“Been there for me when a lot of things and times weren’t for me in my life”. That connection you get with your vehicle is one of the best things in life, actually having someone there for you.
Right! That there is the closest connection I have to my trooper. It's been there for me when I have needed it the most. When everything else had failed I always had the Trooper!
My '94 Jap market import to the UK has manual hubs as stock but only the Duty model has rear LSD. Cheap as chips from a breakers though and a Sat morning to fit. 3.1 TD is best engine, no petrol will like the wet stuff.
I have a 92 Isuzu trooper. It’s in good condition has over 350k miles. Still runs like a boss. I will probably have to replace the engine ones but feels like it can run another 350k miles ! Give it a good maintenance. That’s the secret.
Nice Trooper man, that 3.5 is a super smooth running engine ..but they do have a taste for the slick stuff ..clean the EGR tube can help some with oil consumption but at 200k it should use a little. My 01 has 265 k on it and uses a quart ever 500 or 600 miles i recently switched to 15w40 now about 1000miles between top offs...for the guys with auto trans 4l30e run it in power mode all the time ,,trans will last longer still on my original trans ..it hold the shift point a little longer and stops that shutter after it shifts into high..would like to have a 5speed someday with the 3.5 but there few around ..thanks for the video keep it up...
Great tip regarding the power mode! I have a 2000 trooper and maintaining the transmission is a big concern of mine. I just bought it with 130K miles on it. Been thinking about putting some fresh transmission oil as well. Do you consider that important as well? Any other things to look out for? Any guidance is greatly appreciated.
Cody, you are a good man. You made one hell of a good video. I am currently building an 98 Isuzu Trooper, green over brown and it has been one pain in the butt! Today we finally fixed the last little electrical glitch after three transmission! Long story on the transmissions not worth going into. Finally, after a year of tinkering the Trooper is ready for some fun stuff. Going to make a complete Bug-Out survivalist vehicle of it. I have been buying military water cans and fuel cans, Military sleeping bags, food boxes and now looking to possibly have a tent made for it. I mean one that covers the whole vehicle. I will be jamming here in Pueblo Colorado.
I like the video. Just picked up an Isuzu Rodeo and like others said this video makes me want to make mine more off-road capable. Also when you mentioned Cibola National Forest I thought Albuquerque? No way! Then I saw your Lobo plate and thought Awesome haha.
yep i'm in Albuquerque! 505 baby! haha. yeah there are lots of mods you can do on these Isuzus to make them better. The best site for parts is independent4x, planet isuzoo forums, and isuzu trader facebook group
thank you for the video of your Troopie! I have a Jeep GCK and a 1998 Trooper. Love this trooper, Its automatic and the weak point is the tranny, I rebuilt the valve body on mine and it has improved it.Love the nice mods you did. Wich I could do the same on mine.
Cool video man lots of info!! My friends dad had one of these when I was growing up I went a lot of places in a Trooper I’m driving to decide if I want one or an older pathfinder.
Thats awesome! I cant speak for pathfinders, but there's a pretty large isuzu community and they are solid as a rock! But they can be hard to find depending on the part of the country youre in
Hey man that's a smooth machine and appreciate you taking care of it. Hope to have one soon so am praying for it so if you ever in Uganda never know. Hahahaha
Nice rig. Although I do have safety concerns with the position of your high lift jack. Never mount your high lift jack up front, because in a likelihood of a crash the jack may end up inside the vehicle and injure passengers. High lift Jacks should be mounted at the side or back of the vehicle.
At 6:30 you point us to the bolt on the torsion bar that can raise/lower the bar. My goal is actually to lower the ride by about an inch (mostly highway driving and I need to go cross country). Can I lower the suspension using this method without having to replace or adjust other components? Currently running a completely stock setup, with 245/75 r16's (versus the 245/70 stock height, a difference of about .5" total height, so that should be 1/4 inch from center of wheel versus dead stock).
Check your piston rings if you decide to rebuild, you may have bad rings and burn oil there. I had a 92 with the 3.2, when it was rebuilt it had to get new piston rings. Never burnt oil again.
Braxton Bunner The oil drain-back holes in the piston head are the culprit with the 6VD1/6VE1 motors be sure to drill them out larger. It'll make the oil burning a thing of the past. Good to hear new rings fixed it for ya!
awesome truck.. just got my first trooper a couple of days ago, 97 same color as your but really neglected.... found a transmission in ABQ... and will prob go get it soon. Hope mine end s up close to capable as yours.
I have a 1993 TROOPER, 110,000 miles, and still use it for my daily driver. I ran across this video and you have me wanting to make mine a little more off-road capable. I have no mechanical skills and a very limited budget. Other than the lift (which I do not want) what do you recommend as the basic upgrades to make for the rocky trails (no rack crawling) in Nevada? Like shocks, springs, etc. Can a general repair shop handle it? Thanks. Too bad consumer reports killed my year TROOPER. I never had a rollover. And lean has never been a problem with my driving habits. THANK YOU FOR THIS VIDEO!
If you are not looking to add any lift a real easy upgrade would definitely be some good all terrain tires, the trooper is very capable off road in its stock form. And if you ever do want lift, its very easy. Crank the torsion bars and space out the rear spring. Yours will fit 31 inch (265 75 r16) on the stock rims with no lift, which should add a little height witout modifying any suspension stuff, so thats good. I know old man emu (OME) has some good replacement rear springs that are more tuned for off roading. And Rancho shocks are great. A general repair shop should be able to handle those tasks. Glad it was helpful!
Yeah parts are tough to find. The bumper and HD tie rods came from Independent4X. The snorkel was ebay. Everything else was pretty much custom. The rear coil springs came from a grand cherokee, the coil spring spacers are for an XJ (I think). The Aisin manual hubs I got from a junkyard 89 trooper, but these can be found online too. And the diff drop was all custom. Just gotta keep your eyes open!
