Amigo/Rodeo/Sport
Link Page
( Magna page on left menu bar )
If you look at a
MOD link, be certain to check the FAQ
There might be something you should
know!
|
Index |
|
• Useful Isuzu Page Links
(Links to other Links) |
•
Tops — Hard and Soft |
|
•
FAQ Files - Amigo, Rodeo, and General |
My Stock 93 Amigo. Now with bigger tires
and more dents.
Similar Isuzu Link Collections:
Isuzu SUV's: http://www.isuzu-suvs.com/
Go Further Amigo: http://mjw.com/amigo/
Dan Houlster's 4x4Wire FAQ: http://ifaq.houlster.com/Isuzu_FAQ/fom-serve/cache/1.html
Isuzu link page, focus on 1998 and up. http://www.geocities.com/endre_rl/isuzufaq.htm
Pirate 4x4 Isuzu FAQ thread.
Trooper FAQ http://totalescape.com/Amigo/text/trooperFAQ.htm
Forums:
OutdoorWire with 4x4Home Page, Isuzu Home, Isuzu BBS's (including Isuzu General Talk BBS, and Isuzu Tech BBS )
Pirate 4x4 Isuzu board
Club VMag for Amigo/Rodeo Sport
On and Off Road BBS for Isuzu.
Club VMag for Vehicross. Lots of good cross-reference.
4 Wheel Parts Isuzu BBS page.
Stock Part sources:
Junk Yard Dog. Databases of thousands of junkyards across the country.
Car Part.com. Pretty much the same thing.
Cheap Parts for Isuzu thread
4 WD "How To" pages
General How-To--General 4wd How To
Winching--everything you need to know about winching and towing
4WD Glossary: http://www.ebroadcast.com.au/ecars/FAQ.html
Clubs & Gatherings
ZuZoo: The Gathering. The great Isuzu Moab run.
Isuzu Wheelers: http://www.zutah.com/
Amigo Owners Web Pages (Lots of good ideas, reviews, and pictures here)
Dan Houlster: http://www.houlster.com/amigo/
Rob's Rodeo Page (lots of good mods & prods)
4x4 / Offroad Links, Trail Reports, and Maps
4x4Now home page: Info on new trips, trip reports, books on 4wheeling, and 4WD route books
4x4Now By-state trail reports.
Arizona Off-Road: Excellent trail reports with GPS coordinates.
4 Wheel Drive trips: Arizona based trips to Mexico.
JDMCox. Download photos, maps, and Topos from MS TerraServer, merge them, import GPS tracks and plot on them.
Offroad Guides GPS track files for Arizona, Colorado, and Utah
Places to Buy Stuff (Also, see all the links above)
Isuzu Specific Parts, Kits, Mods, and Specialists
Darlington Off-Road. Shop # 919-759-2524. Cell: 208-590-0104. Email darlington4x4@bellsouth.net -or- joe@darlington-offroad.com
Independent4x -- Matt's place. A supporter of Isuzu Offroad. Lots of Isuzu specific stuff.
StinkyFab Manufacturing -- Isuzu Mods
CalMini Isuzu kits and mods.
Saint Charles Isuzu. The best for OEM prices. Cheap Prices/Discounts on Isuzu parts. 1-800-727-8066.
Isuzu Parts Store online.
D&E Isuzu Performance, Phoenix AZ. Isuzu mods.
E-Bay: Just start searching. It's not just a people auction any more; lots of companies put stuff there.
Energy Suspension: Polyurethane Bushings and more.
Hotrod Offroad -- Among others, supposed to be a cheap spot for Old Man Emu springs.
JC Whitney -- Lots of stuff.
JAOS - Lots of stuff, distributor in California.
Macromotive -- Enter your vehicle type, they tell you what they have for it. A wide variety off on- and off-road stuff.
NOPI -- Parts and accessories, including performance and 4wd.
Performance Accessories. Offroad gear
Suspension Works (Part of Jacob Spring Works, Australia). Wide variety of Isuzu parts. There are USA distributors.
Tennessee Off Road -- Search on Isuzu.
Automotive Articles I just found interesting.
Vehicles designed to feel safe and seem expensive, to make you feel safe and get your money, instead of actually being safe and a good value. Big and Bad.
