Isuzu Trooper

sbcooke · June 2003

Oh my. I cannot remember the last time I got over 17 with my Automatic. I typically get 12-16...on good days.

djweber · June 2003

Thanks for quick feedback...looking to order today or tomorrow b/c trip coming up and no spare. I have Bridgestone Revos on my Maxima SE and am pleased. Much better snow/wet grip and highway ride than orig Goodyears, but did give up some cornering performance. Of course, the OEMs were a more dry pave sports oriented category tire.

Side question: Notice any change in MPG with Revos? ....My mileage is on the low side as is with GY Wrang APs now.

sbcooke · June 2003

I have Bridgestone Dueler A/Ts (not Revo's just the regular A/T). They are very quiet on the highway. However, they are more sensitive to road variance and grooves than standard highway tires. So sometimes I get a little feeling in my steering around 55 MPH. Higher speeds seems to smooth it out. So just be ready that an agressive A/T tread may adjust the overall ride you get. I am happy with my A/Ts. I would buy A/Ts again.

boxtrooper · June 2003

Hey some of you were wondering what the insurance company was going to offer for totaling my 1995 Trooper, so here it is. Their first offer was $5300, I asked for a recount, and their second offer was $5500 after input from two local dealers. Then they add $165 tax and $55 tag for a grand total of $5720 out the door.
..
To buy back the "salvage" as they call it, would cost me $1050 and somewhere the taxes get lost so they would take $5720-$1050 and get $4434.75.
..
I have a visit scheduled from the local truck salvage yard to let them bid on buying the "salvage" of my 1995. If they offer more than $5720-$4435=$1285 plus a margin to make it worth my time to sell it to them they will get it. Otherwise the insurance company will pick it up after the title has been signed over to them.

paul179 · June 2003

Does anyone out there have any recommendations for a quick way to change the belt on a 2000 Trooper? Dealer wanted $145.00 but the belt only costs about $20.00!!

Any recommended manuals, books, etc?

Thanks!

newtroop01 · June 2003

Did the sway bar bushing replacement last summer and it made a big difference. As the Trooper approaches 30,000 miles would also like to replace the shocks. Like "djweber" above, would also like a recommendation on new shocks. I've searched and read posts regarding Monroe, KYB, Bilstein, Rancho, etc... just not sure which would be the best for a trooper that rarely gets offroad. I'm leaning towards the KYB Monomax myself unless someone knows of a newer/better. Also, the Rancho 9000's might be nice for their adjustability? What do you think?

dmigel · June 2003

any recommendations on the exact wiring harness needed to go from the preexisting isuzu wiring to the hitch, using one of those bold on sockets?

dcmoore · June 2003

I just had KYB Monomax shocks installed on my 99 Trooper (53K miles), and the difference was noticeable though not overwhelming. All in all, a worthwhile upgrade if you can find a good deal on the Monomax shocks. I can't compare the KYBs to other shocks in terms of performance because I have no frame of reference. I couldn't justify spending more $$ for something like the adjustable Ranchos or Bilsteins, so I figured the KYBs were a nice compromise. Like Newtroop, I rarely go offroad.

Might have to do the sway bar bushing replacement. I keep reading that it makes a significant difference.

I also have a question about the tranny flush issue that has been discussed recently on this board. I was thinking of doing a flush in the near future (I'll probably be around 55K miles or so), but now I'm wondering if I should do so. I've never had the tranny flushed before -- just drained. Is it too late to do a first flush at 55K miles? Some of the posts above suggest that if the transmission has significant mileage on it and hasn't been flushed before, I should avoid flushing it. But how much mileage is too much? If anyone has any additional thoughts on this subject, I'd appreciate reading them.

sdc2 · June 2003

Good lord, $120!! The serpentine belt is one of the easiest things to change on your vehicle!

Look a your engine from the front. On the left you will see a tensioning pulley for the belt on a spring loaded swingarm. In the middle of the pulley there is a bolt head. Put a socket and breaker bar or socket wrench on the bolt and crank to the right. Instead of the bolt turning, the whole swingarm will swivel, loosening the belt...slip the belt off of all the various pulleys and then install the new one using the reverse procedure.

It is slightly tricky to get the new belt positioned on all the pulleys, but if you get someone to help hold it in place that will help...although I was able to do it myself. Just remember to make a drawing of the belt route before removing it.

breakor · June 2003

I think the main issue is new fluid in a severely neglected AT. You have done a partial fluid change before 55k. Therefore I think you could probably do a complete flush.

Just to be safe though I suggest you at least do an initial check of the fluid.