Hey how you connect the radio I can’t find the wiring diagram for my 98 Isuzu trooper I have to connect manually from the stock wires I can’t find which colors to connect to which
they do make a harness adapter for the trooper stereo, but you'll have to search online for it. For mine i cut the wires and spliced them myself. I couldn't tell you what wires went where, it was so long ago. the speakers were easy to figure out, then there's power and ground and another wire back there. its not too hard to figure out, but the wiring harness would make it simpler
Hey Cody do you happen to have the link on planet isuzu to the post about lifting trooper? I've never messed around with suspension and I reckon I could do a lot of work myself. Not sure how to remove coil springs from a junk vehicle etc. 😊
There are plenty of threads on the forum. If you search this in Google you'll find a lot: site:forum.planetisuzoo.com "torsion bar lift" But it's simple, 4 counter clockwise turns lifts the font around an inch. You'll need to turn search torsion bar nut an equal amount of turns.
Awesome truck man. Wish I still had my '98 S, was all white with true dual flowmasters super tens great sound. Total loss tho @ 223xxx miles -.- was still strong too only burning 1/2qt every 800-1000mi. 98-99 are the best models of these beasts really wish Consumer Reports was bought off by GM to defame the trooper and ultimately destroy the brand, if not these trucks would've been running toe toe nowadays with exterras, 4runners, trialhawks/cherrokees ect. Great rig tho I'm still looking for my lost one, a reincarnation at least lol
I live in ABQ, do you wheel with a group or solo? I’m always looking for people to go wheeling with. I end up going alone rolling the dice on getting stuck. Lol I have a 90 XJ that I fixed up over time. Converted it from a 2wd.
Nice! Sometimes solo, sometimes with friends. I have a few buddies we usually do a run at cedro peak every now and then. I'm always down to wheel! Sounds like a cool conversion to do! Was it hard?
My transfer case is shift on the fly for 2 High / 4 High. If I want 4 - Low I have to come to a stop in neutral and shift a lever on my console. These trucks were made instead of a manual/automatic hub but with a flange that kept the front axle always engaged so that you can shift on the fly at speeds up to 60 MPH. On mine I have to stop and engage my hubs before I press the 4WD button that engages the transfer case for 4WD. I can leave my hubs "locked" and it will act just like the truck did when it had the flange, and I can go between 4 and 2 wheel drive as I please. but for driving around town and on the highway the hubs really remove a lot of drag and wear and tear on the front drive line
yes, it is shift on the fly. i.e. i can go from 2 high to 4 high without stopping and pushing a button. This simply engages the transfercase and hooks up the front axle. the trooper originally had a flange and the front hubs were always engaged. the manual hubs relieve that so the front axle doesn't turn all the time. I still have to come to a stop to engage 4 low on my transfer case shifter
in my case, we had access to an air powered bumper-jack. This made it a 2 man job. But without something like that I'd say you're gonna need at least 4 guys. Two to hold the bumper up and another two to be down below bolting everything together. Its not that hard to do, everything bolts right up, its just very large and clunky
I think I paid around $400 for the whole thing. That's including labor, high flow cat, muffler, and 2.5 inch pipe. im sure it could be done cheaper if you bought the materials and parts yourself and knew how to weld!
Brush guards? I'm not too sure. I actually don't think I've ever seen one for a 2.5 Gen drooper (1998-2002). Your best bet is the ARB Bumper, but it's a pretty big commitment to get one of those ha
I was going to get a 2” coil spring and crank the torsion bar all the way up. This is mostly for looks but do I need to anything else after lifting it or will it be ready to go?
A few comments on this: I wouldn't do a full torsion bar crank unless you're willing to modify more components - for a few reasons: 1: There's a 100% chance your CV boots aren't going to be able to withstand the angle and they will tear - unless you have manual locking hubs. If you don't have manual hubs your boots are going to tear. What you could do is add a "diff drop" which I did, lowers the diff and that evens our your CV shafts. Which is super cool but a pretty involved project. 2: The front suspension travel is limited by the upper ball joint. You'll get better travel if you "flip" the balljoint and add a spacer. If you don't do this your suspension will "top out" because you won't have very much down travel. Like if you fly over a speed bump you're going to be hitting your bump stops all the time. And it makes for a really rough ride. And annoying to have the suspension not travelling properly. For the rear end you're set. You can add taller springs and you'll be okay. If you're doing it just for looks I would highly consider doing a body lift (which is actually on my bucket list as well). A body lift will give your truck the appearance of more lift, plus the ability to clear taller tires. And you don't have to mess with any of the suspension geometry. Everything will be within factory spec as it was designed. ---- Before I did my diff drop and ball joint flip I had about 1.25 inch torsion bar crank in the front and 2 inch taller springs in the back. Running in this configuration I tore 3 pairs of CV boots - until I added manual hubs. I put on 265 75r 16 Tires at this time. This is what my trooper looked like with this much lift: th-cam.com/video/CyUFHPm5NP4/w-d-xo.html
How efficient is the truck in the mud? Do you have a diff lock on the Isuzu? I'm interested in this Trooper but I'm more familiar with Land Rovers. Thanks!
I've been really happy with its performance in the mud. I don't have a locker. But my trooper (all the second gens) have a pretty beefy LSD rear. The option is called G80 on the options tag. I have an open diff in the front. If you watch this video of mine, there is a part at the end when I'm in some mud. pulled out a guy in a cherokee with a welded rear end and i was able to make it through in my trooper. th-cam.com/video/B3XlGg0bGUI/w-d-xo.html
hello cody its me jason with the 99 isuzu trooper ive set mine up exactly like yours with same size trires same winch 12,000lb badlands winch fog lights and i added a super duty trans cooler with built in fan , problem ive been having is when ever i use the winch it burns out my alternator , its a 75 amp alternator , from what i understand its a stock alternator , is there something im missing as far as hooking up the winch ? positive negative standard hook up , have you had any problem with your alternator buring out or did you go with a bigger alternator ? anywhere i have looked they say do not have a bigger alternator , i did find one on line 90 amp but i believe i would have the same problem , i think alternator needs to be 150 amp to work corectly with winch ??any advice would be helpful . if you go to superjaydog2 on youtube you will see my trooper
Does anyone know where you can buy a windshield washer cap for a 98 isuzu trooper? I have looked high and low with no success. Maybe you know of a good trooper parts place.
Check with local junk yards. Of you don't have any, try an online auto wrecker like www.jandjautowrecking.com/ you might need to get an entire new reservoir
Who did your snorkel install? And if you did it yourself could you possibly post a video of the hood popped so we can see the connections and which parts of the factory airbox come out?
I installed it myself. You can't really see the connections from right under the hood. You have to remove the plastic splash guard from inside the wheel well on the front driver side to work on it from inside the wheel well. All the connections are inside the fender and you can't really see anything. Remove the entire lower part of the air box. You'll have to remove the foam pre-filter from the lower part of the air box. Then the inlet to the air box isn't quite circular its more like a "D" shape. But a piece of 4 inch flexible air ducting will work with a hose clamp to attach the air box to the piece of snorkel tubing, worked for me. If you bought the same kit as mine that says "Trooper" on it there were a few pieces that I didn't end up using. I think that kit was meant for diesel troopers overseas.
I use rotella synthetic 15W-40 in the hot summer months, in the winter I'll run 10W-30. Its tough to find an oil that doesn't burn. My engine doesn't tick, I believe the valve tick issue is fixed on the 3.5L motors. Although the 3.5s introduced the really bad oil burning. :P the only "tick" i ever had was a timing belt tensioner that was going out
Hi Cody, I am from to Costa Rica and I have a little problems with oil burn, normal temperature in my country is around 25°C and I use 20w50 Kendall oil. In 15w40 is most popular in diesel engine but you said is the best grade for our 3.5 6ve1 engine?
You are correct! This is more or less how the 2nd gen troopers are from the factory, locked all the time. I added the manual hubs to relieve the CV shafts and boots in all my around - town and 2WD driving. Pretty good deal and got a little better MPG too
I'm thinking I read something from one of the factory manuals that basically said these burn a little oil from day one. My 2000 does. Always has. Never has increased or decreased. But not enough to ever see smoke. No residue on the back, and it's white so it would be easy to see. Only thing I don't care for about the whole truck is the way they did away with the transmission filler tube / dipstick. This can only be for two reasons. First, so you'll have to take it to someone to check out the transmission "problem" when it's low on fluid. And second, so you'll have to buy another vehicle when the transmission "goes out" (gets low on fluid and the average owner can't check it or afford to take to a shop). In other words, planned obsolescence... It amazes me that people still talk about how manufacturers could do "this", or do "that" and have a more reliable vehicle or product. Haven't were figured out yet that they don't want to sell us anything that lasts any longer than it has to? Nice work on yours, btw. you might try some spacers around a half or three quarters of an inch on your front bumper and measure the wheel base on both sides to make sure the right front wheel isn't a little forward.
Hey man! /user/EnemyOfEloquence here, you helped me out on reddit. I finally got my trooper all set, 99'. The shocks need to be redone and some new tires. Any recommendations? I won't be out 4x4ing nearly as much as you, but if I'm replacing them I thought I mind as well do the small lift. Any idea what kind of MPG you get? I did a full tank and it seems I get around 16 MPG. Is that normal? Any tips on upping MPG?
Hey! glad I could help. I recommend Rancho shocks, I was using monroes before and i didn't care for them so much. If you run 265/75 r16 tires (31s) those should fit without any lift. I wouldn't lift more than 1.5 inches unless you are getting manual locking hubs or a diff drop. Your CV boots won't last long with added lift. On my trooper the fist time I lifted it 2 inches within 200 miles I tore the CV boots haha. I'll get 14 -16 MPG with my 285 (33 inch) tires. The manual locking hubs did help gas mileage quite a bit.
/r/4x4 for subreddits. on facebook Isuzu Trader and Holden Jackaroo/Isuzu 4x4 are good groups for isuzu/trooper stuff. and you can't forget planetisuzoo forums ha
Nice rig. Have you had any trouble finding parts for repairs and maintenance? Curious since Isuzu doesn't have a huge presence in the US anymore (except for commercial trucks).
Jim Giddens I've had very little problems. They sold a lot of isuzus into the mid 2000s. I have had to go to the junkyard for a part one time. But never really a big issue
Hey bro, know this is an old video. But I'm in the hunt to do a 4x4 build. And I feel the Trooper and Monteros are a steal for the price. One thing I've noticed on the troopers is a lot that are for sale in my area have transmission issues (literally a good majority). Are these rigs known for transmission issues, did yours ever give you transmission issues? Any info I'd appreciate it.
Hey! Thanks for checking out my video. I agree, trooper's are cheap, parts are cheap they are one of a kind! As for transmissions, the Automatics are known for being generally too weak for the application and they don't really last long. This is the GM 4L30E. It's literally the weakest point. You'll be golden if you can find one with a manual! If you go 97 and older the manual is a MUA5, bullet proof. 98-02, which is what I have, has an Aisin AR-5, which is a little different than the MUA5, but great. I'd say the sweet spot is a 98-02 with a 5 speed. But the 3.5 V6 from 98-02 are known to burn oil if not porperly maintained, so you'll wanna check on oil consumption on which ever one you go with. Hope you get a trooper!
I didn't re-gear it. Since mine is a manual it already has 4.30 gears. I can easily pull 75-80 on the highway, hills are tough and usually slow me down. the 3.5 V6 is pretty powerful. I have read that rear - end gears are tough to find for 98+ troopers, they have the "modified 12 bolt" and there were not very many options. other than these 5.56 gears or whatever that came from iceland and they are impossible to find.
i have a 1999 trooper im looking to pritty much do what you have done 33s or 32s small lift and winch bumper i have the same rear end but mine is automatic , so kinda nervous on if it will act right with the tire change , did you use stock rims ? and ima having hard time finding anything for it , ive looked on ebay 4x4 shops custom build shops no one has anything for it .