Lifts—Suspension & Body
Lift FAQ/General Info, extra stuff you might need beyond the lift, and definitions of the four lift types are in the FAQ. See Useful Links/Places to buy" stuff for bushings.
Torsion Bar Crank -good pics and writeup of cranking the torsion bars for the suspension lift.unk inch lift, from Suspension Works (Part of Jacob Spring Works, Australia).
2" Old Man Emu™ leaf spring lift - Basic instructions by Micheal Mouravi, read here.
3" Suspension Lift - as a Do-It-Yourself project by Chris Perosi..
3" Suspension Lift - From Calmini. Click Calmini. Review of install here by Wade Ripowski, with additional instructions and pictures that weren't included in the original lift package.
3" Body Lift - From Calmini. Click Calmini.
3" Body Lift - by Performance Accessories. Review Here. Call for applications--used to be Amigo/Rodeo 89-95 manual trans only. 3" body lift includes front bumper brackets, steering extension included. $94.00 Get it at: www.4wheelparts.com or http://www.performanceaccessories.com The PA lift includes the rod for extending your shifters...along w/ pretty much everything else you need including a very well designed machined aluminum steering extension. Bumper brackets are a liability issue, PA doesn't want to be held responsible when you raise your bumpers from factory heights and expose the frame rails. If you were involved in a collision and hurt because your bumpers did not protect you, PA doesn't want to be held responsible. You can order the brackets from PA, but you have to do it separately so that PA can claim that it wasn't their lift which was unsafe and cause you to be injured, but your fault for moving your bumpers above the frame rails.
3" Spring Lift from Darlington Off-Road Products. Click here.
Ball Joint Flip-- Doestn't give you lift so much as it gives you better extension (downward) travel of the wheel. Combine with disconnecting the sway bars for better off-road articulation travel
Rear Lift for Amigo -- Put in Rodeo springs that are the same size but heavier duty.
Spring Shackles - Provides 1 1/2 - 2 inches of lift over stock in leaf spring vehicles. Click Calmini. or Darlington
Shackle and Bushing Lift by Randy Burleson. Detailed how-to article.
Super Duty Torsion Bars from Calmini. The solution to a too-soft front suspension. Larger diameter bar is 20% stiffer than stock. A must for Amigos with large tires or a winch. Click Here.
Spring U-Bolt protectors from Darlington Products. Click Darlington
Spring Over Axle lift: How-to article by Dan Houlton.
Track Bar, Rear Channel: Stronger version from From Calmini. Click Calmini
Modifications—Power Based. Please note that any mods are "at your own risk." Many void your warrantee, others may not perform as claimed. The best proof if you want your money back is a before-and-after dyno. Power Mod FAQ--A great read!
Air Intake:
K&N options at most any auto store
Calmini. Installation and review on Calmini air filter. Click here.
Injen air intakes will fit on an Amigo/RS. Call/E-mail and ask
Weapon R intake http://www.nopi.com/ Click on their E-Cat link for the online catalog and follow the selections on the top of the page for make/model/year etc. The Weapon R's go for around $220 (#948+2425). The various part numbers are only for the colored intakes.
Increasing the MAF intake size on the 88-91 Amigo, by Todd Marcucci. The original engines had a 3" diameter intake that decreased down to 2".
Changing Intake Manifold/Throttle Body to allow more airflow by Todd Marcucci.
Camshaft
Calmini offers a performance camshaft. Dan Houlton installed one in his '94 Amigo S 4x4, details/directions here.
DeltaCam offers new and camshaft regrinds: Available from http://www.deltacam.com/
Performance Camshaft from http://www.blazespeedshop.com Nothing listed for Isuzu, but the part number is BL653-272. From the son of the DeltaCam owner.
Bill Harris (Green Amigo on the 4x4Wire board) tried both cams and his analysis was: With the CalMini cam, he could now maintain speed on hills in his 93 Amigo. With the DeltaCam, he could actually accelerate a little up hills.
Engines Rebuilds
What-ifs: See Performance Trends Software and Randii's Board posting. Enter all the specs in and get a simulation.