If it looks really bad, you may want to only do a partial fluid change, a pan drop, and a screen/filter change to remove the loosened junk. Then maybe wait a while (a few months?) and do a complete flush/filter change.

If the fluid looks slightly bad then maybe do the flush but also drop the pan and change the screen/filter. This is probably the official Isuzu approach.

If the fluid looks reasonably good then maybe do the flush. Or, if you want to be more careful, you could just do a partial fluid change again. Then, wait a few months before doing a complete flush.

Just my hopefully helpful thoughts. But then again I am not a real mechanic so your mileage may vary and new ATs are very expensive so be careful.

paisan · June 2003

I think it's about $25 from JC Whitney and takes about 30 seconds literally to install. They send you a plug-in that has the std. trailer wiring on one end and a plug on the other with a gromet built in. You reach up from under the left side rear by the taillight and pull out a gromet in there, and there is a socket on a wire that you plug into the plug on the wiring harness. shove in the gromet and bingo done.

-mike

ryanendres · June 2003

http://www.mjw.com/amigo/images/belt.jpg

I did this this past weekend, and it took about 5 mins. I bought the belt from St. Charles for 14 bucks with free shipping.
-Ryan

amigo_john · June 2003

55k is probably okay, unless you've done a lot of towing and have really heated up the fluid. Excessive heat will turn the fluid almost black. If you are still under powertrain warranty I'd flush it now! I don't think 55k is too much.

My Mazda had a lousy transmission built by Ford that ran way too hot and wasn't heavy duty enough for the car IMHO.

john

paul179 · June 2003

This whole belt thing was funny. Ever see the commercial about the woman who is getting the refrigerator fixed and she goes online to check the price of the part and finds out she's getting ripped off? That's exactly what I did while the dealer was quoting me a $145!!

ryanendres-do you have a website for St. Charles?

Thanks for all your help!!

bluedevils · June 2003

pretty sure it's stcharlesauto.com. 800.727.8066.

We paid an Isuzu dealer to replace the serp belt in our 98 Trooper (3.5L - same engine as your '00 Troop). Cost was $70-80 - fairly high, but worth it to me.

bluedevils · June 2003

what about the fact that some transmission shops strongly discourage a tranny flush/fluid exchange, and don't even perform that sort of procedure?

bstone3 · July 2003

On my 01 LS TOD I did the poly bushing change shortly after I bought it - remarkable difference for such little pieces - I then added Rancho 5000 "gas" shocks vs the 9000 adjustable hydraulic shocks. Again a very nice improvement - not harsh at all - really like them - I have had 4X4's with Bilstiens and like them too - little more firm maybe. Now I want to add the OME springs to the back end and put on some 265-75 somethings. Trooper is a quality product - after two year and 39K miles it is a joy to climb in this thing and head to work - Most new vehicles I have had I usually get to know the service guys pretty well - in this case they are foreigners. But my bald headed Trooper needs a rack - hmm!

paul179 · July 2003

Thanks! Any maintenance manuals out there for the 3.5 Trooper?

sdc2 · July 2003

Last I checked there were no Chiltons or Haynes for late model Troopers...the only one I know of is the factory service manual from Helm. It is the same one the mechanics use. It is expensive, large (3 large volumes, unless you get the CDROM), and assumes quite a bit of general knowledge on the users part...but it is the only game in town.

dmigel · July 2003

Paisan,

There are about 8 different listings under for that at JC whitney. My guess is this:
1992 - 2000
Isuzu
    Trooper
       "BB" One-pc. Trailer Light Connector with Converter (A)
    Each
    07ZX0194U
    $26.99

Would that be correct? Will that include everything needed?

leedavidyoung · July 2003

The part # you listed above has a standard 4-way plug. A 4-way is a flat plug commonly used on light duty trailers and small boats. The other two are round 6-way and 7-way plugs. The extra prongs are for heavy load applications - battery chargers,power brakes, etc.
The harness you need will depend on your intended load.

Mike's right, the installation process takes less than 5 minutes. You may want to add a small plastic box under your bumper to store the wires when not in use. I picked one up at NAPA for under $10.00

paisan · July 2003

That's the right one. I now have a braked car trailer, so what I did for that is I got the 6-prong recepticle that allows the 4-pin one to plug into it, and then has a 6 and a 4 pin so I can easily plug in either my boat trailer or my car trailer.

-mike

ostaz · July 2003

Got a problem today in my 99 Trooper. The blower doesn't blow air in any position (low-med-hi). I replaced the fuse to no avail. Where else should I be looking?

sdavito · July 2003

The blower in my 2000 Trooper did the same thing about 4 months ago. The remedy is to replace the blower.

