Burning Oil?

[Ikkesh]

1 quart For every 3 Fillups I think.

[Ldub]

Not to be too much of an alarmist, but...

This particular motor (and some say 99's in particular), tends to use oil.
The oil level should be checked at every fill up & the PCV valve ($3-5.00), should be changed every other oil change.
The result of not staying on top of your oil level, is motor replacement, no if's, and's or but's...

Use the handy search function using "oil consumption" for more...

Welcome to the Fam...

[Scott Harness]

99- 118,000 miles, used to burn 1quart every 1200 miles,NOW every 500 miles I've got to get a ring job before Moab. Runs fine,I just have to really watch it.

[Gussie2000]

Oh man,believe me,you're not alone with this one if that makes you feel better.

I bought mines with only 38,780 miles last year around november,my odo reads 45,869 right now & it do burns oil,i drives the average of 15 miles per day;Full syntetic is the key to an longlasting engine (mobile 1 or amsoil),don't abuse it,use 5w-30 on cold weather & 10w-30 on summer. Don't play with this one.

My mechanic who's an former isuzu engine specialist told me that isuzu engineers oversight the facts that the ducts the oil runs throughtout the engine were too big & too few of them so a considareble amount of oil goes into the combustion chamber which shouldn't be happening,specially on high RPM's situations such as be in the highway or express ways when the oil pump pumps high amounts of oil as per demanded by the engine.

Isuzu knows about this issue,but's financially high the amount of money they would had to put out here in order to have that issue solve,which in fact is that isuzu will had to redesign the whole engine or build a new one for each VX,rodeo,axiom,amigo & trooper on the streets so they best move is to ignore the issue,so clever don't they ?

This problem is found in almost all 1998 to 2001 engines my mech told me,he had more that 200 isuzu troopers,rodeos & 2001 axioms just in his shop & about 3 vehicross (included mines) which had a few sticky lifters due the lack of use.

In 2002 isuzu overcome this issue with they new engine.

If you have the meanings $$$$ & if the vehicross means a lot for you,plus the value the VX will have over there & the overall conditions of your VX you should dropped an 2002 isuzu axiom engine with the less mileage you can possible find into it if isuzu had axioms for sale there.

The 2002 engine fits perfectly without any more mods,is like a plug & play stuff.

Plus this engine is more powerfull it comes with 230 HP instead of the 215.

Rebuilt is another option,but the oil conpsumtion can be back again,problally with less amount of loss oil.

When i got aknowledge about this issue my thoughts were : DAMN I SCREW UP,but after a found that many VX's made the 100,000 & + miles i believe mines can go that far as yours.

One of my co-workers have a 2002 rodeo with more then 200,000 miles on the clock & that bastard runs like an champion.

The secret : maintainance,that's all about he says,don't abuse it,just drive as you should drive an vehicule.

[99VC]

I guess I must be lucky with my 99 with 102,689 miles, I drove it up to Vail Colorado from Las Vegas over 650 miles and didn't burn a drop......

[VCrossfan]

Nice info Gussie ! !

[Ikkesh]

Heh was begining to think my Vehicross was "Retarted" err... I mean "Not Normal".

knowing this makes me feel better about my pourchase.

Paid $8,500 for mine
All I use is Synthetic Mobil One

I Just hope the Previous Owner Knew Enough to top his engine oil off under these circumstances!

My Mechanic said Comression is good Mechanichally everything is sound aside from that the only things triggering the Check Engine Light was the Gas Cap and MAF Sensor (of which I cleaned) and Gas Cap Replaced..

Strange though, Check Engine Light Went Back On a Week Ago After resolving those issues!

Got an Apt For Timing Belt, And Waterpump Just waiting for OEM Belt to get here. I heard to Use the OEM Timing Belt Due to Isuzu Warrants the Vavles if Belt Fails....

we shall see.

[nfpgasmask]

Join the club, I've been a burner since 30k...

Bart

[etlsport]

Heh was begining to think my Vehicross was "Retarted" err... I mean "Not Normal".

knowing this makes me feel better about my pourchase.

Paid $8,500 for mine
All I use is Synthetic Mobil One

I Just hope the Previous Owner Knew Enough to top his engine oil off under these circumstances!

My Mechanic said Comression is good Mechanichally everything is sound aside from that the only things triggering the Check Engine Light was the Gas Cap and MAF Sensor (of which I cleaned) and Gas Cap Replaced..

Strange though, Check Engine Light Went Back On a Week Ago After resolving those issues!