Completely rebuilt engines at (in no particular order)
Rebuilt Engines: http://www.rebuiltengines.com
Remanufactured Engines: http://www.remanufactured.com/
Rising Sun Engines: Used & rebuilt engines from Japan. Typically (comparatively) lower mileage. All tested to make sure they work good. http://www.risingsunengines.com/
Engine Rebuild Kit: Greenbay Parts
Rebuilt Cylinder Heads
Rebuilt cylinder heads: 2.3 and 2.6 & rebuilt motors 2.3 and 2.6 with 12-month 12,000 mile warranty
Engine Computer Chips: Sold at Superchips and Jet Chips. Review of Jet chip here. Many discussions on whether this is worth it or not on the Amigo boards. Here's a summary: The chips can alter the timing curve and a/f mixture often gaining some TQ and HP through mid to upper ranges. Sometimes this requires the use of premium gas or you'll ping bad. I've found the JetChips work well where there many modifications already in place (headers, exhaust, intake, cams, etc.) The general consensus, for the newer motors, is that it really isn't worth the amount of money you're paying. Also, consider that you'll likely kiss your warranty good bye if you ever have a claim related to the engine
Exhaust System (Engine block to tail pipe)
Headers (to replace the stock exhaust manifold)
Calmini Performance Exhaust System - You can go to your local muffler shop and have them put on a system. Or, you can buy this bolt--on systems engineered to fit properly and increase performance and fuel economy. Can buy with a header, or just do a cat-back. Calmini claims the combination gives 15 - 18% h.p. gains. Calmini Main Page. Isuzu Page
Calmini Exhaust Header. Better than original Instructions for 1st Gen (94-Calmini 2.3/2.6 4-cyc) Click For Wayne's Instructions.. I welcome any and all feedback on how to improve the instructions, or on any special mods you had to do to make the header work with your Amigo. Please include the year and month of manufacture!
Installation of both systems on a trooper by Todd Marcucci. He should have seen my additional instructions first! I had the same problem with both O2 and EGR pipe. Mine wasn't stuck, but the manifold used a the new EGR pipe fitting, while my stock '93 Amigo used the old fitting.
Pacesetter Exhaust Header. Pacesetter. The Isuzu part #'s aren't listed, but you can call them or do a search. Sold by JC Whitney and Independant4x, NOPI and lots of other spots (price-shop!).
Bob Land Racing -- Sells their brand name header. Also sold through Darlington OffRoad.
Thorley Headers also makes one for the trooper, you can buy them about the Amigo/Rodeo/Rodeo Sport
Mufflers: Many aftermarket mufflers like Flowmaster, DynoMax, Thrush, and about a dozen more. Also consider Mike Hamm's PV Muffler. Performance charts provided for the Isuzu V6.
Piping: I'm not saying some people are
really obsessed with wringing out performance, but check out this
mid 90's post from a certain unnamed (but well known) Isuzu Amigo
owner/forum moderator: FYI, for my 2.6l engine, I did timed
acceleration tests of 2", 2.25", and 2.5" inch pipes and
mufflers, before settling on 2.25" back from my CALMINI header.
2" was an improvement over stock, but 2.25" was best
-- 2.5" was better than stock, but not as good as 2.25".
I tested these with cheap pipes and mufflers but no cat...I
waited until I knew what size I needed before I plunked down $70 bucks
for a 2.25" cat.
Ignition system: It's all about burning as much fuel as possible as fast as possible. See FAQ on how it helps.
Warning - upgrading your ignition coil will make the cap and rotor die much faster than normal. Before I put in a big coil I never had a blowout and changed the cap and rotor every 30k as recommended. After a new coil, I blew out a cap/rotor after about 15k, and sometime as soon as 5k miles. There is no upgraded cap and rotor for the 2.6 engine, and it's hard to swap out. I learned to carry a spare. I loved the extra power and gas mileage, I hated the random failure.
DIY Ion Sensing: http://www.hut.fi/~vvartiov/ion/ion.html In the "How it helps" Ignition FAQ linked above, there's a good technical discussion on ion sensing.
Jacobs Electronics Jacobs uses an increased spark plug gap and higher voltage to provide better, and more multi-path arc-over. This increases the "area" covered by the spark, giving better combustion. Then they use multiple sparking so the compression can't "blow out" any part of the spark, and that spark is at all times in the combustion cycle to burn all the fuel. Their kits come with a high-power coil, a computer that calculates the best way to spark for how you're driving plus many other functions (theft-stop, RPM limiter, max-power override switch, "original ignition" setting, and more), new coil, high-performance plug wires, external trigger (makes for easy installation of system), and with the off-road kit an uphill power module that will signal "turn off computer, use max power" when going up an incline (you set the decision angle). So far, Jacob's works only on systems with a distributor cap. The new 3.2 liter v6 DOHC engine is a distributorless system with ion sensing--see Ignition FAQ!