David

leedavidyoung · July 2003

Hey Guys,

I'm adding an XM tuner next week and wanted some feedback on antenna placement. My options are as follows:

roof mount (flat box)
roof mount (short plastic point)
bracket mount (short rubber antenna)
window mount (short rubber antenna)

I am leaning towards a flat box roof mounted just in front of the rear spoiler, but I wonder if the "trucker" style would offer better performance.

Any input or past experience would be great.

Thanks - Lee

1993trooper · July 2003

I just bought a 93 Trooper (from Ebay - imagine that) and the O2 light stays on. I do not have the owner's manual but have been told that this is an oxygen sensor (duh). What are the ramifications of NOT taking care of this sensor and how do you go about fixing it? Is it expensive? I don't want to sink a whole bunch of cash into this vehicle.

I am already about to put close to $1000 into fixing the AC and I only paid $2500 for the vehicle. It runs great but it gets really hot w/o the AC on (poor me).

sdc2 · July 2003

I believe on that vintage of Trooper the O2 light comes on automatically every 90K miles. There is a switch of sorts on the back of the speedo console that needs to be slid to the other position from where it is now.

I have read it is easy to do, just remove a kickplate of some sort and lay on your back and you should see it easily...

boxtrooper · July 2003

So I can finally start driving it. There is a special tag only for ten days only for cars purchased out of state awaiting financing .. The department of vehicle registration told me over the phone that there was nothing I could do until the final clear title arrives, they initially said the same thing in person, but not giving up, I made my case for needing to drive this Trooper, and finally I am out the door with a legal way to drive it.
..
The finance company needs 5 days to sit on their hands with the new pay off check, then it takes them five more days to mail the title release to the guy I bought the Trooper from, who will fedex it overnight. Considering that weekends do not count toward those delay days, this is about a two weeks and a couple more days proccess. So my ten day tag will probably expire then I can go get another ten day government permission slip to drive my new Trooper.
..
I am still not used to the new feeling of the manual shifter.

1993trooper · July 2003

I found a site (www.isuzuparts4sale.com) that has an expansion valve for about $27, a filter dryer for about $49 and an AC compressor for about $320. All of these parts come with a 1 year manufactures warranty. Does anyone have a site that might have the parts cheaper? I have found tons of Isuzu parts sites but most of them seem to link to the same database of parts.

My mechanic quote me a price of $517 for the same compressor online for $320 - the only difference I could find was his description said compressor & clutch and the online parts description said AC compressor. Is the clutch automatically part of the compressor assembly?

breakor · July 2003

Isn't this the compressor you are talking about? -http://www.isuzuparts4sale.com/air_conditioning/trooper-1993-air- - - conds---507458.html
If so the description clearly notes it includes the clutch assembly.

I personally wouldn't pay that kind of money for an unnamed, remanufactured unit but that is just me. Also, do yourself a favor and read the fine print at this site (e.g. "1-Year Warranty (parts only) except for compressor warranty - Buyer must have a proof of purchase of new dryer / accumulator").

I suggest you go to a a/c specialty shop and see what they can do for you. Or, try St. Charles Isuzu as they have excellent prices on all OEM parts.

1993trooper · July 2003

Thanks for the input. I have never been in a situation to repair/replace an AC unit and I don't like the costs that are being associated with this repair.

Where is St Charles Isuzu? Is it a website? Can you provide the web address?

stever · July 2003

Check out post 8088.

Steve, Host

breakor · July 2003

For example there is one on there now for $200. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&cate- - gory=33543&item=2421589983

ostaz · July 2003

The blower in my 99 Trooper went dead, then came back on by itself, but only at the highest speed.
I ordered a new blower motor from St. Charles Isuzu, but now I wonder if it is the blower, the switch, a relay, or something else?

breakor · July 2003

Sounds like the motor may be fine but the resistor pack is bad. This series of posts may help - http://www.4x4wire.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=86;- t=002800

dcmoore · July 2003

Thanks breakor, amigo john, et al. for feedback regarding tranny flush. Much appreciated.

teacherjim · July 2003

I ordered a new set of Bridgestone A/T Revo tires from Tire Rack Sat. I stuck with the stock size 245-70-16. I have about 30,000 miles on the stock Bridgestone 684 Duelers, they have about 6/32 tread left, but I decided to replace them as I really don't care for them. I wondered what pressure I should run the new tires at?. I drive all pavement miles but most of it is on some what rough backroads through the country side. I drive 37 miles to work. Does 35 pounds sound about right?, Oh I have Rancho 9000 shocks set on the 3rd position. Thanks for any advice you have. I am looking forward to getting the new tires as I have read a lot of good reviews about them.

