For owners of the Isuzu Gold/Platinum type pickups (2005-2009), some questions.

[FlorC]

Well with our cars approching 10 years and the Isuzu dealer (in my province)

not speaking a word of English, I have some questions:

1) At the yearly mandatory inspection last year , the guy there said my exhaust

was borderline dirty . I went to my local Isuzu dealer to change the oil & oil filter

after 2,5 years, (I don't drive much) and they not only put too much oil in again ,

about 1,5 cm above the hole in the dipstick , but were a bit pushy to clean the car

... they meant the engine. They showed me a folder with pictures that indicated

that after a "cleaning" , the injectors would inject better ... 2000 B... Like I said a

bit pushy but half of their mechanics had nothing to do... (Not like the dealer in

Chonburi where I bought the car , there it was always a long wait , even going

very early in the morning) .

So what is this cleaning about ? Has anyone had it done ? Is it much different than

using the premium Shell diesel ? My exhaust dirty , sure ... but what about the 7 to 9 %

of yukky palmoil in my diesel the last few years?. When I bought the car it was 2 % !!

So now when the inspection comes this year and it is too dirty , what needs to be done ?

I don't want to be forced to pay for some "cleaning" process to keep the mechanics busy .

They put about 6,9 liter oil in it ( 6 liter can & 1 liter, when I let them leak out I still have

around 0,1 liter in the can) , it should be 6,5 l , and the airfilter is not over 20.000 km.

My car doesn't consume or leak oil , the oil level is the same for over 2 years.

 

2) The radio/cd player :

 

 

When I drive , I always have the cd player on with mp3/wmv's , but since about a year

it stops to play or doesn't even recognise the data cd . Now it could be the cd's.

Those Princo where better than TDK's , but after years in a hot car , they can get unreadable .

Since I don't have a cd recorder in my laptop anymore ( now a second HDD , that I don't

like to pull out) , I brought a regular cd from europe and it plays ok , well only stopped once.

Now I see there are players especially for our type of Isuzu ,   http://www.ebay.com/itm/

Car-DVD-Player-Isuzu-D-Max-DMax-2007-2012-USB-Stereo-Radio-Fascia-Facia-Kit-ISO-/232158702964?hash=item360dbcad74:g:EPsAAOSw44BYPWn4     

but living in this province , there are very few car radio stores , and they don't have this

type for some old Isuzu's. Cd/dvd is so 2005 , I'm living in 2017 , and a SD card/usbdrive

player would be a whole lot easier and better, pref without cd/dvd , nor videoplayer, or GPS.

Now here's the question : have any of you changed their car stereo ? How do they change it ?

Does the whole console with the aircon controles & outlets have to come out , or can they

take out only the radio/cd player ....without damaging everything around it ?

 

The typical plastic antenna on the Gold series just broke in little pieces from 9 years of

tropical sun . Isuzu says they don't do radio's but can change the antenna ...but with the holder

.....for 1.100 B...! Yes there are those small aluminum ones for 350 B , but I rather have the

plastic/rubbery one. I live too far from Bangkok to go to the car shops in the chinatown area.

 

Sure there are other issues : still have the original tyres ... gonna change them this year ,

and the aircon problem still  lingering for 3 or 4 years , but those subjects have been

addressed on this forum before. Can't trust anyone to fix the aircon . This is a big minus for Isuzu ,

they made it , they should service it , not some roadsite "stall" with a bottle of 134.

 

Sorry for the big read ....

[fredob43]

Not 1 hundred % clear on your cleaning bit as one would have to see that they mean.

But will address some bit's Tyres 10 years old they should be changed around 6/7 years due to the heat here. You could also try putting an additive that cleans the engine injectors. Only a few hundred bt, worth a go anyway. Just add it to the diesel tank.

 

Sorry to say that C/D are a thing of the past. You might be able to still get a head cleaner disc? More than likely at one of the markets, Doubt that any electric shops will still have for sale but worth a try.

 

Changing the Radio C/D is simple, Problem being that they won't do replacements anymore. You could try finding a back street electrical repair man he might be able to sort you out. Lot of old lumps have still got those dated C/D in them.  