I'm using stock rims, the rims are easy to find 6 lug by 5 inches i think pretty standard size most GM trucks use the same size. If you keep the lift around 1.5 inches or less in the front your CV boots should be okay, but manual hubs will really help and keep them from wearing down during everyday driving. your best bet is independent4x for any isuzu aftermarket accessories. i had a friend with a 2000 automatic trooper and it felt like it had plenty of power with 33s. He added an additional transmission cooler though, since the automatics are known to fail.
I guess one step at a time for me I just ordered the delux winch bumper from 4x4 $999 total cost best price I found shipping and all but have to wait 3 months for it , I paid more for the bumper than I did for the truck bought the truck for $500 Off Gary Richraths from reo speedwagon x wife she had since new so good news it's one owner and very well maintained. 150,000 on it
Cody Shell already bought it, it isn't as nice as yours, but it gets from a to b, wich is enough, i guess, but it only shifts at 3,000 rpm, does yours do that?, it might not be too high , but it certainly feels like it, and steering feels like it's conected to the tires with rope or something, any thoughts on what may the problem be?
Wouldn't know much about the shifting since mine is a manual. You might want to look on your center console and see if you have the "winter" and "power" buttons. Those change when the automatic transmission shifts. i have read leaving them both pressed all the time isn't a problem. It will feel like you have a bit more power since the shift points are different. Sounds like your steering box. I found on the forum that the steering box has an adjustment screw/nut. It is the free-play adjustment that takes the play out of the steering, sounds like that is your problem. You might want to look into adjusting it. Check out this thread: forum.planetisuzoo.com/viewtopic.php?t=24147
Yeah it was from ebay. the kit i believe is made for a diesel trooper so there were a few parts i didnt end up needing to get it hooked up to the V6 air box. Took a little finagling but its not too hard to figure out.
I'm currently working on 2 Isuzus but they're not SUVs. Got an I-Mark(check my channel) and a first generation Impulse. I-Mark has 3 pedals, Impulse has 2. That will be fixed.
Only if you engage the hubs when you're in 4 wheel drive, at lower speeds and whatnot. Highway and city driving you'll definitely want those hubs disengaged to minimize wear on the boots.
I wish you made more videos, this is literally one of the best of a trooper
Thanks!!! I have more videos in the works! My next trooper video should be up late this week or next week.
@@CodyShell awesome I will keep an eye out for it, I have a 94 bighorn, never video though, really good to see other troops out
@@Greg-ys8wq Right on man! It REALLY is one of the best!
I just got a Supercharger for my trooper, I'll have a video of it up soon!!
“Been there for me when a lot of things and times weren’t for me in my life”. That connection you get with your vehicle is one of the best things in life, actually having someone there for you.
Right! That there is the closest connection I have to my trooper. It's been there for me when I have needed it the most. When everything else had failed I always had the Trooper!
My '94 Jap market import to the UK has manual hubs as stock but only the Duty model has rear LSD. Cheap as chips from a breakers though and a Sat morning to fit. 3.1 TD is best engine, no petrol will like the wet stuff.
I have a 92 Isuzu trooper. It’s in good condition has over 350k miles. Still runs like a boss. I will probably have to replace the engine ones but feels like it can run another 350k miles !
Give it a good maintenance. That’s the secret.
If you take care of these Isuzus they will take care of you!
Man, you have a great attitude! Keep kicking butt Bro!
Thanks!! The adventure will continue
Nice Trooper man, that 3.5 is a super smooth running engine ..but they do have a taste for the slick stuff ..clean the EGR tube can help some with oil consumption but at 200k it should use a little. My 01 has 265 k on it and uses a quart ever 500 or 600 miles i recently switched to 15w40 now about 1000miles between top offs...for the guys with auto trans 4l30e run it in power mode all the time ,,trans will last longer still on my original trans ..it hold the shift point a little longer and stops that shutter after it shifts into high..would like to have a 5speed someday with the 3.5 but there few around ..thanks for the video keep it up...
Thanks for checking it out!! I love this trooper. I'm starting to do some reasearch to see if I can block the EGR. thats my next experiment! :D
Great tip regarding the power mode! I have a 2000 trooper and maintaining the transmission is a big concern of mine. I just bought it with 130K miles on it. Been thinking about putting some fresh transmission oil as well. Do you consider that important as well? Any other things to look out for? Any guidance is greatly appreciated.
מחיקה
Cody, you are a good man. You made one hell of a good video. I am currently building an 98 Isuzu Trooper, green over brown and it has been one pain in the butt! Today we finally fixed the last little electrical glitch after three transmission! Long story on the transmissions not worth going into. Finally, after a year of tinkering the Trooper is ready for some fun stuff. Going to make a complete Bug-Out survivalist vehicle of it. I have been buying military water cans and fuel cans, Military sleeping bags, food boxes and now looking to possibly have a tent made for it. I mean one that covers the whole vehicle. I will be jamming here in Pueblo Colorado.
Way to go!
If you have a web page I will kick you a photo of it. We are going to go the direction of a Zombie BugOut survival vehicle.
I was on the edge of my seat the whole time waiting for that start up sound! badass rig you have there bro!
Killer trooper and also a very well put together video. Props to you bud keep at it
LOVE your trooper man! I hope one day my rodeo looks like this.
Roberto Búrbano thanks!!
I like the video. Just picked up an Isuzu Rodeo and like others said this video makes me want to make mine more off-road capable. Also when you mentioned Cibola National Forest I thought Albuquerque? No way! Then I saw your Lobo plate and thought Awesome haha.
yep i'm in Albuquerque! 505 baby! haha. yeah there are lots of mods you can do on these Isuzus to make them better. The best site for parts is independent4x, planet isuzoo forums, and isuzu trader facebook group
Im from north west newmexico! In the process of building my 01 trooper!