troop2shos · July 2003

Max cold inflation pressure on the P-metrics is 44 psi. I'm still experimenting on my 255/70 x 16's but 35 front / 38 rear have been working quite well so far w/ good turn-in response. I've been very impressed w/ their on-road performance & how smooth & quiet they are for an A/T - even at 75+ mph.
I always bump the pressure several lbs. plus over the factory suggested settings to start with - but not exceeding the max cold inflation pressure of the tire for street use.

djweber · July 2003

Well TeacherJim...I ordered the stock size Revos as well late last week from Tirerack. I also ordered the KYB Monomax shocks. I then ordered the polyurethane sway bar bushings from JC Whitney. We have a trip to Virginia in a few weeks from Chicago so I will report on how the new set up works out.

I went around and around on the shocks and in the end just went for simplicity of ordering at the same time thru Tirerack and simplicity of design. I'm just looking for solid predictable performance and longevity.

dmigel · July 2003

I finally found an acceptable hitch mounted bike rack that clears the spare tire cover without an extension. I have tried it out and highly recommend this model. It was a little more than I wanted to spend, but not nearly as high as other's offered.

Thule Hitching Post Pro 934 - $170.

Here are my reasons why:
1. It folds down far enough so the doors can both open all the way without having to remove rack from hitch.
2. It clears the spare tire with an inch or two to spare and it doesn't appear that any kind of wiggling will cause it to scrape.
3. It has two arms to hold the bikes, which I think is more stable than one.
4. The two arms also fold down when not in use so you can leave the rack on the truck without having to worry about the 3 ft poking out the back of your truck.
5. The brand is reputable.

unicon · July 2003

My 99 Trooper is intermittently jerking (very noticeably) when I pull up to a stop sign, and when it shifts gears as the rpms increase. I thought it was the gas so I put in some 91 octane. Seemed to cure it for a bit, then it did it again. It's done it twice now in the last week. When it's not doing this, it drives very normally.

Could it be a fuel filter?

Where is the fuel filter located?

Thanks,
UNi

dnestr · July 2003

The fuel filter is located near the rear right wheel, just you have to inspect from below. If the filter replacement doesn't help, try to scour out the fuel pump gauze (filter). But in such case the fuel tank should be disassembled and it usually takes mechanics about 3-4 hours.

dnestr · July 2003

...3-4 hours to make all the work, of course.

bstone3 · July 2003

I really don't think anything having to do with the transmission shift quality is related to gas octane or gas system. I would suspect that maybe a little computer programming by the local Isuzu dealer might help a bunch. Good luck.

sdc2 · July 2003

Yeah, if I understand the symptoms it sounds like a computer problem or at least electrical.

sbcooke · July 2003

How is shifting in general? Are they harsher than normal? It could be low transmission fluid not causing the gears to release properly?

My '99 seemed to be "surging" on upshifts, like it was holding the gear and then sling-shotting the truck at times. I had a transmission flush and that problem has since gone away? I also had a problem with my intake manifold gasket, which may have caused the computer to adjust driving and also caused this? The two services were done too close together to be sure which one fixed it.

unicon · July 2003

The truck has 45k on it now. I had all those fluids flushed at 30k, and also had to have my intake manifold gaskets replaced after my engine light came on. Guess I'm going to take it to the dealer to get a once over. Thanks guys.

-UNi

teacherjim · July 2003

My new Bridgestone Dueler A/T Revo tires came from tirerack today!, I ordered them Sat and they arrived Tuesday at 2:00, can't beat that. The tires look nice with the raised white letters contrasting with my black LS. They balanced easy and the ride seems to be much nicer than on the oem 684 duelers. I set the pressure at 35 front and back to start with. These tires appear to have a lot of promise. I will soon find out as I have to go out in a driving rainstorm now. I'll tell more as I get more miles on the tire.

sdc2 · July 2003

My 99 has always done this under acceleration at about 50+ mph...I have always assumed it is due to the shorter intake runners opening up, makes for more high-rpm ponies.

jd36 · July 2003

I bought a used 2000 Trooper Limited with TOD over a year ago. In the last 3 months I have had a bad fuel regulator, bad Intake Manifold Gasket, a clogged PCV valve, and now the check engine light comes on until I drive over 50 miles. The dealer told me the CE light is because of the gas cap (I read all about that well before hand) and it is NOT the cap that is the problem. I take my car to the isuzu shop here in Joliet IL, is there a better shop anywhere? Or any ideas how to fix this stupid orange CE light? These are all very simple problems and everything has been fixed under warranty, but it getting to be a bit much. I had a GMC Suburban for 10 years before this and had no problems.

Isuzu Trooper

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles