2002 Isuzu Rodeo - 3.2L LH Bank Won't Run

[Ranciersvc]

Vehicle came in with #6 cylinder leaking water into spark plug tube. Removed heads; had right side cleaned and machined. Purchased reman left head. Installed and engine wouldn't run.

Pulled head and found soot and debris in #4 & #6 intake valves from head. Ordered new head. Installed new head. Reset timing according to manual. Vehicle start but only runs on right bank. Has good compression, spark, injector pulse but won't run off left bank.

Any ideas would be very helpful. Thanks

[Tim Martin]

whoa whoa whoa!!!!!!! what a story. Let me think about that one awhile.

[steven kiser]

man, been there. i do believe there are two production heads for this suv. make sure the cams are correct and the head is ordered by vin. again i'll only reccomend or use alabama cylinder head............................

[Tim Martin]

i guess i woulda been looking more at the wiring, fuel pressure, etc rather than a mechanical issue, especially if there is good compression on each cylinder. I been there already on other vehicles only to discover a sensor or something not connected.

[Ranciersvc]

Have gone over this many time.Even had some of my other techs relook to make sure all is connected. Head was ordered from local parts house not from Isuzu. We have triple checked the cams and all is right according to the manual. We had to change the LH side from the way it was set when it was rebuilt to even get it to start. But we went thru the steps that is shows if you didn't mark the timing just to make sure it was all in line.

[steven kiser]

i'm not sure of the year but i had one whee the reluctor wheel on the left head for the cam sensor was totally incorrect. there two types and thery aren't interchangable. it sounds just like the head banger i had.

[Ranciersvc]

This is the head without cam sensor. Has hole with plug. Noticed new issue today. We got correct info for timing from Isuzu and set. Used new timing belt. Vehicle started without valve cover on. Put cover on and hooked all up and now won't start again.... We are tearing it back down once again...

[Tim Martin]

this is about as strange as the shop that called me for advice on a 1995 Mit 3000gt. The timing belt tore, bent all valves, machine shop redid heads, shop put engine back together. Engine would run only after the upper intake was removed. Strange indeed.

[Ranciersvc]

Well we have come to the conclusion with our vendor that the debris that they said would not hurt the rings actually did. Not only that but the 2nd head they rebuilt and sent to us was our old head that was leaking water into the cylinder.. Never again will we go that route... So now we are trying to get a engine paid for from their remanufacturer.. So goes the saga.. Thanks for the ideas...

[Tim Martin]

whoa, what a deal! Oh boy, that is like trying to pull hens teeth. Good luck.

[brianp87]

What company did you use so I can avoid them.

[RancierService]

We went thru Carquest but I think he said the vendor they had was Moores.

[steven kiser]

We went thru Carquest but I think he said the vendor they had was Moores.

ALABAMA CYLINDER HEAD........................................................................................

[Tim Martin]

steve, could you tell more about this Alabama Cylinder Head place? I have heard of them but have not used them yet. Especially two details: price and delivery time.

[steven kiser]

pricing is very reasonable considering the quality of the part. call for price. it's an 800#. the delivery time is two days (as a rule) through ups and they include the pick up ticket and tag to ship it back. very, very professional.

[Ranciersvc]

Will definately look for Alabama next time. We sent engine to machine shop and found the debris did wash out the rings and pistons. That's okay our vendor is taking care of that bill and hashing it out with their guy.

[steven kiser]

count your blessings. the problem is solved and even though you've taken it up the breezeway it's soon to be behind you.

[Tim Martin]

What did the teacher used to say? Experience is the best teacher!

Thanks to this forum, more of us learn at the same time. Thanks guys! I feel like I am in good company.

So what happened is that dirt and or debris from the head or the intake manifold went into the combustion chamber and ruined the rings/cylinder walls. Correct?

[Ranciersvc]

From what we saw it looked like they sand blasted the head and then painted. Once we started the engine 2 of the cylinders intake valves jammed up with the aluminum and sand material and some must have went down into the cylinders. Which is what we figured happened but they told us that it was just grinding compound and it wouldn't hurt anything. But now that we have the engine apart it wiped out the rings, pistons, and bearings.

[Tim Martin]

Not nice.

Thanks for the info.