Awesome! Lots of great places to wheel in NM
thank you for the video of your Troopie! I have a Jeep GCK and a 1998 Trooper. Love this trooper, Its automatic and the weak point is the tranny, I rebuilt the valve body on mine and it has improved it.Love the nice mods you did. Wich I could do the same on mine.
love it mate
great practical mods and not overdone
Cool video man lots of info!! My friends dad had one of these when I was growing up I went a lot of places in a Trooper I’m driving to decide if I want one or an older pathfinder.
Thats awesome! I cant speak for pathfinders, but there's a pretty large isuzu community and they are solid as a rock! But they can be hard to find depending on the part of the country youre in
Hey man that's a smooth machine and appreciate you taking care of it.
Hope to have one soon so am praying for it so if you ever in Uganda never know.
Hahahaha
I added a supercharger to my Trooper, if you check out some of my newer videos :-)
Nice rig. Although I do have safety concerns with the position of your high lift jack.
Never mount your high lift jack up front, because in a likelihood of a crash the jack may end up inside the vehicle and injure passengers. High lift Jacks should be mounted at the side or back of the vehicle.
You buddy, my Trooper is in the paint shop right now.
I have an 02 diesel duty trooper moded out to man . good vid
At 6:30 you point us to the bolt on the torsion bar that can raise/lower the bar. My goal is actually to lower the ride by about an inch (mostly highway driving and I need to go cross country). Can I lower the suspension using this method without having to replace or adjust other components? Currently running a completely stock setup, with 245/75 r16's (versus the 245/70 stock height, a difference of about .5" total height, so that should be 1/4 inch from center of wheel versus dead stock).
Sick setup.
Thanks!! Its come a lot further since this video. it's now supercharged and i have a roof rack and ladder on the back. the build never stops!
Check your piston rings if you decide to rebuild, you may have bad rings and burn oil there. I had a 92 with the 3.2, when it was rebuilt it had to get new piston rings. Never burnt oil again.
Braxton Bunner The oil drain-back holes in the piston head are the culprit with the 6VD1/6VE1 motors be sure to drill them out larger. It'll make the oil burning a thing of the past. Good to hear new rings fixed it for ya!
Those rear springs are bowed like crazy.
I never really noticed, but you're right. Maybe its time for some OME springs!
awesome truck.. just got my first trooper a couple of days ago, 97 same color as your but really neglected.... found a transmission in ABQ... and will prob go get it soon. Hope mine end s up close to capable as yours.
Got me a Trooper ! 99 5spd ..love it
Nice! The "2.5" gens with a manual are really good trucks. way better than the automatics \m/
Me too 5spd 99, getting ready for some mods. Just adjusted the front wheels bearings, new cermaic brakess and moog stablizer end links. Very beefy
Nice trooper just bought one. Been looking for up grades. Go Aggies!
Hey man this was a great video. Gave me ideas!
Just got a trooper can’t wait to mod it
Love this footage man, awesome trooper
I have a 1993 TROOPER, 110,000 miles, and still use it for my daily driver. I ran across this video and you have me wanting to make mine a little more off-road capable. I have no mechanical skills and a very limited budget. Other than the lift (which I do not want) what do you recommend as the basic upgrades to make for the rocky trails (no rack crawling) in Nevada? Like shocks, springs, etc. Can a general repair shop handle it? Thanks. Too bad consumer reports killed my year TROOPER. I never had a rollover. And lean has never been a problem with my driving habits. THANK YOU FOR THIS VIDEO!
If you are not looking to add any lift a real easy upgrade would definitely be some good all terrain tires, the trooper is very capable off road in its stock form. And if you ever do want lift, its very easy. Crank the torsion bars and space out the rear spring. Yours will fit 31 inch (265 75 r16) on the stock rims with no lift, which should add a little height witout modifying any suspension stuff, so thats good. I know old man emu (OME) has some good replacement rear springs that are more tuned for off roading. And Rancho shocks are great. A general repair shop should be able to handle those tasks. Glad it was helpful!
Thank you for responding. I will take your advice. Plan to do the Mojave Road this Spring.
Just got a 99
I'm getting a holden jackaroo checked over (exact same car) hoping I get it
Can you do videos on how you fixed up your Isuzu bro I got mine but I need a little help on it idk how to fined parts for it that I can’t put on
I have a 99 trooper, where did you get all these aftermarket parts, It’s so hard for me to find parts for the trooper.
Yeah parts are tough to find. The bumper and HD tie rods came from Independent4X. The snorkel was ebay. Everything else was pretty much custom. The rear coil springs came from a grand cherokee, the coil spring spacers are for an XJ (I think). The Aisin manual hubs I got from a junkyard 89 trooper, but these can be found online too. And the diff drop was all custom. Just gotta keep your eyes open!
You can change the front axle to a lc80 front axle
I like your truck
Hey how you connect the radio I can’t find the wiring diagram for my 98 Isuzu trooper I have to connect manually from the stock wires I can’t find which colors to connect to which
they do make a harness adapter for the trooper stereo, but you'll have to search online for it. For mine i cut the wires and spliced them myself. I couldn't tell you what wires went where, it was so long ago. the speakers were easy to figure out, then there's power and ground and another wire back there. its not too hard to figure out, but the wiring harness would make it simpler
Hey Cody do you happen to have the link on planet isuzu to the post about lifting trooper? I've never messed around with suspension and I reckon I could do a lot of work myself. Not sure how to remove coil springs from a junk vehicle etc. 😊
There are plenty of threads on the forum. If you search this in Google you'll find a lot: site:forum.planetisuzoo.com "torsion bar lift"
But it's simple, 4 counter clockwise turns lifts the font around an inch. You'll need to turn search torsion bar nut an equal amount of turns.
