New to forum - just bought a 97 Rodeo

[98se5speed]

Just picked up a 97 Rodeo this past weekend. I tried asking some questions and posting some pics on isuzuforum.com, but no one replied at all. Must not be a very popular forum.

Got the beast for $650, found it on craigslist, needs a bit of work. First off, it was in a minor front-end collision, so it needs a hood, bumper and grille. Actually, after test driving the truck, I stopped at my local u-pull-it yard to see if any parts were available. To my surprise, there were 6-7 nice condition Rodeos out there. Why? Well they were all "cash for clunkers" vehicles. I didn't get lucky enough to find any green ones, so I'll be getting a black hood to match the black grille I already picked up.











Other items she needs include a dead speedometer (always reads zero, any tips?), totally wasted exhaust, check engine light on, rear brakes grinding, and the driver's window needs some work on the regulator. All relatively simple/cheap stuff. Hopefully all the major items are ok, she seemed to drive pretty smooth during my ~15 mile drive home from where I bought it. Worst thing I experienced was a squeaky alternator belt, and when I looked at it the next day, I could see it was really worn out. Hopefully a new belt properly tightened will fix that issue.

Well, hopefully I can learn a few things on this forum, and hopefully we get some snow in Chicago soon. This is my first 4x4, should make me dread the winter a lot less!


Thanks

Jamie

[2000izusu]

looks like a score! how many miles are on it?

i see it has an automatic trans, you are going to want to assess the condition of the trans and probably service it! the 4l30e's love new fluid!

what is you intent with the vehicle? daily driver?

don't forget the 1st generation 3.2L's had the infamous valve train tick, but it does not seem to effect reliablilty. (i am assuming you have the v-6)mike

[98se5speed]

Yeah, I think she'll be a pretty sweet score once she's all back together and on the road. Intention is for a daily winter driver, I'll likely sell it in the spring, unless I totally fall in love with off-roading. I'm used to driving a 30+ mpg Sentra, so this will be quite a shock. I will likely drive my 95 Quest most days this winter though, as long as the forecast is clear. It gets about ~22 mpg. After that, looking for a 99+ 5-speed Infiniti G20.

The Rodeo is an automatic V6, and yes, the valvetrain ticks like crazy. Mileage reads 135k, but the speedo has also been broken for an unknown length of time. However, I ran the VIN through Autocheck, and the last mileage before what it reads currently was 114k in early 2007. Based on how many miles that owner appeared to drive per month (~950), that puts it at ~145k. So not off by too many.

So these things really have a GM transmission in them? I have only driven the truck once, just the day I brought it home. Seemed to shift just fine, but was sorta lazy to get out of first gear when it was cold. Are these known to be pretty reliable? Any service it might need besides fluid and filter? Changing all fluids is definitely in my future, including transfer case and both diffs. Any chance that transmission was in any other GM vehicles? Just curious if I could get lucky at a junkyard if I ever need one.

Thanks for the reply, my first one ever in regards to the Rodeo!

[2000izusu]

the 4l30e is and isn't a gm transmission. it is made in france and is a old 3 speed opel (europe) transmission, with an overdrive shoved between the bellhousing and the body of the transmission, making it a 4 speed. the 4l30e will see 200,000+ miles if it was maintained. but most aren't maintained and fail pre-mature.

the lazy cold shift was normal in mine and disappeared shortly after driving.

the vehicles it came in were catillac caterra, all bmw's (with autos) from the 3 series through the 5 series i believe from 1992-2001, and certain custom postal vehicles, not to mentional all the vehicles in europe that have it.

also one point of caution: check the frame over good. some rust out bad and will help you with your decision whether to dump it in the spring.

here is the wikapedia page on the 4l30e
Link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_4L30-E_transmission

as you can see the 4l30e is not a classic gm (american) transmission. it is a gm europe transmission and i know nothing about them! mike

[98se5speed]

Ha, I already found my way to the wiki page, after seeing you mention the 4L30e. Yeah, certainly doesn't sound like something I'm going to find common in a u-pull-it yard. Ah well. Like I said, it appears to shift well. Guess I'll find out more when I start driving it. So far it does great pulling in and out of my garage!

