20w-50 Castrol in TX, but switched to 10w-40 Quaker State up here. I've been using Lucas additive as well and it seems to be doing fine. I mean, the ticking is still there but it's quite bearable as I don't see any performance issues stemming from it so I don't mind. I do notice that adding oil here and there to keep it at the full level keeps the Tick Monster at bay, but i'm damn near at 194k miles and she's still running great. Love the little Trooper and plan to keep her for many miles to come!