Japanese SUV goodness: 2001 Isuzu Trooper

[ExploringNH]

This rig seems to be a great blend of tough and comfy. Other than some high traffic area's (steering wheel leather, left side of drivers seat, etc,) most interior parts are in 90-95% shape. Very satisfying to have co-workers/friends sit in it and be surprised that it's almost 15 years old. Very tough materials used and the previous owners clearly took care of it.

Can't deny that I'm a car guy with ADD, and on any day you can find me drooling over other rigs, but so far this has been a very good car.

I have to add that although the interior of the Trooper can look a bit dated with the style of switches and buttons, the Limited Troopers are outfitted very nicely from the factory. Good AWD system, true low range 4x4, heated seats and mirrors, power folding mirrors, fog lights, auto climate control, outside temp display and compass, split folding rear seats, and three different transmission modes. These trucks are very well equipped from the factory, especially given the years of production. I'm very happy with mine. It has done very well for where I have taken it in stock form. I'm hoping to put some more offroad miles on it this summer.

 

[BIGdaddy]

I have to add that although the interior of the Trooper can look a bit dated with the style of switches and buttons, the Limited Troopers are outfitted very nicely from the factory. Good AWD system, true low range 4x4, heated seats and mirrors, power folding mirrors, fog lights, auto climate control, outside temp display and compass, split folding rear seats, and three different transmission modes. These trucks are very well equipped from the factory, especially given the years of production. I'm very happy with mine. It has done very well for where I have taken it in stock form. I'm hoping to put some more offroad miles on it this summer.

Haha, funny you mention the folding mirrors. I honestly had no idea about these until a bout a month ago...i pushed the button out of curiousity and marvelled as two small motors whirred to life and my mirrors tucked themselves neatly away.



I promptly demonstrated this new-found magic to my wife when she returned to the car from the store she was in, and she smiled saying, "Yeah, i love this car".

 

[BigSwede]

Those power folding mirrors come in handy when you have to squeeze between tight trees...

 

[BIGdaddy]

Those power folding mirrors come in handy when you have to squeeze between tight trees...

 

[Kenny Olson]

Really enjoy following this thread.. You seem like such a cool guy too. Love the trooper and am getting curious about the later model ones. I have an 87 2 door I bought a couple years ago with 41k original miles. I`ve made a few mods to it but haven`t had a chance to take it off road yet. LOTS of highway miles though.. Currently at 59k miles and counting.

 

[BIGdaddy]

Really enjoy following this thread.. You seem like such a cool guy too. Love the trooper and am getting curious about the later model ones. I have an 87 2 door I bought a couple years ago with 41k original miles. I`ve made a few mods to it but haven`t had a chance to take it off road yet. LOTS of highway miles though.. Currently at 59k miles and counting.

Hey, thanks for the compliment, and glad you're enjoying the thread. That's a CLEAN truck, right there. Very nice. I like the Jerry can mount. I've thought about that very same thing on mine. I've got a nice 20L Wedco can that's beggin' to be used. I want to get a locking mount, though, because it wouldn't suprise me to find either the gas or the whole can completely filched while I'm parked in a public place.

I DO like having the fuel mounted down low for better COG, though.

 

[BIGdaddy]

So, just an update, as I mentioned in another thread, going to have the exhaust looked at tomorrow, as I identified at least one exhaust leak last night.

Hopefully it'll cure some of the curious issues that have popped up recently. Again, nothing that keeps it from being driveable - but I know for sure it's not running quite tip-top, and I don't want to let it go too long because in my experience the longer you wait, the more $$ the problem gets. :Wow1:

Hopefully I caught this exhaust leak soon enough that I haven't damaged my O2 sensors or catalytic converters. I hear they're somewhat spendy...

UPDATE: So it turns out the O2 sensors and Cat's are good to go, but my the leak i found was only part of the issue. Getting flange gaskets, and a new muffler done at the same time. I'm looking forward to the drive home with updated exhaust components.

 

[Kenny Olson]

Thanks! My Troopers story can be found here..http://forum.planetisuzoo.com/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=61931


And the can carrier is a smittybilt piece. They can found online almost anywhere. they have a provision to put a lock on it as well which is handy. I do admit I winced a little drilling holes in the door but I`m happy with the results.

 

[BIGdaddy]

Cool, thanks for the link, Kenny i'll check it out, for sure.

And i know about that pain when holes are drilled. I am planning on installing a snorkel, shortly, onto this truck and as you probably know, that requires some BIG holes.

I do it on pretty much all my 4x4's since hydraulicking my beloved first gen 4runner with no snorkel, and consequently losing the motor while going 65 mph down I-5 in the middle of no-where. Talk about pain! I think at that point, though, i would have prefered the huge hole in the fender rather than the huge hole in my engine block. LOL.



Anywho, here's an update on the exhaust situation, copied from my exhaust question thread:

Okay, well the drive home was eye-opening.

-No exhaust smell, at all
-I realized that the engine had developed somewhat of a drivetrain noise that sounded a bit like diesel clatter...that is completely gone.
-No miss or sputter upon accelerating
-Power during acceleration that i forgot this car had.


He even welded a tab on my hitch to stabilize my trailer wire connection - no charge.

I'm going to crawl under there this morning and take a closer look because it was sun-down/dusk when he was finishing up. Tenetively, simply from the test drive, I'd say it was a successful repair. LoL.

 

[p nut]

Nice. Exhaust leaks are the worst.

 

[BIGdaddy]

Nice. Exhaust leaks are the worst.

Yeah, seriously. Glad it's fixed and on the bright side, it was a great excuse to get under my truck, both at my place and at the shop. The undercarriage is in great shape, and I now have a small list of To-do's as far as preventatives, too.

-Replace front shocks (probably the rear ones, too)
-Rustoleum front skid plate to curb surface rust
-Re-attach and possibly extend transmission breather.
-Drain and refill front and rear diff's with new fluid
- Give all my zerk fittings a good shot of grease.
-Replace blown out driver's side CV boot. (already knew about that one. not excited...lol)

Going to take my family and the in-laws out to Anza-borrego in end of Feb-March for the wild-flower bloom, and I want the truck to be tip-top for its first real overland trip.

 

[smote]

What are you considering for front shocks? I just replaced the rears in my '97 troop with Nitrocharges and am loving it. But I can't find any to fit the front with the ~2" lift.

 

[BigSwede]

Just get the Trooper shocks. Your lift hasn't changed the IFS range of articulation at all, you are just riding higher in that range.

And if you got rear shocks that are 2" longer than stock, don't be surprised if you lose a coil while rock crawling. Ask me how I know this...

 

[BIGdaddy]

Very important modification notice!:



Happy monday!

Pretty sure my rig was able to handle the high speed "i r late" drive this morning due to my journal sticker. i caught Cabby reading the issue that talked about the Hansons motor swap into their old fj60 and their subsequent red light ticket...haha. [facepalm]

 

[BIGdaddy]

What are you considering for front shocks? I just replaced the rears in my '97 troop with Nitrocharges and am loving it. But I can't find any to fit the front with the ~2" lift.

I have NO idea. Muffler guy/recommended going with some normal Monroes since i they're cheap and can be replaced easily no matter where i am. Not sure yet, tho.