 

[transam]

The over fill is OK...Exhausts get dirty if diesel which I reckon prevents rust...So all cool..

 

Injectors, it seems most diesel now has cleaning additives but bunging a cleaner in the tank will not hurt....The only thing that really cleans dodgy injectors is Ultra sound...

 

B-Quik has a guy trained to look at A/C stuff at every outlet...

[FlorC]

@Fredob43 : I should have asked for the promotion folder at Isuzu (in Thai of course) to show here. Not worried about the tyres , yes there are micro cracks when I look with a magnifier , but I don't drive much and no high speed , since they put camera's.
I don't want another old cd player, I want to update to a SD/UBS player , put in the car without them damaging the console.

 

@ Transam : Overfill causes foaming of the oil and it damages the engine , I looked it up on the internet. Still the Isuzu manual says between the 2 holes of the dipstick , not 1,5 cm above . Should I suck it out with a plastic hose ? Could overfilling cause a more dirty exhaust ?
There is no problem with my injectors , just Isuzu wanted to clean them , maybe they know the 7-9 % palm sh_t oil is poluting the engine.
I researched B-Quick and I don't like their terms on their website , and there is no B-Q in my province , so if there is a problem , I have to drive far again.

 

Thanks for replying though . Apparently not many drive 10 year old Isuzu D-max's anymore.

 

Can't believe they said my exhaust is dirty , when I see so many others pushing out black smoke , and mine is not . How do they get through the inspection ?

 

[transam]

28 minutes ago, FlorC said:

@Fredob43 : I should have asked for the promotion folder at Isuzu (in Thai of course) to show here. Not worried about the tyres , yes there are micro cracks when I look with a magnifier , but I don't drive much and no high speed , since they put camera's.
I don't want another old cd player, I want to update to a SD/UBS player , put in the car without them damaging the console.

 

@ Transam : Overfill causes foaming of the oil and it damages the engine , I looked it up on the internet. Still the Isuzu manual says between the 2 holes of the dipstick , not 1,5 cm above . Should I suck it out with a plastic hose ? Could overfilling cause a more dirty exhaust ?
There is no problem with my injectors , just Isuzu wanted to clean them , maybe they know the 7-9 % palm sh_t oil is poluting the engine.
I researched B-Quick and I don't like their terms on their website , and there is no B-Q in my province , so if there is a problem , I have to drive far again.

 

Thanks for replying though . Apparently not many drive 10 year old Isuzu D-max's anymore.

 

Can't believe they said my exhaust is dirty , when I see so many others pushing out black smoke , and mine is not . How do they get through the inspection ?

 

1.5 cm above the max dip stick mark is a ploblem...........

[lj cm]

3 hours ago, fredob43 said:

Not 1 hundred % clear on your cleaning bit as one would have to see that they mean.

But will address some bit's Tyres 10 years old they should be changed around 6/7 years due to the heat here. You could also try putting an additive that cleans the engine injectors. Only a few hundred bt, worth a go anyway. Just add it to the diesel tank.

 

Sorry to say that C/D are a thing of the past. You might be able to still get a head cleaner disc? More than likely at one of the markets, Doubt that any electric shops will still have for sale but worth a try.

 

Changing the Radio C/D is simple, Problem being that they won't do replacements anymore. You could try finding a back street electrical repair man he might be able to sort you out. Lot of old lumps have still got those dated C/D in them.  

 

Agree with trying a CD lens cleaner. 149 Baht at Lazada.

http://www.lazada.co.th/cdvcddvd-6-in-1-cd-lens-cleaner-6-in-1-37693374.html?ff=1

[madmax2]

Blowing out black smoke means the injectors need servicing or replacing, or it did in my day

This was caused by not replacing the fuel filter when you are supposed to on a regular basis

A can of injector cleaner in the fuel tank may fix the problem

[GavinK]

Easy enough to replace the radio unit yourself. Centre facia needs to come out (pulls off at the points where the retaining clips are) then the radio unit can be removed. Electrics just unplug - get a converter from that Isuzu plug to your new units plug. Speakers also easy to upgrade.