I only did some quick looking at the frame, definitely has a good amount of surface rust, but I didn't see any rust-through. I need to get under there and do a lot of work on the exhaust (and check/replace the speed sensor), so I'll take a better look when I do that. I did my best to hit some bumps during my drive home, everything felt pretty tight, suspension-wise. Steering does have some slop in it though, so perhaps she needs a couple tie rod ends.

[2000izusu]

Originally Posted by 98se5speed

Yeah, certainly doesn't sound like something I'm going to find common in a u-pull-it yard. Ah well. Like I said, it appears to shift well.

alot of them were pre-mature failures because they came from the factory with "LIFETIME" fluid. The "LIFETIME" fluid is nothing more than mercon/dexron III, which shears viscosity around 30,000 miles. The 4l30e's that saw high mileage were the ones that went against izusu's recommendations and changed the fluid regularly. then you add in the fact that beyond a certain year the 4l30e is sealed, which means no dipstick. Yeah you got to fill it through the 2nd hole in the drain pan. they claim they "sealed" it because they didn't want anybody "messin" with it? planned obcelesence? who knows? talk about a recipe for transmissions only lasting 100,000 miles, izusu surely got that right!

but hey maybe izusu wasn't that far off! now alot of manufactures have "sealed" units with "lifetime" fluid.

Originally Posted by 98se5speed

I did my best to hit some bumps during my drive home, everything felt pretty tight, suspension-wise. Steering does have some slop in it though, so perhaps she needs a couple tie rod ends.

at least tie rod ends are cheap.

[98se5speed]

Hmmm, I'll have to look at see if I even have a trans dipstick. I'm sorta thinking I don't. Dang it, one of the items I wanted at the JY yesterday was an owners manual. Totally forgot.

I did end up scoring my hood, bumper, 2 nice tires on matching steel wheels, and some misc interior trim items I was missing. Grand total, $72. Now if only 1/2 price day was on the weekend again. Place used to be 1/2 price all weekend, every weekend. Now it's Tuesdays only. Somewhat inconvenient for a working person. I managed to leave work 2 hours early to get out there, but still ran out of time and have all sorts of things to get.

One item I did attempt to get but was unsuccessful was the speed sensor. I removed a single 12mm bolt, removed a hold-down bracket (like a distributor hold-down), but the sensor seemed frozen in the trans. Does it thread out? Or is it just likely frozen and needs penetrant to come out? Guess I can practice on my own truck, in the comfort of my heated garage. I got tired of laying on the cold ground in the junkyard very quickly.

Any idea if there's an electronic version of the repair manual to be had anywhere? The repair info on Autozone.com for this vehicle is pretty limited.

Thanks

[2000izusu]

lots of parts for $72 another score!

i don't know about the speed sensor?

the closet i know of elctronic help is the F.A.Q. in the stickys.

[98se5speed]

Yep, scored pretty decent. Although I found out last night that my 93 bumper sorta interferes on my 97. The lower plastic piece is a slightly different shape, and it hits the flat square pieces on the frame. The 93 it came off of just had open tubes in that location. Whatever, nothing a dremel can't fix.

Before:


After:


I'll have to do some more searching for repair manuals. I also remembered a resource I haven't tapped since I was about 16... my local library. I sorta forget it's there.

Stopped into my local Napa Auto Parts last night for some rear brake pads and some dash lightbulbs. Older guy behind the counter was asking me all these questions about the Rodeo, and how he was sorta thinking about getting one since he never really heard anyone coming in to get parts for one, so they must be pretty reliable. That was pretty amusing. I only got one side of the rear brakes replaced, and they were worn, but not wasted. Turns out the front driver's side is totally down to metal on metal. Guess I'll pick up some front pads soon.

[2000izusu]

wow looks 100% better and with the new/used panels being black they blend in! makes me want to get a salvage progect going again!

as for the front brakes (if their is not too much damage to the rotor) and you can salvage the front rotors that would be alot less work. the front rotors are more work than usual to get off. then once you get the front rotors off you have to disconnect the hup from the rotor. some use a press to seperate the two.

who ever owned it must not have been to good with their hands? cheap front pads cost less than $20, and that keeps the brakes in service for 20,000 more miles!
i know how you feel because i have family members bring me brake jobs all the time that are metal on metal. and i silently think to myself what the he@@ were they thinking.

