Help!! My Car Is Dying!

[JonBarrett]

Hey everyone,

I purchased my Rodeo about 6 months ago with service records from the first owner. The car was in good nick and had been maintained. The only thing I had to replace was the muffler which was making a little noise while driving (I guess the pellets were bad). Since then regular oil changes and maintenance has been upkept by me. About 2 months ago a ticking noise started under my hood. I have read many posts about this problem being the lifters and/or timing belt tensioner. Every mechanic that I have taken the car too looks under the hood and says that the noise is so loud it cannot be the tensioner. They also tell me it will cost about 3,000.00 to fix. Some mechanics do not even want to fix it. I have tried everything I have read in the posts from frequent oil changes to the Transmission fluid remedy. None have worked. The oil grades I have tried have been 5W to 20W for the heat as I live in South Florida. I have not tried a Synthetic yet. When I put one quart of Transmssion fluid in the engine the noise did stop for a couple of days but then came back. It is VERY LOUD and extremely annoying. The crazy thing is, is it comes on and off at different times and when the noise is on the car drives horrible. When there is no noise the car drives fine. ie. nice pick up, smooth etc.

Now part 2. About two weeks ago my gas pedal could not be pushed down. It is so stiff that I pushed it down on the way home from work and it got stuck and I nearly was killed because the car would not stop. I took it to some mechanics who cleaned the carburetor with a spray but did not do much. It didn't help the pedal is still hard to push and ontop of that I still have the engine ticking noise. I really dont' know what to do about these problems. I have always worked on my cars and tried to fix whatever I can but this car seems like nothing works. It also seems like it is just dying on me.
If anyone could help please let me know

[rodeo02]

What year? What engine? How many miles on it? If the 'ticking' goes away, it probably not catastrophic.

Joel

[JonBarrett]

Sorry I should have included that information:
Specs are : 1996 Isuzu Rodeo 3.2L V6 Engine

[JonBarrett]

Only 91K on it!!

[surferfletch]

Look at the end of the of the throttle cable. There is a small rubber boot which becomes very gummy and causes the cable to stick. Take it off and lube the cable. End of life threatening acceleration.

As far as the tick goes, if it's that loud and the performance suffers when it happens, I would seriously consider the tensioner. How long has the current belt and tensioner been in there?

[Ramblin Fever]

If there is horrible driving symptoms WITH the noise, chances are the timing belt tensioner is weak and allowing the belt to slip.

In my opinion, I don't see how it could be an internal engine issue if it comes and goes, on an engine if something is going it'll STAY noisey and eventually go.

If it has the original timing belt tensioner at 91k miles, it's most likely that. And let me tell you, when the tensioner does get weak it sounds god-offal horrible, it really sounds like a rod knocking. And just the most grueling LOUD sound that makes you cringe.

Personally, find a good Isuzu dealership or import mechanic and tell them you're bringing it in for a new timing belt, tensioner, waterpump (do it ALL at once while you're there), now this is not a cheap maintenance job. You're looking at about $800-$1k, just had this done myself because my 2nd waterpump went out and caused my tensioner to loosen, giving that horrible horrible sound.

[rodeo02]

You'll need to try to pinpoint the noise when it happens. Top of the engine, front or bottom. Stop using ATF with the engine oil. Contrary to popular (and outdated) belief, it's the same thing as dumping a 20wt motor oil in your sump. Does nothing but thin the oil some. ATF from ~35yrs ago was made with whale oil that did have 'magical' cleaning properties. This is no longer true. I wouldn't suspect the T-belt tensioner, but at 10yrs, you might be due for a T-belt, tensioner wheel and pusher and waterpump replacement.

Joel

[JonBarrett]

I have disconnected the throttle valve and cleaned and it is running alot smoother. I am taking it to my mechanic on wednesday to have the timing belt checked out. I just really want to get it fixed.
Joel, When I hear the noise it is usually on the passenger side of the car on the top of the engine. It sometimes sounds like fast clicks but then progresses to loud banging/knocking noise. Funny enough I saw the exact Model of my rodeo (1996) when walking out of the grocery store with the exact same noise. I asked him about the problem and he said he couldn't find out what it is either.
I will definatly check out the timing belt and get back to you guys. Thanks for the help.

[JonBarrett]

From checking my serivce records it looks like this is the original timing belt/tensioner in the car it has never been replaced.

[Ramblin Fever]

You know the sound is a crap-shoot for us, because we can't hear it. But, FWIW, the original timing belt tensioners typically only last 90-120k miles, and that set (belt, tensioner, etc) is 10yrs old anyway. It's time.

If you're gonna have the belt "checked", might as well do it. A 10yr old belt's seen it's better days, same with that waterpump.

Is this ticking sound "softer" when you first start the engine, and then when it warms up does it get louder??

Also, what kind of oil filter do you currently have on there? Some oil filters, i.e Fram in particular, like to make these engines tick.

[surferfletch]

Fast clicking is the common noise these engines make. I was behind a Rodeo yesterday at the McDonald's drive through and the 3.2L was ticking away. Dude behind the wheel didn't seem a bit concerned, nor would I have been. But loud banging/knocking? That doesn't sound like lifter tick. Has anyone else's tick progressed to loud banging?

[Ramblin Fever]

Originally Posted by surferfletch

Has anyone else's tick progressed to loud banging?

No, that's why I don't believe he's experiencing lifter tick. Banging/knocking were the EXACT sounds that I heard when my tensioner went out.

Can't guarantee, but what else could it really be?? If it was an actual rod, the sound wouldn't go away on certain days, and be worse on others.

[Blue Bowtie]

Originally Posted by Ramblin Fever

No, that's why I don't believe he's experiencing lifter tick. Banging/knocking were the EXACT sounds that I heard when my tensioner went out.

I also seriously doubt that it is "lifter tick" since there are no lifters in the V-6. There are cam followers, and they are periodically hydraulically compensated (when the system works), but as Ramblin mentioned, any noise produced by the valve train (other than the camshaft drives) is more commonly described as a "tick" and not a "banging/knocking" noise. Even a broken valve spring doesn't do that. I'm not sure if the same can be done with the Isuzu, but several other engines with timing drive tensioners (both belt and chain) can be diagnosed by removing a cam cover, installing a small degree wheel, and manually rotating the crank in reverse to measure total lash. A stretched chain/belt or weak tensioner will allow a bit more crank rotation back in the forward direction before moving the camshafts. I'm not sure if/how this works on the 3.2L, however.

[directory]

i was unaware of the lack of lifters...

is this only for those years?

[rodeo02]

Originally Posted by directory

i was unaware of the lack of lifters...

They are on all ~1993-1997 3.2's, but the technical term for them is hydraulic lash adjuster (HLA). People usually just lump them into the "lifter" catagory. They are not like what you'd see in a small block chevy, cam-in-block V6, etc.. but are pretty darm similar.

Joel