1st UOA - Isuzu 3.2L & havoline Blend @2,770

[Ramblin Fever]

Here goes my 1st UOA on this 153k mile engine. Engine has never been opened.

Isuzu Oil and Air filter with this Havoline blend 5w-30.

Previous oil was Havoline synthetic 5w-40.

Can't figure out how to copy & paste it, so here goes.

My averages/Univeral averages

AL 1 3
Chr 0 1
Iron 3 8
Copper 1 4
Lead 0 1
Tin 1 0
Moly 47 45
Boron 67 38
Silicon 6 12
Sodium 1 4
Calcium 1280 1893
Magn 7 171
Phosph 490 745
Zinc 576 923
Barium 0 0

Nickel, Manganese, Silver, Titanium, Potassium all 0

SUS Visc 57.5 56-62
Flashpoint 385 >365
Fuel Antifreeze 0.0 0
Water 0.0 Insolubles 0.4
Blackstone's Comments: We agree, your engine does appear to like the oil. We don't have any history for your engine so we can't give you comparative wear. Universal averages show typical wear metals for an oil from this type of engine after about 4,750 miles run on the oil. Your oil was in use for only 2,770 miles and we found all wear at below average levels and in the correct balance to show normal mechanical parts. Air and oil filtration appear normal. This was 5w/30 engine oil with no fuel, moisture or antifreeze in it. Try 4,500 miles for the next sample. Nice engine!

This OCI was from November to early February, with temps ranging from -10F to 45F, with 40-50 mile daily commute mostly street driving. Truck idles for 5-6 minutes twice a day.

Would like thoughts. I merely ran this UOA just to see if there was any antifreeze getting past the headgasket. Obviously no worries there.

I understand Insolubles may be a little high?? How do I get those down?

Anything else?

Truck has seen a life of Havoline regular 10w-30 oil, with a few rounds of Rotella synthetic 5w-40 last summer.

Do I have the right to actually be impressed with this sample? I know I only have 2,770 miles on the oil, but this engine does have 153k miles.

 

[Al]

Nice sample. Insolubles may be really close to 3.5 but we don't know that. You might have some blowby. What is your Potassium? That and sodium are better indicators of coolant leaks than the antifreeze test. By the time antifreeze is detected its bigtime leak.

 

[Ramblin Fever]

Potassium is 0

Sodium is 1

 

[Ramblin Fever]

Forgot to note:

Equipment make: Isuzu Rodeo
Equipment model: 3.2L V6 Sohc
Miles on unit: 153,000
Miles on oil: 2,770
Oil type: Havoline blend 5w-30
Oil Filter: Isuzu OEM
Make-up oil: 0

Driving conditions: 85% city street driving, very casual easy driving, no harsh throttles, allowed to idle for 5-6 minutes twice a day.

 

[Ramblin Fever]

Any body have opinions on this??

 

[Brons2]

Best report I've seen in a while, albeit for only 2,770 miles. You could run the oil a bit longer. Did it burn any? These Isuzu V6 engines are notorious oil burners.

 

[unDummy]

I'd stick with the 3mo/3k OCI simply because of the city only driving and idling(warmups?).

Good UOA.

Who makes the OEM oil filter?
Use a different oil filter or an oversized one.

And, anyone think that he should try some cleaning via Autorx/LC20/Rislone/Marvel/CD2/Seafoam?

 

[Ramblin Fever]

I believe the filter is made by a company out of Japan; but I could be wrong, I'll have to re-research that.

I've ran one round of seafoam - not too fond, personally of engine cleaners.

I'll use a diesel/gasoline oil, shorten my OCI's a bit, or whatever, but I'm not into using engine cleaners, I'm sorry.

This truck has lived a life on Havoline oils, minus 2 rounds of Rotella synthetic 5w-40. Does anyone think I should return to the Rotella diesel/gasoline oil??

 

[Anthony]

Was the engine prety quiet with this mix?
My moms 3.2 trooper is driving me crazy with the ticking and its on gold GC currenty.

It was much quieter on green Gc.

This is off topic but how often do you lube the grese points on your drive shaft ramblin?
My moms seems to have developed a drivline vibration under acceleration and high speeds and its definently not the tires because if you throw it in neutral it goes away.

Could the u joints be going bad? It has 153k on it.
Thanks!

 

[Ramblin Fever]

Someone asked if this engine uses/burns oil? Nope, never has - only uses 1/8 - 1/4qt in 3k miles and that's if I'm doing a lot of long highway stretches.

Sometimes it doesn't use any at all.

Anthony: Engine was VERY quiet

on this oil.

You know I talked to my mechanic about that very thought today, as for whatever reason, inside the passanger front wheel well you can hear this - what I always thought to be a mild rod knock sound - on my truck. Sometimes, with an oil change it gets louder, then quiets down after a few hundred miles.

Other times, like with Havoline regular oil in the 5w-30 it was very audible and obnoxious; with 10w-30 Havoline regular oil it's somewhat lighter in sound.

Then I went crazy and tried such oils as GC 0w-30, that sound got REALLY loud to the point I thought the engine was gonna blow up - it was bad!