Years later.... I wonder if that sweet bumper is available for sale possibly
I think you can still get them, from Independent4X
Awesome truck man. Wish I still had my '98 S, was all white with true dual flowmasters super tens great sound. Total loss tho @ 223xxx miles -.- was still strong too only burning 1/2qt every 800-1000mi.
98-99 are the best models of these beasts really wish Consumer Reports was bought off by GM to defame the trooper and ultimately destroy the brand, if not these trucks would've been running toe toe nowadays with exterras, 4runners, trialhawks/cherrokees ect.
Great rig tho I'm still looking for my lost one, a reincarnation at least lol
I live in ABQ, do you wheel with a group or solo? I’m always looking for people to go wheeling with. I end up going alone rolling the dice on getting stuck. Lol I have a 90 XJ that I fixed up over time. Converted it from a 2wd.
Nice! Sometimes solo, sometimes with friends. I have a few buddies we usually do a run at cedro peak every now and then. I'm always down to wheel! Sounds like a cool conversion to do! Was it hard?
I sent a friend request on FB.
@@paulnunya3429 sweet!
Have You got shift on the fly? Because You shown mechanical wheel hubs, and after I have seen front diff with actuator for shift on the fly.
My transfer case is shift on the fly for 2 High / 4 High. If I want 4 - Low I have to come to a stop in neutral and shift a lever on my console.
These trucks were made instead of a manual/automatic hub but with a flange that kept the front axle always engaged so that you can shift on the fly at speeds up to 60 MPH. On mine I have to stop and engage my hubs before I press the 4WD button that engages the transfer case for 4WD. I can leave my hubs "locked" and it will act just like the truck did when it had the flange, and I can go between 4 and 2 wheel drive as I please. but for driving around town and on the highway the hubs really remove a lot of drag and wear and tear on the front drive line
yes, it is shift on the fly. i.e. i can go from 2 high to 4 high without stopping and pushing a button. This simply engages the transfercase and hooks up the front axle. the trooper originally had a flange and the front hubs were always engaged. the manual hubs relieve that so the front axle doesn't turn all the time. I still have to come to a stop to engage 4 low on my transfer case shifter
How difficult was the bumper install?
in my case, we had access to an air powered bumper-jack. This made it a 2 man job. But without something like that I'd say you're gonna need at least 4 guys. Two to hold the bumper up and another two to be down below bolting everything together. Its not that hard to do, everything bolts right up, its just very large and clunky
Hey man i have a 97 trooper. I was wondering how much the parts were for the upgraded exhaust ?
I think I paid around $400 for the whole thing. That's including labor, high flow cat, muffler, and 2.5 inch pipe. im sure it could be done cheaper if you bought the materials and parts yourself and knew how to weld!
I have a 99 trooper and i want to buy a bush guard any recomendations?
Brush guards? I'm not too sure. I actually don't think I've ever seen one for a 2.5 Gen drooper (1998-2002). Your best bet is the ARB Bumper, but it's a pretty big commitment to get one of those ha
hi. is it mentatory to Drop the diff for a 5" lift? thanks
I was going to get a 2” coil spring and crank the torsion bar all the way up. This is mostly for looks but do I need to anything else after lifting it or will it be ready to go?
A few comments on this:
I wouldn't do a full torsion bar crank unless you're willing to modify more components - for a few reasons: 1: There's a 100% chance your CV boots aren't going to be able to withstand the angle and they will tear - unless you have manual locking hubs. If you don't have manual hubs your boots are going to tear. What you could do is add a "diff drop" which I did, lowers the diff and that evens our your CV shafts. Which is super cool but a pretty involved project. 2: The front suspension travel is limited by the upper ball joint. You'll get better travel if you "flip" the balljoint and add a spacer. If you don't do this your suspension will "top out" because you won't have very much down travel. Like if you fly over a speed bump you're going to be hitting your bump stops all the time. And it makes for a really rough ride. And annoying to have the suspension not travelling properly.
For the rear end you're set. You can add taller springs and you'll be okay.
If you're doing it just for looks I would highly consider doing a body lift (which is actually on my bucket list as well). A body lift will give your truck the appearance of more lift, plus the ability to clear taller tires. And you don't have to mess with any of the suspension geometry. Everything will be within factory spec as it was designed.
----
Before I did my diff drop and ball joint flip I had about 1.25 inch torsion bar crank in the front and 2 inch taller springs in the back. Running in this configuration I tore 3 pairs of CV boots - until I added manual hubs. I put on 265 75r 16 Tires at this time. This is what my trooper looked like with this much lift: th-cam.com/video/CyUFHPm5NP4/w-d-xo.html
Very nice!
How efficient is the truck in the mud? Do you have a diff lock on the Isuzu?
I'm interested in this Trooper but I'm more familiar with Land Rovers.
Thanks!
I've been really happy with its performance in the mud. I don't have a locker. But my trooper (all the second gens) have a pretty beefy LSD rear. The option is called G80 on the options tag. I have an open diff in the front. If you watch this video of mine, there is a part at the end when I'm in some mud. pulled out a guy in a cherokee with a welded rear end and i was able to make it through in my trooper. th-cam.com/video/B3XlGg0bGUI/w-d-xo.html
You know you’re trooper man good job
hello cody its me jason with the 99 isuzu trooper ive set mine up exactly like yours with same size trires same winch 12,000lb badlands winch fog lights and i added a super duty trans cooler with built in fan , problem ive been having is when ever i use the winch it burns out my alternator , its a 75 amp alternator , from what i understand its a stock alternator , is there something im missing as far as hooking up the winch ? positive negative standard hook up , have you had any problem with your alternator buring out or did you go with a bigger alternator ? anywhere i have looked they say do not have a bigger alternator , i did find one on line 90 amp but i believe i would have the same problem , i think alternator needs to be 150 amp to work corectly with winch ??any advice would be helpful . if you go to superjaydog2 on youtube you will see my trooper
Does anyone know where you can buy a windshield washer cap for a 98 isuzu trooper? I have looked high and low with no success. Maybe you know of a good trooper parts place.