[FlorC]

6 hours ago, GavinK said:

Easy enough to replace the radio unit yourself. Centre facia needs to come out (pulls off at the points where the retaining clips are) then the radio unit can be removed. Electrics just unplug - get a converter from that Isuzu plug to your new units plug. Speakers also easy to upgrade.

I don't see how to pull out the radio , I don't know where the retaining clips are.

What's centre facia ?

 

[FlorC]

Which is the best/safest additif , that you can buy here in Thailand ( not online)?

I read some of the additifs you can only use when there is about 20 liter of diesel left in your tank.

 

[giddyup]

1 hour ago, FlorC said:

I don't see how to pull out the radio , I don't know where the retaining clips are.

What's centre facia ?

 

Take it to a hi-fi shop that specialises in installation, it's obviously a job beyond your capabilities. I had a new JVC CD/DVD/USB player installed in my old D Max, cost me about 3000 baht, the unit performed faultlessly and was integrated with the dash.

[GavinK]

See pic - use tool to pry the facia at these points (that is where the retaining clips are). Once facia is unclipped radio is removed by 4 screws which hold it to this facia.

[GavinK]

[JaseTheBass]

If we knew where you were located, someone may be able to offer more localised advice.

Sent from my Cray II supercomputer

[FlorC]

Thanks for the pics !!
So it is like I feared , the whole mid console , has to come out . That is going to be damaging to the surrounding. I imagine some brute Thai dude with a big scewdriver prying it out . And getting it back in too. Bummer .
The first pic already looks damaged :

My car maybe nearly 10 years but it looks new inside . Always 2 towels on the seat , practically never passengers .

[GavinK]

When the facia is out give it a good new coat of spray - I used black and did all the vent surrounds and facias on the doors at the same time to match interior. Took away those 10 year wear and tear scratches too and looks better than new now. And with new headunit and upgraded speakers on all 4 doors sounds better than new too. Plus I added a wired rear camera for the wife... 

[FlorC]

Why should I spray it , it still looks like new .
Did you have the vibrating door panels too , when too much low bass in the music ?

[GavinK]

No more help bro - you on your own now.

[giddyup]

46 minutes ago, GavinK said:

No more help bro - you on your own now.

Why he just doesn't take it to an expert at car radio installation is beyond me. He imagines that someone is going to scratch his 10 year old toy, yet isn't prepared to undertake the work himself. Don't know what kind of help he expected to get here.

[FlorC]

11 hours ago, giddyup said:

Why he just doesn't take it to an expert at car radio installation is beyond me. He imagines that someone is going to scratch his 10 year old toy, yet isn't prepared to undertake the work himself. Don't know what kind of help he expected to get here.

In the province I live in , there are very few radio installation places , and barely any choice. I don't imagine them damaging the car , from experience I know they will damage it. I 'm not handy enough to take the radio out. Most here focus on the radio , while the first part of the post is more important.
Like I said in the OP , I was looking for people with the same car , who had the 2000 B motor cleaning done , or advice to get through the yearly inspection , so to get a cleaner exhaust , maybe which additif to use . And whether Isuzu puts too much oil in their car too.

 

[FlorC]

I just had to do my yearly visit to the immigration office in another province ,and went to the local Isuzu dealer , where they spoke a little English. The oil level was indeed too high , and they sucked out about 0,5 liter , for free. Now the level is just below the upper hole on the dipstick , like perfect.

They too had the injector cleaning for 2000 B , I got the pamflet :

Did a search on the net for more info on this "Fresh car" ... but found nothing.

 

Anyone that has a techie Thai wife that can translate this ? It seems they will open the upper lit of the engine to access the injectors to clean them. Not really what I like : if it ain't broken , don't fix or mess around with it. The engine runs fine even with the sh_tty palmoil diesel . Isuzu there says not to use additives with the diesel...but I may tank Shell premium next time .

Not much of an answer for the dirty exhaust , checked my airfilter , which was still fine. Maybe the guy at the inspection was trying for some "additional income" , as last year they stepped harder on the accelerator , to get some more dirt on the filter ? I could be open for that.