Isuzu D-max fuel filter issues again.

[Timbo75]

Guys the oildilution from the continuous DPF regeneration attempts (where trucks are used "around the farm" ) can and will lead to a dead engine at some point. Either it'll run a bearing, or injest sump oil and rev til it grenades. Changing the oil every 5000 miles isn't really an option!

Isuzu know about the problem, but there isn't actually a workable solution -whilst keeping the DPF- which is mandatory for emissions, using the fuel system the truck is fitted with.

 

[little un]

My 63 plate dmax has just been treated to a "modification " at the main dealers.
A replacement dipstick with an increased maximum level, the sneaky barstewards tried telling me it was because in some countries oil may not be readily available to top up, and so you could now increase sump capacity!!!!!!!
I just grinned thinking what lying bullshitters they were, I wonder if this clap trap is dealer or manufacturers rubbish??

 

[Cowabunga]

The way to sort this is to redesign the DPF itself with a dedicated injector to flame-off rather than persist with the cheapskate way of spraying more diesel into the cylinders in the expectation that a proportion will not be burnt in the cylinders but will ignite in the DPF. Obviously this doesn't work reliably. Many diesel cars had similar issues but mostly DPF's that would not regenerate and would block. Most seem now to have bitten the bullet and added an injector to the DPF. Or at least some have modified their systems in this way. I have no knowledge of anything like this being retrofitted though.

Would I buy a vehicle with this kind of issue with fuel and DPF? New? No. Used? Categorically not.

 

[Timbo75]

Well, there could be comedy value as Isuzu re-live their bankruptcy 3.0TD injector fiasco that pretty much finished them!

It's a real shame someone did a Friday afternoon job on the fuel system, i.e. thinking about the average drive cycle the truck will typically get and then *not* fitting the 5th injector style system. Christ, even PSA's hateful eolys system would work better!

 

[Afx9010]

I am due to pick up my new Utah in the next two weeks am a bit worried about the on going problems. I was hoping by now they would have fixed this issue. My truck will be going 40000 miles a year on mainly long runs so fingers crossed it should be ok??

 

[Cowabunga]

I am due to pick up my new Utah in the next two weeks am a bit worried about the on going problems. I was hoping by now they would have fixed this issue. My truck will be going 40000 miles a year on mainly long runs so fingers crossed it should be ok??

If anything is going to be OK, it is yours. Especially if it is going to tow regularly.

 

[Loftyrules]

I am due to pick up my new Utah in the next two weeks am a bit worried about the on going problems. I was hoping by now they would have fixed this issue. My truck will be going 40000 miles a year on mainly long runs so fingers crossed it should be ok??

I have had my Utah a month and a half and seems to be running ok, am guessing the new builds are over these problems..time will tell.

 

[Cambridgeshire]

Had mine a year now, fuel filtration light Came on at 2000 miles has done 9000 now, noticed light has gone of now probably a fuse!! If it comes on again I might take it to garage.

 

[Longlowdog]

It seems to be winter grade fuel that gives the issues. Mine was problematic when it was bought (winter) stopped having problems during the summer and started once the temps dropped again. I too am now ignoring the light. Ditto the oil level. If it blows up. so be it. I hate owning a car that gives me concerns regarding it's durability.

 

[jhorr30]

Inside the front cover of the owners manual is a warning to check oil levels.
I would think if it did blow up and the oil level was too high Isuzu would probably try and use it to get out of paying for new engine under warranty.

 

[Mursal]

If it starts running on the engine oil, it will probably run the sump dry, or over rev itself to death, whichever comes first. If the oil level is rising it might be an idea, to do all correspondence with your dealer using registered mail. At least you will have a paper trail, hearsay is of little value.

The replacement dipstick is a classic, reminds me of the Ursus distributor we used to have, they do McCormick now .............

 

[Longlowdog]

It is pretty apparent that the development did not include regional fuel grade variations or low temp' exposure.

 

[jakeboy]

Now on my fifth filter in 20000 miles. Upgrade was number two. Inconvenient and costly. No satisfactory explanation from dealer or Isuzu despite full strip down of fuel system. Only Shell performance diesel used. More than frustrated! Anyone else still having issues?

 

[jakeboy]

The Last isuzu I had was a trooper with that dreaded 3litre engine bloody disaster but an earlier model 2.8 was the best truck ever owned, since I've ran l200 Mitsubishi nissan navara s the age of reliability is long gone I fear!!.

 

[Woolless]

Just found this topic, as a very occasional refugee from 'Livestock and Forage'!