Got an Apt For Timing Belt, And Waterpump Just waiting for OEM Belt to get here. I heard to Use the OEM Timing Belt Due to Isuzu Warrants the Vavles if Belt Fails....

we shall see.

unless you bought your VX new from a dealer or bought from a family member who was the original owner.. your VX is out of warranty they had 10 year 120k mile warranties in 00 and 01.. which cut in half upon sale to a non-family member

as for the check engine light.. what is the code? a lot of people have issues with their EGR valve causing check engine lights but iirc the code doesnt necessarily reflect that thats the problem... also when replacing the timing belt.. look around there are a few TSBs (technical service bulletins) that correct the timing belt replacement procedure as well as the torque on the intake manifold (the intake manifold gaskets might be leaking due to a mistake in torquing the bolts.. that could cause a check engine light too)

oh and i burn about 1 quart every 3k miles using mobil 1 synthetic.. but it all happens fast.. like i will be fine for 1000-2000 miles then all of a sudden 500 miles and ill be 1/2 quart low.. i just check every gas fillup and keep a bottle of oil on hand so that i can keep it right on the full mark at all times.. if you pay close attention you can spot warning signs.. im to the point where i swear i can hear when my VX is running low on oil

[VehiGAZ]

Heh was begining to think my Vehicross was "Retarted" err... I mean "Not Normal".

knowing this makes me feel better about my pourchase.

Paid $8,500 for mine
All I use is Synthetic Mobil One

I Just hope the Previous Owner Knew Enough to top his engine oil off under these circumstances!

My Mechanic said Comression is good Mechanichally everything is sound aside from that the only things triggering the Check Engine Light was the Gas Cap and MAF Sensor (of which I cleaned) and Gas Cap Replaced..

Strange though, Check Engine Light Went Back On a Week Ago After resolving those issues!

Got an Apt For Timing Belt, And Waterpump Just waiting for OEM Belt to get here. I heard to Use the OEM Timing Belt Due to Isuzu Warrants the Vavles if Belt Fails....

we shall see.

+1 on your oil burning issue - very common. I would suggest to stop using synthetic oil if you are burning it at that rate - the synthetic is great if the engine doesn't burn it, but it's doing you no good to put super-expensive synthetic if it's going to go up in smoke (so to speak) before it needs replacing.

If you have a K&N style oiled air filter, that might be the cause of your CE light. The oil fouls the MAF, so you either have to keep cleaning it or go back to the OEM filter (which a team of engineers decided was perfectly adequate).

Good luck!

[psychos2]

My mechanic who's an former isuzu engine specialist told me that isuzu engineers oversight the facts that the ducts the oil runs throughtout the engine were too big & too few of them so a considareble amount of oil goes into the combustion chamber which shouldn't be happening,specially on high RPM's situations such as be in the highway or express ways when the oil pump pumps high amounts of oil as per demanded by the engine.

This problem is found in almost all 1998 to 2001 engines my mech told me,he had more that 200 isuzu troopers,rodeos & 2001 axioms just in his shop & about 3 vehicross (included mines) which had a few sticky lifters due the lack of use.

1st , most of the oil consumption issues are pcv valve related. There is no baffle in the valve cover to keep the oil away from the pcv valve and when it sticks open the oil is sucked into the intake and burned. Has nothing to do with oil passages. Had it happen to me I was using 1 qt per 3000 miles ,when the pcv valve stuck I used 2 qts in 1000 miles. I no longer have a pcv valve. back to 1 qt per 3000 miles.And no worries about when it the pcv valve will stick again.

2nd ,there is no way any vx with a 3.5 has stuck lifters. they do not have any. They have the camshaft in the head directly above the valves, I believe it is called a direct attack setup. No lifters ,no rocker arms.

also in 2002 they came out with the direct injection 3.5 which has more hp because the fuel is injected directly into the cylinders. I believe this engine is not a direct swap and you would have to change the wiring harness and computer.
I am in no way trying to start anything just correcting incorrect info. shawn

[Gussie2000]

1st , most of the oil consumption issues are pcv valve related. There is no baffle in the valve cover to keep the oil away from the pcv valve and when it sticks open the oil is sucked into the intake and burned. Has nothing to do with oil passages. Had it happen to me I was using 1 qt per 3000 miles ,when the pcv valve stuck I used 2 qts in 1000 miles. I no longer have a pcv valve. back to 1 qt per 3000 miles.And no worries about when it the pcv valve will stick again.

2nd ,there is no way any vx with a 3.5 has stuck lifters. they do not have any. They have the camshaft in the head directly above the valves, I believe it is called a direct attack setup. No lifters ,no rocker arms.

also in 2002 they came out with the direct injection 3.5 which has more hp because the fuel is injected directly into the cylinders. I believe this engine is not a direct swap and you would have to change the wiring harness and computer.
I am in no way trying to start anything just correcting incorrect info. shawn

By the way i replace the PC valve the day i had my VX oil change the 1rst time,still oil compsumtion keeps happening,so no,oils goes into the combustion chamber & burn,the piston rings were manufactured with wrong specs,that's exactly what the mech was explaining me;I'll print your intup & take it to him so let's see who could be wrong.

[psychos2]

By the way i replace the PC valve the day i had my VX oil change the 1rst time,still oil compsumtion keeps happening,so no,oils goes into the combustion chamber & burn,the piston rings were manufactured with wrong specs,that's exactly what the mech was explaining me;I'll print your intup & take it to him so let's see who could be wrong.

I am sorry but you did not say that re read your post! I have had issues with the pcv valve, and that is that. I still lose 1 qt every 3000 miles , and would consider that normal. When the pcv valve sticks and I lose 2 qts in 1000 miles that is not normal. And doing what I have done to get rid of the pcv valve has brought it back to 1 qt every 3000 miles and that is fact , not what someone told me. So I do not care if your mechanic says I am wrong I know that my problem is fixed . And be sure to print out your post and ask him if that is what he said. shawn

[Gussie2000]

I am sorry but you did not say that re read your post! I have had issues with the pcv valve, and that is that. I still lose 1 qt every 3000 miles , and would consider that normal. When the pcv valve sticks and I lose 2 qts in 1000 miles that is not normal. And doing what I have done to get rid of the pcv valve has brought it back to 1 qt every 3000 miles and that is fact , not what someone told me. So I do not care if your mechanic says I am wrong I know that my problem is fixed . And be sure to print out your post and ask him if that is what he said. shawn

Ok,let's not get passionate about this one my fellow VXer,i quite sure this issue has been on the table many times.

However i use the word lifters to explain my self somehow & the mechanic just brief me about the oil compsumtion & the experience he had in the past & what can be the possible reasons the engine's burning oil.

My warranty covered all the cost,i just went & drove off out the shop.

Yes,it's normal to have some sort of oil loss between oil changes,we all agree in this one.

I believe that if the PCV wasn't necessary for all modern engines then why is there for ? probally i'll follow you on the PCV issue & get rid off it so i may be able to loss less oil as you do.But my VX doesn't burn as much as 1 Qt every 2000 miles

The noise i had in my engine was the tipical ticking noise,right at the top of the engine,my mech solve the problem & the engine runs as quiet as you can imagine the work is covered with 50.000 miles or 5 years.

I regret not to step by at the shop & had a look at the open engine so i can gain more knowledge about how the isuzu 3.5L engine works.

Plus your input was refered in your personal experience agains my mechanic.Your believe the problem was solve by getting rid of the PCV,my problem can be the rings or otherwise,who knows.

What the mech meant afterall is that isuzu fail to support its customers by ignoring the issue,they turn their back on you,me & all the rest of us whom purchased their products.

I not sure,but i think the engine you are talking about is the 2004 3.5L with the direct injection system that came with the axioms which really needs the ECU software upgrade & the wiring harness replaced if you want it in the VX

If i had the opportunity i'll deffinetly drop a 2004 engine into the VX.

[Jolly Roger VX'er]

the PCV valve ($3-5.00), should be changed every other oil change.

I was following this advice until I went to Moab & a brand new PCV failed. Second time this has happened to me...first time with AutoZone brand. I took out a perfectly good one before the road trip and put in a new one only to have it (the new one from Advance Auto--Purolator) stick closed.

My engine which usually is very good on oil usage (like 1/4 quart in 3,000 miles) sucked up one quart out of the blue. Caught it when I refueled & checked oil. Than saw oil spray coming out of my breather cap (aftermarket).

My new approach is to just leave a functioning one in and check periodically for any oil spray from breather cap & check dipstick @ fuel stops plus when putzing under the hood. It looks like my set-up allows the excess crankcase pressure to exit out the breather cap (if PCV is stuck) when normally it would be sucking air into the breather cap. I'll carry a spare PCV from now on and be reactive instead of proactive!