VX_PA

I FEEL YOUR PAIN!!!! My engine went out only a month ago, and 1 day before I was to trade it for my new truck!!!! Mine was also a '99 and had 61952 miles on it. I DID get a hold of someone at Isuzu HQ and he told me TUFF!!! His exact quote was "even if you were 1 week out of warranty we would not replace or help you replace your engine. Good luck" Loved my VX but Isuzu is on my black list!!!!!!!

As far as warning signs, my engine started to use an abnormal amount of oil about 3 months before it blew. I was using Mobil then switched to Royal Purple when it started burning the mobil, and changing it religiously. Alas to no avail!! I probably just prolonged the engine just long enough to get out of warranty. It happened with a snap of a finger. Driving home from work and it started makeing a VERY loud knocking sound. #1 cylinder GONE!! Had I not done anything I probably would have been under warranty and still driving it today. The only reason I was going to trade it off was because I knew "something" was wrong and wanted to offload it before the problem occured. No such luck......

I was burning about 2 quarts + every 1000 miles in the end. Could hear the engine chattering, but as soon as oil was added the chattering or knock would disappear. It was not "burning" oil as there was no black smoke coming out of the tailpipe, no leaks on the ground, and no bypassing of oil to the cooling system.......

Good luck in your endeavors, I was told it waould cost $4500 just for a short block to fix it..... I was fortunate that a wholesaler bought mine for $2000 less than what the dealership was giving me. So I ended up out $2000.

3C