Piston Slap: Such a Trooper!

Sajeev Mehta
by Sajeev Mehta

Keith writes:

Sajeev,

I am facing a problem with little real consequence, just more looking for advice. We have a third vehicle, one that isn’t really used much and was purchased for $1400 a couple years ago to serve as a backup when/if one of our primary vehicles was out of service (A 2005 Pahtfinder with 130k miles and a 1998 Rodeo 4×4 with 235k miles). It’s a 1999 Isuzu Trooper 4×4 with about 190k miles on the clock. Other than burning oil there really wasn’t anything wrong with it. Everything worked and to be honest my wife liked driving it much more than her everyday car.

That being said, after changing some dry rotted belts and hoses I decided to take a look at the timing belt to make sure it looked ok. After pulling off the cover it was badly deteriorated. I employed my father in law to try to change the timing belt. Long story short, we were off on the timing and think the heads are now ruined.

I am considering replacing the heads (about $350 a piece online) but I have also seen longblocks on ebay for $1200 to $1400 as well with less miles than mine. What is the better way to go with this? A junk yard engine or just put some remanfuactured heads on the existing?

I know the heads are the easier fix, and this vehicle really isn’t anything we depend on, but it is nice having a third car. I also am weary of buying a junkyard motor as there’s no telling how long it’s been sitting. There is always the option of getting another craigslist car but I spent a lot of time finding a decent one and I don’t feel like scouring the dregs of Houston craigslist to find another decent deal. If I replace the heads I may consider doing an in-car rebuild to replace the piston rings as well. It’s basically just a weekend project car right now and my kids can learn a little while I work on it.

Sajeev answers:

I wonder what people outside of Houston think about a three car truck household. Such is the joy of living in the flyover states, in a gigantic cow town more diverse than New York City. A land where all people enjoy the Body-on-Frame lifestyle!

Or not…but I digress.

I think you are on the right track, replacing the heads is the cheapest fix. There’s (probably) nothing wrong with the short block after a timing belt fiasco: take a borescope (make sure it fits thru a spark plug hole, some cheaper models will not) and check the piston for cracks/holes. I suspect the valves are messed up and nothing more.

Once the replacement heads are in your garage, get a complete gasket set too. This is ensures everything is freshened from the head gaskets all the way up to the fuel injectors and throttle body! Why not make the motor 100% sorted if you’re going to all this trouble?

You seem to like this rig; it is a Trooper, after all. Go ahead and do it right this time.

As I mentioned on Monday, I am running low on reader-submitted questions. So start thinking of something fun and clever about your car, send it over…keeping in mind the information in the next paragraph.

Send your queries to sajeev@thetruthaboutcars.com. Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you’re in a hurry…but be realistic, and use your make/model specific forums instead of TTAC for more timely advice.
Sajeev Mehta
Sajeev Mehta

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  • Kericf Kericf on Sep 05, 2013

    patman, That's what I thought and read when I started the job and I have the shop manual for the 3.2L in the Rodeo and I have done the belt job in it multiple times. But after missing on the crank pully by a tooth or two and then resetting the belt and making sure everything was good I tried it again and it sounds like hell. I have all the marks right now and I even counted teeth but it's still off. I haven't taken the heads off yet to check them, work has been busy and I haven't had the time to verify, but after reading up on it a bit the 3.5 in the 98+ troopers was a modified version of the 3.2 and the height change in the heads in the 3.5 make them more susceptable to bent valves with a timing problem. I will verify when I can get the heads off. Sorry for the late response, I have been out of town a couple weeks for work. I hope to make it a learning experience for the kids mainly. As for having three low MPG suvs, I drive about 3 miles to a bus stop, or about 20 miles to the airport most days. So not a lot of driving anymore, and the type of work I do bennefits from having the 4wd when I need to be on-site and both have been pretty reliable. They also work well for camping/ski road trips we take as a family about 4 to 5 times a year.

  • Andy D Andy D on Sep 07, 2013

    I set the engine at TDC in #1 before I take it apart. The general rule is that if you start with the timing marks set correctly, 2 complete turns of the crank shaft will bring it back to the marks. Take the plugs out and turn the crankshaft with a wrench. If it fetches up.Stop.

  • EBFlex Wow Canada actually doing something decent for a change. What a concept.
  • 3-On-The-Tree To Khory, I was a firefighter as well and the worst thing about car fires was the fumes from all the plastics and rubber, tires etc.
  • ToolGuy I listened to this podcast today and I read the study summary at "www dot iseecars dot com slash longest-lasting-cars-study" and this study is weird. Multiple issues with this thing.
  • Sayahh If you can stop ppl from leaving way more than 7 car lengths between cars because they are texting, then you csn improve speeds and traffic flow tremendously IMO.
  • Blueice Carfax suxks.
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