Florida Meet Recap

[Heraclid]

Yep, that timeline coincides with what I experienced as well. Just weird that I didn't get it on my arms and legs (just some bites around the ankles).

Well, wish me luck - going to try to get this alternator thing fixed under a warranty purchased from the used car dealer tomorrow. Hopefully will only get hit up for the $100 deductible, same as Frank's was.

[VX1]

The thermostat and coolant was replaced, but again, I picked my VX up from the shop, and within two miles down the road, it was overheating. What really is odd, they put 60 miles on it since Thursday. You would think whoever took it HOME this weekend, would have noticed it overheating. The interior had a real strong burning coolant kind of smell.

As always, I let ya know if anything really gets fixed here.

-Scott

[PBR]

Could be the heater core if your smelling inside the cab. Have them flush the system with a cleaner.

[Joe_Black]

Scott, you weren't having any problems with temp at the meet were ya?

[Heraclid]

Well, mine is in the shop for alternator replacement and won't be ready for a while. They say Thurday, maybe Friday to until they get the part in, which seems a little ridiculous to me. I think Scott said he had his overnighted for $55 - my dealer said it would be within 48 hrs and wanted $91. I declined since I have a backup set of wheels available now. They (City Isuzu) did quote a slightly lower price for the part than Frank was told or than the Ocala dealer (Sullivan Isuzu) quoted me, but looks like this will get done under the extended warranty for the $100 deductible. Having them check the window issue out while it's there too.

Scott, I wish ya the best on resolving this temp problem. I noticed that after two good washings I still had mud in the fins and rinsed it a third time. I wonder if I will develop the same overheating problem or if I should have had it happen already. Maybe it is something somehow initiated only when the alternator has been fixed? Or they screwed something up working on it - anyone's guess is at least as good as mine.

[Joe_Black]

Glad to hear you were able to swing the warranty deal David!

A good way to get the mud from between the radiator and the condenser is to flip up the rubber strip just ahead of the radiator and spray down with a garden sprayer.

After three sessions of underbody spraying I think I've finally got the majority of the mud off of the chassis and such. It was amazing how much crap came out of the gas tank shield!

I'd still do it again!

[PBR]

vx I hate to suggest it but you may want to have them pressurize the cooling system overnight and look into cylinders and see if you blew a gasket, all it takes is a pin hole. I recently had this problem on another car, no taletell syptoms (smoke, oil in coolant, coolant in oil etc) but it would overheat now and then, I found moisture in #1 cylinder. I ended up getting a can of K&W block sealer, followed the directions exactly and cured the problem without the expense of a head gasket job. This stuff really works but you must follow directions to a tee.

[VX1]

Hello, Mr. Swett, this is Isuzu Service calling. We believe we have found the cause of your temperature problem, the radiator is completely compacted with clay....ya been offroading lately???

I WILL NEVER AGAIN TRAVERSE MUD DEEPER THAN THE AXLE.
I WILL NEVER AGAIN TRAVERSE MUD DEEPER THAN THE AXLE.
I WILL NEVER AGAIN TRAVERSE MUD DEEPER THAN THE AXLE.
I WILL NEVER AGAIN TRAVERSE MUD DEEPER THAN THE AXLE.
I WILL NEVER AGAIN TRAVERSE MUD DEEPER THAN THE AXLE.
I WILL NEVER AGAIN TRAVERSE MUD DEEPER THAN THE AXLE.
I WILL NEVER AGAIN TRAVERSE MUD DEEPER THAN THE AXLE.
I WILL NEVER AGAIN TRAVERSE MUD DEEPER THAN THE AXLE.

Yep, the all-knowing Tone nailed that one. We spent all day Sunday (after the meet) pulling mud out of every part of my VX. If someone tells you that it will take weeks to get rid of the mud after offroading, don't believe them- you will NEVER BE RID OF THE MUD. My parking lights were packed full of mud, for God's sake. I thought I had actually gotten it all and took it down to the dealership, then I saw Tone's warning about the radiator.

But the dealership was great, they fixed it all under warranty. I'd like to thank -x- for all his help that night, he jump started us about every half mile, until we made it to a place that would replace the battery. I swear that guy was in alot more mud than us, without a problem, but 3 of us blow out our altenators, strange luck. And of course, a thank you to Joe (no sarcasm, we had a blast) for organizing the meet, we enjoyed meeting everyone.

So anyway, very important information to all offroad-bound VXers-
Lessons Learned:
Deep mud BAD!
Bugspray GOOOD!

-Scott

[VX1]

And by the way, what's it gonna take to get the pics and movies from you guys??? Mr. Swett is ready and waiting with his broadband in hand.

[-x-]

.....those bugs must of been the spawn of satan himself. So next trip ill have more bug spray than water!

Anyhow I am anxious for tha video as well, think it will give better insight as to why i seemed to have the most fun and not suffer many consecuences from it , beside the obvious repeated cleansing.

And it was my pleasure to be of any help scott, if ya ever stuck or lost in orlando you know who to call....x

b.t.w. anyonw got any good tips or products for baked on clay stuck under th vx???

[Joe_Black]

The DVD is done and will ship out Thursday. Got 'em all labeled last night and everyone's address together, so let me know what you think after you get them. WARNING: There's a bit of colorful language in the chapter titled "Joe Got Mud". I'm sure y'all know what segment I'm talking about! LOL!

-x-, you'll just have get under the VX and have at it with the garden sprayer and a toilet brush. I did that three times and it pretty much looks like it should now. Be sure to put PLENTY of water behind the skid plates, shields and the gas tank cover.

I'm already putting together another meet for maybe mid/late August and will post details once I get it together. Stay tuned!

[-x-]

i hear theres a good mud pit round sea world ...x

[Heraclid]

Well, dealer said Thursday, maybe Friday before he got the alternator in, let alone has it installed. I was in the area so I dropped by today (it was good to see my baby LOL), and sure enough no alternator today and the same guy said "with any luck, tomorrow". <sigh> I can't believe it takes this friggin' long. You'd think they never had to change out an alternator before, and while the VX is rare, the 3.5L V6 Trooper one should work, and surely those are readily available, right? I'm starting to wonder if it is on a boat direct from Japan.

I'm expecting some grief when they finally get up under there and see the mud (thought I had it looking pretty good but saw it today dry and realized it STILL needs work) but for starters I will tell them if the v-reg were properly sealed it should have been a non-issue. Also having the window tracks looked at, but they said since that could be related to alternator failure they did not intend to do anything to them until the alternator goes in. I told them it was happening before that and would like this wrapped up as soon as possible, meaning I don't want to have to wait more for this after the alternator is in there and I want it done and back in my garage the day they get that part in. I don't care when they do the windows so long as it is fixed right and doesn't hold things up an extra day.

I have read all the posts about the windows binding and it sounds like just a little track lube may not fix this right. The guy at the dealership told me that should be all it needs despite my saying others have been down this regulators/lube route and it wasn't enough. So we'll see.

As a precaution I also noted the mileage when I was there today, since Scott reported his dealer put 60 miles on his VX. Wouldn't that beat all if they fixed it and then I had to wait while someone was joyriding?

[PBR]

Thanks to all who signed my petition reference rear differential whine, with that proof the dealer has agreed to rebuild or replace, taking it in on Monday, I'll keep you posted on how it goes.

[Joe_Black]

Good deal Pat! Keep us apprised of your progress!