MSD Ignition. MSD uses a capacitive discharge, multiple spark ignition which means that every spark is at full power no matter what rpm you're at. Below 3,000 rpm the MSD produces multiple sparks rather than just a single spark. This spark series lasts for 20° of crankshaft rotation whether there is two or six sparks. At speeds over 3,000 rpm, there is only a single spark, however that spark also lasts for the full 20° of crank rotation. Optional off-road rev-limiter is available. MSD Carries systems for both distributor and distributorless systems.
Accel Ignition: As far as I can tell, they don't have a web site. They're all over the web. Pick a dealer and give a call.
Wire Upgrades.
If you are looking for wireset upgrades, Magnecor has a few part #'s (7mm, 8mm, 8.5mm) for the different 3.2 Troop & Rodeos up to 96. go to page 12 of the catalog: http://www.magnecor.com/magnecor1/files/catalog.pdf Have high MSRP but dealers sell them for less.
You can also do things like by the Accel products v-8 system of 8.5mm "cut to your own length" sets. That's 2 sets of wires for the Isuzu 4-cyc engines at a cheap price, and very little work.
Kingsborne makes quality wires in 7mm-10mm for almost every Zu & can make them for whatever isn't listed: http://www.kingsborne.com/html/isuzu.htm .
Turbo/Superchargers: See Super/Turbo FAQ page for more info.
Supercharger - performance instructions for a '94 Amigo S 4x4 model by Dan Houlton
Supercharger install from Mike Hamm Engineering (PV Mufflers) on AZ Wildfires 3.2l v6 Amigo. Direct from Africa. See his story and look at pictures by clicking here. See thePV Muffler install page.
BBS Post on Alpine supercharger group buy. Alpine is from Africa.
Turbocharger
- performance instructions for a '94 Amigo S 4x4 model by Dan Houlton
Turbocharger 2
-- the final turbo he installed.
Bolt on Turbo kit for Rodeo/RS v6 /Trooper/Axiom by S.A Alpine Developments, Inc / Tone Monday & Assoc. See picture here.
Force Air Technology in Arizona is willing to do custom work to install a turbo.
Modifications—4WD Based (and not lifts)
Boulder Bars / Rock Skidder Bars
Building and installing your own. By Dan Russo.
Darlington Off Road's Rock Skidderz, a review by Rob Gorrell.
UB Skidderz by Darlington Offroad Products
You can buy them from Shrockworks, Darlington Offroad, Independant4x, and StinkyFab
Breather Hoses:
Extending breather hoses on an Isuzu. By Randy Burleson.
Extending breather hoses on Isuzu / MUA5 transmission by Chris Danvers
Clutch: Bypassing the Safety Switch by Randy Burleson. Why, why not, and how-to.
Gears
Low 4WD Gears by TerraFlx. Gives better low gearing, while not affecting highway performance. Installation/Review by Fernando Rivero at OutdoorWire. Another review at PlanetIsuzoo. Install and Review by Dr. Sean Michael (aka WomBAT man)
Crawler Gears by Gearwell Industries. Article by George Reiswig.
All the Rodeo and late model amigo owner's can now get a rear 4.88 D44 ring and pinion for their stock axle configuration thanks to the new Jeep Rubicon. The Trooper 12 bolt is a Isuzu Corp. axle. 12-bolt denotes the number of bolts on the ring gear. (i.e. 12-bolt ring gears are bigger than the 10-bolt front.) GM uses the same terms to describe the sizes of their axles and it does create a little confusion. http://www.randysringandpinion.com/4.88-thick-gear-highlightsweb.pdf
Klune-V gearbox. See "Transmission" a few bullets below as Dan Houlton sticks one in.
Differential Protection: Many types and sources available.
Google Search on Dana44 protection. Find many more than I listed here.
Ron's Custom Shop builds a beefy or smaller sized, steel-cage protectors.
Mag Hytek builds a larger capacity, beefier cover for the D44.
Rock-It Glider has a skid-plate for the D44. You lose a little bit of ground clearance, but with a lot more protection.