Dumped that within a few hundred miles, it was just horribly loud. Then I tried Havoline HM 5w-30, just a slight tad quieter then the GC; then tried Havoline HM 10w-30, got REAL quiet.

Then here's the kicker, just when I thought that it (the knock sound) was leaning toward a preference for thicker oil, I tried Havoline synthetic 5w-40, noise shot through the roof, merely just as loud, if not louder then the GC.

Then went on to 2 rounds of Rotella synthetic 5w-40, engine got REAL quiet again; then back in November the oil got changed again - this time my mechanic didn't even call to ask, he just dumped in Havoline blend 5w-30.

Funny thing is, for 2 days after that oil change, engine was real loud again - then all of a sudden like a light switch, the sound was gone.

Personally, there is NO way a rod knock would have this much personality - if it's a rod knocking, it would keep knocking period. And it would sound louder with a thinner oil, but not pick and chose between WHICH thinner oils it likes and doesn't like.

So, when it came time to change out the oil again, I sent this UOA in on the 5w-30, and put in more Havoline blend, but this time 10w-30.

And guess what?? Sound is back.

So yes, it really liked the Havoline blend "5w-30", but doesn't seem to care for the 10w-30 as much.

So, I was talking to my mechanic about all of this today, he said what the sound actually is is friction. Has nothing to do with a particular rod, but rather the oils I'm using, I guess.

So, here's my plan - since it seems to really like the 5w-30 Havoline blend and it's 2nd favorite oil seems to be the Rotella synthetic, I'm thinking of going with the Rotella, unless we plan on a really cold winter.

The Rotella is easier to find over the Havoline blend 5w-30.

My truck had a very mild "tick" that only lasted for 6k miles or so, haven't heard high tail from it again.

Personally, if I were you, I've had better luck with regular dino oils, as even the Rotella synthetic is a group III, not a pure synthetic.

The suspension/driveshaft gets lubed every 30k or so when it goes in for tranny & radiator flushes.

That sounds very typical of U-joints on the fringe.

I too have 153k now.

 

[Spector]

Son has the 3.2 with 122,000 miles. has the rod rap or knock to some degree now developed a loud ticking noise as well. does not burn oil, currently Amsoil 0W30 but this oil is showing a lot of iron wear in this engine so I am going to try the series 3000 5W30 but may end up with a mix of dino delo 400 15W40 and 5W20 which seems to work well in my beater that has a head gasket leak.

Any ideas on the recent ticking noise are appreciated. Had two RX treatments about 20,000 miles ago. Runs well, just the ticking now.

 

[Ramblin Fever]

Spector - I doubt that a rod would be knocking on the 3.2L sohc engine; this engine is built like a rock on the bottom-end.

Has it ever been ran low on oil? Or possibly if a headgasket leak was of issue, then I could see a rock knocking issue.

Otherwise, when the timing belt tensioner starts to go out on these engines it sounds EXACTLY like a rod knocking, the tensioners typically go out between 80-100k miles. So, if that's the original timing belt tensioner, that could be what you're hearing.

 

[Anthony]

Ramblin do you know if these engines are interference?

 

[marcre]

I'm pretty sure all Isuzu 3.2's are non interference regardless of year.

 

[Ramblin Fever]

Yes, all Isuzu "engines" are non-interference.

But not all Isuzu's have "Isuzu" engines, i.e. the 2.2L 4-cylinder is a chevy engine, that one IS an interference engine.

 

[Spector]

thanks for the heads up on the tensioner, just had the belt replaced but the tensioner may be origina; What is causing the ticking?????? Can it be solved or live with it?

 

[Ramblin Fever]

Always change the tensioner, waterpump and belt all at the same time, you're already there.

Also, it's usually the tensioner that gives out more then the belt.

Personally, in regards to the tapping, I think I've said this before, I don't feel that that engine likes the Amsoil. Sorry, but I don't. I've researched many of your posts on that Rodeo, and it doesn't seem happy with the oil.

I can't guarantee any other oil is going to make it happier, but can't hurt to try. FYI, my engine is VERY quiet on the havoline blend 5w-30, but I've never had a tapping issue, so I can't say.

 

[Geoff]

I just replaced the rear driveshaft ujoints on our '99 Trooper at 97K miles. They were done - clear wear/loose spot in the middle. We have a mild 1" lift however. Unbolt your driveshaft at the rear axle and check the action of the ujoint.

Afterward there was a bombing vibration sound that started at about 50 mph and got worse through 65 mph. Put hose clamps on the driveshaft and guessed to offset the existing weights with the clamp screw. That fixed it - for now. It needs to be properly re-balanced.

We are using Rotella with good results in terms of wear and consumption.

 

[Anthony]

Thanks Geoff!
The vibration you described sounds just like what ours is doing.
I actually put it on the lift at work and had my friend hold the gas between 60 and 70 mph and I looked under it and the shaft appears to be spinning smoothly at the axle but it looks like its a litle wobbly where it comes out of the transfer case.

There dosent seem to be any play at all in the shaft.
I have tried to wiggle it around with the truck off and its very tight.
Could it simply just need to be balanced?
Im going to replace the joints when it comes off anyway I just hope its nothing major wrong with it.