[04SilverRodeo]

I've been having an issue with my 3.5 DI. About 2-3 times/week it hesitates after putting in drive. While this happens, if I give it more gas, it hesitates and does not go faster, just gasp and backfires a bit. I have been able to get around this by simply letting off the gas, then give it gas again...all is well. I don't have a lot of time to go to the dealer, but I did today. They said they put injector cleaner fluid thru it. It took an hour or so to do. I hope this works, but I'm not confident. Anyone else have this issue? BTW...when this does not happen, it is an awesome truck :twisted:

 

[JTK]

This sounds like the all too common intake manifold gasket failure. Maybe it carried over to the 2004 DI 3.5L :shock: :roll: ! I don't think you'd have 'dirty injectors' on a such a new truck.
G/luck
Joel

 

[04SilverRodeo]

If it happens again, I'll take it in and mention the intake manifold.

 

[04SilverRodeo]

Well, it happened again . I'll take it back to the dealer tomorrow for observation. They will have a loaner car for me while they keep it a couple of days. I sure hope it happens while they have it.

 

[hadji_85]

Loaner Car...from an Isuzu dealer...wow. Our isuzu dealer barely has stuff to sell. Also i thought they fixed the gasket problem on the 03's or 02's

 

[04SilverRodeo]

The dealer sells Mazda, Suzuki and Isuzu. The loaner is a Daewoo, they buy them at auction. While driving it, I feel like I'm dragging my butt on the road. The dealer has been very good so far. He just called and said he drove the Rodeo a couple times with no problems, but wants to keep it longer ... I said go for it! I sure hope it happens to them, cause I know once I get it back, it will happen to me.

 

[04SilverRodeo]

The Daewoo is back to the dealer and I have my Rodeo back! They were able to get a slight hesitation once. They called the tech line and they recommended changing to 0W30 oil. I mentioned that is not what my manual states, so put that in writing ... they did. So I went from Mobil 1 10W30 to Mobil 1 0W30... we shall see.

 

[chitown]

That makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. Why would the 'cold' weight of the oil make any difference in regards to an accereration hesitation? Sounds like Isuzu trying to skate on a larger problem.

 

[TexasTrooper]

Keep us posted. This is a young product on the market. The more feedback and knowledge we can build, the better for later.

 

[JTK]

That makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. Why would the 'cold' weight of the oil make any difference in regards to an accereration hesitation? Sounds like Isuzu trying to skate on a larger problem.

I agree. That is the most rediculous 'fix' for a hesitation I've ever seen. 0w-30, 5w-30, 10w-30's are all 30wt oil at operating temps, and can be interchanged, and/or used in any 30wt motor oil application without issue. That small difference when cold is totally negligable. That dealer is grasping at straws due to the lack of experience with the DI 3.5L. Unfortunately there's not enough of them out there!
G/luck
Joel

 

[tomster]

Yet another vote for the dealer is clueless.

It doesn't sound like an engine problem to me. Instead it sounds like a tranny problem. Does the car mysteriously drop out of cruise control or do the gear lights on the dash not agree with the shifter position? If so that sounds like the all too common mode switch problem. See the sticky/FAQ. Could also be some voltage or other electrical problem giving the AT fits.

Make sure the problem is throughly documented in the shop's records. Not just some "vague engine problem we told him to try a light weight oil" comment. You want this should the tranny (or engine) crash after the warranty lapses with them having failed to fix the problem when they should have.

 

[04SilverRodeo]

When it does hesitate (and it only happens 2-3 times a week), it only happens after it's been parked for a while, then before I hit about 20 mph. It will start to hesitate, if I give it more gas it does not accelerate, sort of backfires, when I let off the gas and put the gas back on all is well for the rest of the trip (I drive an hour each way to work). BTW, no codes are thrown. My concern is driving into an intersection and this happen. It's a weird thing and it happened again after the oil change, so back to the dealer. I really like this truck other than that issue. The dealer admits this is new territory for them. I want these occurrences be documented by the dealer in case it develops into something more (plus, I want it fixed).

 

[JTK]

I'd ask the dealer if they'd consider changing the intake manifold gasket. As far as the transmission goes, that's an awesome tranny in the DI 3.5L. The AW 3080LE has been used by toyota and others over the years. It's got a dipstick & probably wont have the range sensor issues that the 4L30E has.
G/luck
Joel

 

[tomster]

I didn't know the DI had a different AT, my mistake. However, that doesn't rule out it having the exact same mode switch. For example, since the computer is what tells the AT what gear to be in I can easily imagine the only thing that would be needed to control a different AT would be a different computer program. That would be a lot easier than redesigning a shifter and mode switch combination. Then again Isuzu doesn't always take the easiest route. Still though if you don't have any other mode switch symptoms and it has not gotten worse I now doubt this is your problem.

Per Jerry Lemond in another post the IMG design was changed sometime in 2002 IIRC. Thus, it is doubtful that is your problem. Also, most people with an IMG problem report a more consistent problem and one that is most prevalent at idle not one that goes away and occurs during acceleration only. Then again this is all for the regularly injected engine maybe yours is different.

Even with the mode switch less likely an option I am still not thinking it is an engine problem. Granted it could be something like a bad injector. However, the normally injected 3.5 engines seem so good about flashing a code (let alone when presumably checked by a dealer tech machine) when it is an engine problem it just seems unlikely the DI wouldn't do the same thing.

 

[JTK]

..Per Jerry Lemond in another post the IMG design was changed sometime in 2002 IIRC..

Yep, I thought I read that somewhere as well. The IMG may have been redesigned, but it still fails. My sister-in-law's 2003 3.2L rodeo had an IMG failure. That one did throw lean codes.
G/luck
Joel

 

[04SilverRodeo]

I don't know if this pic tells what type transmission I have or not ... http://www.msnusers.com/4drt/shoebox.ms ... hotoID=360

 

[JTK]

You got the good one my man. The 4L30E's are not bad, but the Asian Warner 3080LE's are better !
G/luck
Joel

 

[04SilverRodeo]

Sweet about the tranny 8) Well, I left my truck at the dealer today. I mentioned the intake manifold gasket. He said that was one of the more common repairs, but he didn't think this was my issue. He said they usually throw a code. Anyway, they have my Rodeo, and I have their Daewoo again.

 

[04SilverRodeo]

I just called the dealership to see what was going on with my Rodeo. When the tech took the truck out for a test this morning, no problem of course. So they had the owner of the dealership take it out, and bingo...it happend (pretty long too they told me... like 20 seconds while he kept his foot on the gas at the same speed). I usually let off the gas right away and let it go back to normal. They are calling Isuzu for tech help.

 

[tomster]

Well since the dealer is grasping at straws let me through another one in the mix. The drive by wire system. It seems to have generated quite a few problem posts for those that have it. Then again it almost always seem to set a CEL when they go on the fritz. Not sure you have this but since the newer Troopers do I assume yours may also.
Like I said not a strong candidate but something maybe to mention to the dealer as a possibility.