Check with local junk yards. Of you don't have any, try an online auto wrecker like www.jandjautowrecking.com/ you might need to get an entire new reservoir
I have my trooper with 256k odo. Still running like new.
Who did your snorkel install? And if you did it yourself could you possibly post a video of the hood popped so we can see the connections and which parts of the factory airbox come out?
I installed it myself. You can't really see the connections from right under the hood. You have to remove the plastic splash guard from inside the wheel well on the front driver side to work on it from inside the wheel well. All the connections are inside the fender and you can't really see anything. Remove the entire lower part of the air box. You'll have to remove the foam pre-filter from the lower part of the air box. Then the inlet to the air box isn't quite circular its more like a "D" shape. But a piece of 4 inch flexible air ducting will work with a hose clamp to attach the air box to the piece of snorkel tubing, worked for me. If you bought the same kit as mine that says "Trooper" on it there were a few pieces that I didn't end up using. I think that kit was meant for diesel troopers overseas.
Cody Shell thanks so much for that. That's gonna help me quite a bit when I install mine!
Hi what spark plugs are best for an Isusu tropper 1999 3.5l, I believe it is really similar to your model. Thanks.
I've heard good things about platinum plugs on troopers: www.planetisuzoo.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=59834
Thank you for the reply!
what weight oil do you use? also have you experienced the ticking with your engine at all?
thanks!
I use rotella synthetic 15W-40 in the hot summer months, in the winter I'll run 10W-30. Its tough to find an oil that doesn't burn. My engine doesn't tick, I believe the valve tick issue is fixed on the 3.5L motors. Although the 3.5s introduced the really bad oil burning. :P the only "tick" i ever had was a timing belt tensioner that was going out
Hi Cody, I am from to Costa Rica and I have a little problems with oil burn, normal temperature in my country is around 25°C and I use 20w50 Kendall oil.
In 15w40 is most popular in diesel engine but you said is the best grade for our 3.5 6ve1 engine?
If you have manual hubs but you can unlock the transfer case, then can you just leave the hubs locked all the time when you’re in 2WD?
You are correct! This is more or less how the 2nd gen troopers are from the factory, locked all the time. I added the manual hubs to relieve the CV shafts and boots in all my around - town and 2WD driving. Pretty good deal and got a little better MPG too
Ok thanks Cody! I’m gonna do this to mine one day but first I gotta make it run right. It’s running on 2 cylinders😂
two down, 4 to go! haha. good luck with the repairs!
Would the 285/75r16 fit without a lift? And can I use stock wheels for them
I'm using the stock wheels for my 285/75r16s just fine. you may want to check on planetisuzoo forums for clearance. I know 265s will fit no problem
I'm thinking I read something from one of the factory manuals that basically said these burn a little oil from day one.
My 2000 does. Always has. Never has increased or decreased.
But not enough to ever see smoke. No residue on the back, and it's white so it would be easy to see.
Only thing I don't care for about the whole truck is the way they did away with the transmission filler tube / dipstick.
This can only be for two reasons. First, so you'll have to take it to someone to check out the transmission "problem" when it's low on fluid.
And second, so you'll have to buy another vehicle when the transmission "goes out" (gets low on fluid and the average owner can't check it or afford to take to a shop).
In other words, planned obsolescence...
It amazes me that people still talk about how manufacturers could do "this", or do "that" and have a more reliable vehicle or product.
Haven't were figured out yet that they don't want to sell us anything that lasts any longer than it has to?
Nice work on yours, btw.
you might try some spacers around a half or three quarters of an inch on your front bumper and measure the wheel base on both sides to make sure the right front wheel isn't a little forward.
I.C. Sezdablindman Huh?
I.C. Sezdablindman maybe if you're completely inept and can't change transmission fluid.
nice videos!! lsd diff some details please. is it on all troopers?
awesome video dude!
Thanks!
Thanks!
Hey man! /user/EnemyOfEloquence here, you helped me out on reddit. I finally got my trooper all set, 99'. The shocks need to be redone and some new tires. Any recommendations? I won't be out 4x4ing nearly as much as you, but if I'm replacing them I thought I mind as well do the small lift. Any idea what kind of MPG you get? I did a full tank and it seems I get around 16 MPG. Is that normal? Any tips on upping MPG?
Hey! glad I could help. I recommend Rancho shocks, I was using monroes before and i didn't care for them so much. If you run 265/75 r16 tires (31s) those should fit without any lift. I wouldn't lift more than 1.5 inches unless you are getting manual locking hubs or a diff drop. Your CV boots won't last long with added lift. On my trooper the fist time I lifted it 2 inches within 200 miles I tore the CV boots haha. I'll get 14 -16 MPG with my 285 (33 inch) tires. The manual locking hubs did help gas mileage quite a bit.
what subreddit are you guys on? looking for some good resources
nickalarz just /r/4x4 there's on for troopers tho
/r/4x4 for subreddits. on facebook Isuzu Trader and Holden Jackaroo/Isuzu 4x4 are good groups for isuzu/trooper stuff. and you can't forget planetisuzoo forums ha
Nice rig. Have you had any trouble finding parts for repairs and maintenance? Curious since Isuzu doesn't have a huge presence in the US anymore (except for commercial trucks).
Jim Giddens I've had very little problems. They sold a lot of isuzus into the mid 2000s. I have had to go to the junkyard for a part one time. But never really a big issue
Aren’t there loads of off brands that are same?
Which model rancho shocks did you use?
Hey bro, know this is an old video. But I'm in the hunt to do a 4x4 build. And I feel the Trooper and Monteros are a steal for the price. One thing I've noticed on the troopers is a lot that are for sale in my area have transmission issues (literally a good majority). Are these rigs known for transmission issues, did yours ever give you transmission issues? Any info I'd appreciate it.
