Parrothead Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 Hey everyone,I thought I'd ask your opinions on some trouble we're having with our Trooper. It is very well taken care of, for the most part. It is 10 years old, just turned 100K miles, and we replace/maintain as needed, however, the last oil change was 6K miles ago. I usually take it in between 4-5K (the manual says 10K or once a year depending on your drive time) so this is the longest I've gone without it being changed.Last night there was a slight decrease in engine power as the "Check Engine" light came on (that has NEVER happened!). It idles VERY rough now as well. One of our belts has been squealing upon startup for about a week; we were going to take it to see if it needed adjustment (it's about a year old).We took it over to our mechanic this morning, but I wanted to pick the minds of some of you more seasoned car gents and see if you could give me some ideas, if that's possible to do online. Could it be the oil filter? Or do you think it is something more sinister? I also wonder if the belt has anything to do with it or if that is totally unrelated.TIA! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jm1fd Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 The only thing that I could think of that would cause a belt to squeal AND a check engine light would be a dying alternator. Not likely for an alternator to cause both at once, however.I would give it a 99% chance of having NOTHING to do with the oil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark F. Barnes Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 Belt squeal is probably not related to the other, belt squeal could be something as simple as an older belt reacting to change in the weather, seriously. I assume it has a continuous serpentine belt, I'd change it. Now the loss of power and check engine light can be many things, but with that kind of mileage, and if I remember right you got it from your in-laws, it's probably been driven like "Miss Daisy" and the catalytic converter is just about clogged up. It happens in 100K plus mileage vehicles. You heard the term "blow the soot out" well actually it's a good thing every now and then. Because build up in the catalytic converter is a progressive process, an eventually blocks it off and your engine is choked down. It's usually the excessive back-pressure in the exhaust that triggers a fail code at the O2 sensor, resulting in the check engine light. If your mechanic has a ECM reader he should pickup on this pretty quick, if not you may get a lot of guess work. There is also the chance you could have a bad MAF sensor which will also trigger a code, and again a check engine light, and it will also cause a lack of power, because the ECM cannot calculate the proper air/fuel mixture without a Mass Air Flow reading. Good luck Polly. Oh yeah I concur on the oil filter deal, not an issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted February 9, 2007 Author Share Posted February 9, 2007 Belt squeal is probably not related to the other, belt squeal could be something as simple as an older belt reacting to change in the weather, seriously. I assume it has a continuous serpentine belt, I'd change it. Now the loss of power and check engine light can be many things, but with that kind of mileage, and if I remember right you got it from your in-laws, it's probably been driven like "Miss Daisy" and the catalytic converter is just about clogged up. It happens in 100K plus mileage vehicles. You heard the term "blow the soot out" well actually it's a good thing every now and then. Because build up in the catalytic converter is a progressive process, an eventually blocks it off and your engine is choked down. It's usually the excessive back-pressure in the exhaust that triggers a fail code at the O2 sensor, resulting in the check engine light. If your mechanic has a ECM reader he should pickup on this pretty quick, if not you may get a lot of guess work. There is also the chance you could have a bad MAF sensor which will also trigger a code, and again a check engine light, and it will also cause a lack of power, because the ECM cannot calculate the proper air/fuel mixture without a Mass Air Flow reading. Good luck Polly. Oh yeah I concur on the oil filter deal, not an issue. Mark, good lord, your memory is pretty awesome!! I can't believe you can even remember that. However this is not that car. That is the minivan (which is falling apart on its own, LOL), this is Matt's Trooper he bought new in '97. Would it have a catalytic converter? Also this has seperate belts, not a serpentine (unlike the minivan). BTW with the way Matt drives, it def was driven like Miss Daisy. The fruit doesn't fall far from the tree Now me, on the other hand.... > Thanks so much for your opinions guys. I just don't want to sound like an ignorant housefrau when the mechanic calls to talk to me about this (Matt is in meetings all morning). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark F. Barnes Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 Yes it has a catalytic converter and I'd still change the belts. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted February 9, 2007 Author Share Posted February 9, 2007 Okay, spoke with the mechanic and he said he replaced all belts last spring, just needs to adjust them from the cold weather like jm said. So that's good, because I thought we had only replaced the one. The problem though seems to be with a coil and a spark plug. The whole frickin' thing is $400. $70 for the diagnostic test, $110 for the coil (it has some sort of platinum or titanium?) and $12 for the spark plug, the rest is labor. He said it is an easy fix and will have it done today. I should have been a mechanic. I don't think I made that much per hour when I was dancing. Ooops, wha? Kidding! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 I should have been a mechanic. I don't think I made that much per hour when I was dancing. Ooops, wha? Kidding! <mumbles something about cleavage and walks away> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modernceo Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 Belt squealing, is almost always caused by a bad belt tensioner. They are fairly easy, and inexpensive to replace, my guess is if thats the problem, it would cost less than $150 to buy a brand new tensioner and have it replaced by a mechanic. Loss of power, and bad idle, could be something ignition related, or electronic related. Maybe a bad sensor, or wiring, or coilpacks, etc. I guarantee this has nothing to do with your oil filter. Oil itself, when not changed regularly enough, can cause problems, but not the oil filter. Okay, spoke with the mechanic and he said he replaced all belts last spring, just needs to adjust them from the cold weather like jm said. So that's good, because I thought we had only replaced the one. The problem though seems to be with a coil and a spark plug. The whole frickin' thing is $400. $70 for the diagnostic test, $110 for the coil (it has some sort of platinum or titanium?) and $12 for the spark plug, the rest is labor. He said it is an easy fix and will have it done today. I should have been a mechanic. I don't think I made that much per hour when I was dancing. Ooops, wha? Kidding! Haha ! Just read this, and I was right ! Ignition related! Hope your car runs well afterwards ! Sounds like your mechanic has gotten everything under control. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted February 9, 2007 Author Share Posted February 9, 2007 <mumbles something about cleavage and walks away> now I've gotcha wonderin', don't I??! ROTFL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 The problem though seems to be with a coil and a spark plug. The whole frickin' thing is $400. $70 for the diagnostic test, $110 for the coil (it has some sort of platinum or titanium?) and $12 for the spark plug, the rest is labor. He said it is an easy fix and will have it done today. I should have been a mechanic. I don't think I made that much per hour when I was dancing. Ooops, wha? Kidding! haha! and 400 - gross. i just spent about that much replacing the keys/ignition. most was labor. and i hardly put any miles on the car - the worst part was that i asked the mechanic if there was anything i could do to prevent this from recurring (the car is only about five years old, with about 40k miles) and he basically said that no, they're just built crappy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted February 9, 2007 Author Share Posted February 9, 2007 That DOES suck, sev. I have to say, I really LOVE our Isuzu. I mean, other than little things like this, we've really never had any problems with it. It has just been a wonderful car for us, which is why we've kept it so long, and probably will continue to. The Ascenders are supposed to be just as good and we've looked at them--it's hard to beat a 7-passenger loaded SUV w/leather and DVD/Navigation for under 30K. They look just like the Envoy thanks to GM's part ownership of Isuzu USA. Isuzu has its share of drama right now with the original intent to pull out all US operations but now they're rethinking, or at least, that's the rumor. I digress... 40K just seems to be so few miles for major stuff to happen, but isn't that how they are programming cars these days? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 40K just seems to be so few miles for major stuff to happen, but isn't that how they are programming cars these days? yeah - of course the manufacturers have to support the automotive $ervice industry - and it is a ford Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJones Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 haha!and 400 - gross. i just spent about that much replacing the keys/ignition. most was labor. and i hardly put any miles on the car - the worst part was that i asked the mechanic if there was anything i could do to prevent this from recurring (the car is only about five years old, with about 40k miles) and he basically said that no, they're just built crappy Sev, what kind of Ford is it, and did you check for recalls before you took it in? 40k and having to replace and ignition and keys seems very rare. Remember, I am in the business, and that just seems like an anomaly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 Sev, what kind of Ford is it, and did you check for recalls before you took it in? 40k and having to replace and ignition and keys seems very rare. Remember, I am in the business, and that just seems like an anomaly.yeah, i checked the recalls - none (yet, maybe?)that's why i asked the mechanic about it, to see if there was anything i could do/not do.oh, and the keys weren't replaced, just re-programmed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJones Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 yeah, i checked the recalls - none (yet, maybe?)that's why i asked the mechanic about it, to see if there was anything i could do/not do.oh, and the keys weren't replaced, just re-programmedBut you had to replace the ignition ? Just don't seem right, and reprogramming keys cost about $85 because it takes an hour on the computer. Miracles of modern technology. Next time you need service from Ford, call me first will ya ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted May 21, 2007 Share Posted May 21, 2007 So yesterday I was driving behind this Isuzu SUV, and the license plate frame said "Parrothead"! Could it have been? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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