[FL 3.2L]

Good luck with the project. I'm subscribed. My 4L-30E is nearing 200K and shifts great, but I swap some fluid every 15K and drop the pan every 30K. I have some rust in the body beneath one of the rear windows and at the roof rack mounting points, but the body and frame are solid otherwise (FL truck!). I have had that steering wheel slop for over 100K. I really need to take a closer look at the suspension and steering components. All rotors are original. I'm on the fourth water pump, third timing belt, fifth TPS (long story - only use OEM for this part). I've changed a few window reglators. A/C still blows cold. Second alternator. Third starter. Third radiator. I've changed plugs, 1 coilpack, rear camshaft plugs, and valve cover gaskets. Coolant pipe o-rings needed to be changed along with a casting plug. I've swapped the front O2 sensors. The oil cooler o-ring leaked and I changed it. $17K well spent back in '98 with 27K or so miles. Just keeps running...

[danielsatur]

LKQX has a bunch of used parts, because of ''CASH for Clunkers''

[98se5speed]

Well, been a bit since my last update, so here goes. Finally drove the Rodeo to work today, first actual drive more than 1 mile since I bought it. I actually just got back from 9 days in Hawaii, so yesterday I finally installed my driver's door window and regulator. Working perfectly.

However, my new gas tank install apparently isn't perfect. I had a bit less than 1/4 tank of gas when I left the house this morning (gas that came with the junkyard tank) so I headed over to fill it up. While it's filling, I pop the hood to spray a bit of belt dressing on a very noisy alternator/fan belt (it needs replacing, just haven't gotten around to it yet). Well, as I'm finishing that, the gas station attendant runs out yelling "you're spilling gas all over!" Somehow a gallon or 2 leaked out while I was filling up. However, I don't know where from! My best guess is the filler hose, since once it finished dripping right after filling up, it stopped completely, and was totally dry when I got to work. I just feel dumb now because the only way I'll confirm it's the filler tube is to stop and get some more gas and watch it! Had I stayed near the pump this morning, I would have likely heard the dripping gas, and taken a look at the issue. I did notice that the filler tube was wet when I glanced in there this morning, but it was a pretty frantic situation with the gas station lady yelling at me.

Other than the ongoing leaking gas saga, she drove pretty well. I think the lack of a speed sensor is confusing the ECU pretty bad though, since it doesn't shift the best (seems to jump around in gears sorta erratically when slowing or accelerating, but the shifts feel quite good). It also seemed to sputter a tiny bit on 2 different occasions, perhaps a coil pack is going bad. I'm just driving it nice and easy, trying to figure out everything it needs. Now I'm just hoping the latest gas leak doesn't require a tank-drop, since she's full now. Guess if it does, I'll drive it til nearly empty first.

Wish me luck, this truck is turning into quite the project. I guess just about any $650 vehicle will be though.

[98se5speed]

Oh, and another observation, she definitely needs the rotors turned. A bit lumpy when slowing down. Bummer to hear that they're difficult to remove.

[98se5speed]

Well, after another 40 miles of driving, I have some more observations... the trans likes to slip/shudder in 1st gear, and the engine likes to sputter and nearly die when you accelerate. Good times. Gonna start with some new plugs tonight (haven't checked them at all) and get the check engine light code read at Autozone. Anyone have any ideas as to reasons why she might sputter under load? Once in park or neutral, you can rev it up no problem. But under load, she struggles. Makes me think "plug wires", but this engine doesn't have wires, so that's why I'm starting with plugs. Also thinking maybe the TPS or MAF sensor could be bad. Are those common to fail?

As for the trans... guess I'll limp it around (seems totally fine if you're easy on it then let it shift into 2nd) til the weather gets a bit better to go pull one at the yard. Hopefully those cash-for-clunkers Rodeos didn't have anything done to the transmissions. Considering they don't have dipsticks, I'm sure they didn't.


Thanks for any tips.