Hey! Thanks for checking out my video. I agree, trooper's are cheap, parts are cheap they are one of a kind! As for transmissions, the Automatics are known for being generally too weak for the application and they don't really last long. This is the GM 4L30E. It's literally the weakest point. You'll be golden if you can find one with a manual! If you go 97 and older the manual is a MUA5, bullet proof. 98-02, which is what I have, has an Aisin AR-5, which is a little different than the MUA5, but great. I'd say the sweet spot is a 98-02 with a 5 speed. But the 3.5 V6 from 98-02 are known to burn oil if not porperly maintained, so you'll wanna check on oil consumption on which ever one you go with. Hope you get a trooper!
@@CodyShell appreciate the response dude!
I have a 2002 trooper and I want an off-road bumper where did you get yours
nice! got it from independent4x www.independent4x.com/Isuzu-Store_c_8.html
manual or automatic???
did you have to change your gear ratio on the rear end and front end for the bigger tires ? what does the rpms run at on high way with 33s ?
I didn't re-gear it. Since mine is a manual it already has 4.30 gears. I can easily pull 75-80 on the highway, hills are tough and usually slow me down. the 3.5 V6 is pretty powerful. I have read that rear - end gears are tough to find for 98+ troopers, they have the "modified 12 bolt" and there were not very many options. other than these 5.56 gears or whatever that came from iceland and they are impossible to find.
i have a 1999 trooper im looking to pritty much do what you have done 33s or 32s small lift and winch bumper i have the same rear end but mine is automatic , so kinda nervous on if it will act right with the tire change , did you use stock rims ? and ima having hard time finding anything for it , ive looked on ebay 4x4 shops custom build shops no one has anything for it .
I'm using stock rims, the rims are easy to find 6 lug by 5 inches i think pretty standard size most GM trucks use the same size.
If you keep the lift around 1.5 inches or less in the front your CV boots should be okay, but manual hubs will really help and keep them from wearing down during everyday driving.
your best bet is independent4x for any isuzu aftermarket accessories.
i had a friend with a 2000 automatic trooper and it felt like it had plenty of power with 33s. He added an additional transmission cooler though, since the automatics are known to fail.
I guess one step at a time for me I just ordered the delux winch bumper from 4x4 $999 total cost best price I found shipping and all but have to wait 3 months for it , I paid more for the bumper than I did for the truck bought the truck for $500 Off Gary Richraths from reo speedwagon x wife she had since new so good news it's one owner and very well maintained. 150,000 on it
sounds like a good one!
Hey. What kind of oil are you using in the trooper?
I run synthetic rotella T6 5W 40. This oil burns the least for me.
Still got it?
Yep! She's supercharger now!
nice trooper bro... i have one..
They are pretty stout rigs! Even when stock!
@@CodyShell thts true...
@@AdamKLMChannel check out my latest video I put a supercharger on my Trooper
you wouldnt know the part numbers on those shocks would ya? im lifting my trooper soon and was thinking ranchos
I'm running RS5000s. In the front: RS5214, rear: RS5215
Nice trooper. But becareful with the backyard engineering of suspension parts .
any engine problems?, im about to get one for my self,
Not really, only issues with the 3.5 is excessive oil burning. Just keep an eye on the oil level each time you fill up and you should be good.
Cody Shell already bought it, it isn't as nice as yours, but it gets from a to b, wich is enough, i guess, but it only shifts at 3,000 rpm, does yours do that?, it might not be too high , but it certainly feels like it, and steering feels like it's conected to the tires with rope or something, any thoughts on what may the problem be?
Wouldn't know much about the shifting since mine is a manual. You might want to look on your center console and see if you have the "winter" and "power" buttons. Those change when the automatic transmission shifts. i have read leaving them both pressed all the time isn't a problem. It will feel like you have a bit more power since the shift points are different.
Sounds like your steering box. I found on the forum that the steering box has an adjustment screw/nut. It is the free-play adjustment that takes the play out of the steering, sounds like that is your problem. You might want to look into adjusting it. Check out this thread: forum.planetisuzoo.com/viewtopic.php?t=24147
did u bought the snorkel on ebay
I need 1 for my trooper
Yeah it was from ebay. the kit i believe is made for a diesel trooper so there were a few parts i didnt end up needing to get it hooked up to the V6 air box. Took a little finagling but its not too hard to figure out.
I need a bumper like that for my 99 passport
You need to do an update to this vid.
I want to!
@@CodyShell Here's mine on Broken Arrow yesterday. I'm thinking of doing a walkaround video too.
th-cam.com/video/GBE4L-sL0Eo/w-d-xo.html
what kind of mileage are you getting ? My 94 is doing 13
depends, i'll get 12 - 15 MPG in town. If i'm real careful on the highway I can get 19.
Does that Trooper have 3 pedals or just 2?
Its a 5 speed manual so it has three pedals.
I'm currently working on 2 Isuzus but they're not SUVs.
Got an I-Mark(check my channel) and a first generation Impulse.
I-Mark has 3 pedals, Impulse has 2. That will be fixed.
Nice! I'll have to check out your I-Mark! I would love an impuse
Hi how much tou spent for bumper?
Somewhere around $1200-1500 I think. Got it from Independent4X
Pity you didn't get diesels over there
Cody, I have an 02 sitting at home waiting on me to return from Afghanistan. Wanna come to Texas and play with her????
02's are nice because their motors don't have the oil burning issue! hell yeah
thanks Cody, that is awesome news to hear!! Maybe you should come and pick her up and play with her for a while while I am overseas?
I have 3
Engine prolem
Oxeliretor no fungsion
Will the CV joint boot still get ruined when the front hubs are engaged?
Only if you engage the hubs when you're in 4 wheel drive, at lower speeds and whatnot. Highway and city driving you'll definitely want those hubs disengaged to minimize wear on the boots.