I'm probably going to be in the market for a used pick up in the autumn. Isuzu was going to be top of the list, but this lot has put me right off. But would these problems be avoided by buying an older model? Or should I just buy a Ford Ranger instead?

 

[jhorr30]

I will say that I know another half a dozen owners of these Isuzu pickups that have had no bother apart from the fuel filter coming on in cold weather. My pickup is the only one that's had a lot of bother. It is also the only automatic one.
It was just serviced a week or 2 ago and it's getting another 50 miles to a tank of fuel since then. Hopefully it's all sorted now.

 

[Cowabunga]

The older model Isuzu, the ones without the twin-turbo engines, were fine. The Ranger is a fine truck too.
I'm not sure what proportion of the current model Isuzu have issues. It could be only a handful or it could be a high proportion of the total. Time will tell.

I'm steering clear for now. The Ford seems overpriced, possibly due to on-going supply issues. Going from what I was offered for my early 2007 example, used Ford's should be a real bargain. It is the same truck as the Mazda with only cosmetic differences.

 

[drifter]

To add to all of this:- 62 plate Dmax Yukon. I have had the same problems with the fuel filter light coming on inbetween services, modified pre-heated filter body does seem to have cured the problem i was having 20'000 miles later and no more light incidents. With regard to the dipstick this was replaced at the last service quote from dealer "they are easier to read off". Engine software upgrades have dramatically reduced the DPF regeneration to about every 200 miles not every 20 minutes this has also reduced the diesel being returned to the sump. Apart from this and a bit of rust on the tailgate everything has been fine, drive about 40'000 miles a year and currently averaging between 36 and 40 mpg so cant really complain.

 

[Woolless]

The older model Isuzu, the ones without the twin-turbo engines, were fine. The Ranger is a fine truck too.
I'm not sure what proportion of the current model Isuzu have issues. It could be only a handful or it could be a high proportion of the total. Time will tell.

I'm steering clear for now. The Ford seems overpriced, possibly due to on-going supply issues. Going from what I was offered for my early 2007 example, used Ford's should be a real bargain. It is the same truck as the Mazda with only cosmetic differences.

Cowabunga, what sort of age/model Isuzus are you talking about? Would I be right to think that these would have better fuel efficieny/towing capacity than a Ranger of similar age?

 

[Cowabunga]

To add to all of this:- 62 plate Dmax Yukon. I have had the same problems with the fuel filter light coming on inbetween services, modified pre-heated filter body does seem to have cured the problem i was having 20'000 miles later and no more light incidents. With regard to the dipstick this was replaced at the last service quote from dealer "they are easier to read off". Engine software upgrades have dramatically reduced the DPF regeneration to about every 200 miles not every 20 minutes this has also reduced the diesel being returned to the sump. Apart from this and a bit of rust on the tailgate everything has been fine, drive about 40'000 miles a year and currently averaging between 36 and 40 mpg so cant really complain.

I would be more concerned by the less intensively used vehicle, as yours will regenerate properly and reliably if any will. If your gives further cause for concern it would not bode well for the ones that mostly dodder around fetching cows and creeping along country lanes at a snail's pace.
Its good to know that they seem to finally be getting them sorted.

Cowabunga, what sort of age/model Isuzus are you talking about? Would I be right to think that these would have better fuel efficieny/towing capacity than a Ranger of similar age?

The latest models of Isuzu have been sold for about 2 years now I think. Much the same timescale as the current Ranger I think. Probably something to do with meeting emission regulations and taking the opportunity to upgrade the models at the same time I imagine. The Ranger was meant to start selling around about the time that the massive floods hit Thailand and devastated their components factory. Isuzu seemed to have escaped the worse of that incident, which lasted several months iirc.
No idea what the older Isuzu models were like, because I wasn't ready to change back then and didn't take much notice of them.

I don't get anything like 40mpg, like drifter above. But then again it doesn't do the milage and is a farm work truck, hauling trailers and cargo around the farm and to market 20 miles away, fetching the cows and that kind of thing. It has NEVER had its tank filled at a commercial pump so I can only guess at its consumption. I can only guess that I fill it with around 13 gallons every 350 miles, which makes it a very acceptable 27mpg very approximately. This is way better than the naturally aspirated 110 [67hp] that preceded it for 22 years. For the same kind of work I estimate the Ford to be about 10mpg better. That doesn't help you at all, I don't suppose, but it puts today's vehicles into some kind of perspective, considering that its performance is also in a very different league.