Axle support/differential protection at Kilby, for the D44.
Gas Tank Lift: After doing a body lift, there's room to raise the gas tank. How-to by Dan Houlster. Same Mode, different writeup and pics by Rob Gorrell.
Hubs:
In most auto-locking hubs with anti-lock brakes, the hubs can't be replaced with manual hubs unless you want to give up anti-lock brakes. Early anti-lock brakes used a magnetic pickup on the differential carrier ring--when the slowed, your wheels were locking up. Now the sensor is put in the hub. Of course, you don't want anti-lock brakes when 4-wheeling (Think of going down a steep, gravel hill when your brakes keep releasing), you probably want them on-road.
Changing from Auto to Manual Locking hubs by Chris Perosi.
Changing from Auto to Manual locking hubs by Wade Ripowski
Protecting a manual hub conversion from rock-slams. By David Chang.
Lockers--Automatic and Air
ARB Air Locker - performance instructions for a '94 Amigo S 4x4 model by Dan Houlton
Pseudo Locker - performance instructions for a '94 Amigo S 4x4 model by Dan Houlton
PowerTrax No-Slip automatic locker by Chris Perosi. Information, installation instructions, and review.
PowerTrax Lock Right automatic locker by Chris Perosi. Rear Locker. Information, installation info, and review.
PowerTrax LockRight automatic locker by Sean Michael. Front axle locker for 17-spline axles. Information, installation info, and review.
Recovery Gear: Mods, upgrades, and extras all in the Accessories section.
Shocks (and coils):
Installing
Rancho 9000's on 2nd Gen Amigo by Wade Ripowski. Includes the mods
he had to make.
- Rancho 99214 (front) 99186 (rear)
--or-- KYB G54337 (front) G54338 (rear)
--or-- Bilstein BE56012RODE (front) BE56013RODE (rear)
If you want a tad of lift and a stiffer coil spring for the rear, regular size
Rodeo springs fit, and are are only $37 each from the dealer.
- Other
problems (and solutions) installing shocks on 2nd Gens.
Snorkels: Safari Snorkel for 2nd Gen Rodeo Sport / Rodeo's and others. Wasn't on his page at the time, but supposedly Matt at http://www.independent4x.com sells them in the states.
Suspension
Sway Bars: Quick disconnect cheap trick by Tad Grosvenor. Another method by Rob Gorrell. Both reference the more detailed article for Toyota. Commercial sway-bar disconnects are available at RockStomper if you call (not listed on their web page).
Tie Rods - Beefier tie rods. StinkyFab Tie Rods, info here.
Tires: Changing from 16x7 stock to 16x8 tires on a 2nd Gen Amigo by Wade Ripowski.
Transmission: Transmission upgrade. Excellent article. Dan Houlton talks about what you can bolt onto where, and how to fit it all together. Includes lots of information on transmissions and engine bolt patterns. He fits an Isuzu 2.6 engine with 2.6 bell housing to an Aisin Warner A340 variant (an AW-4 from a '98 Cherokee). Toyota A340-F's are much less available from what he found, and usually cost substantially more. The hydraulic t-case version of is the 30-80LE used by Isuzu in the 2.6 Trooper. Also used by Toyota, jeep, Mitsubishi, etc., in one form or another. So, with a flexplate and converter for the 2.6, I'll have a bolt-up auto. The transmission has a 23 spline output and the NV/NP 6-bolt round t-case pattern, so an obvious transfer case is the ( another jeep part!!) Dana 300. Between the transmission and the transfer case, the used Klune-V fits 4:1 reducer fits right in.
Tow Hooks: New, no-hassle add-ons if you need them (Wayne did!). By Andy Scoggins. Click here.
Tow Bar: Used if you want to tow your Isuzu behind another vehicle. Click here.
Vacuum Shifter Lockout by Randy Burleson. Defeating a vacuum-driven front wheel drive shift mechanism is easy enough, and keeps the longside front axle connected... but locking the vacuum shifter is quite easy, too, especially on late-model Isuzus. Click here.
Modifications—Add-On and Misc (But off-road. See Accessories below)
Air System Based
Air Tanks the cheap way, by Curtis Johnson.
Onboard Air Compressor - performance instructions for a '94 Amigo S 4x4 model by Dan Houlton
Power Tank by : George Reiswig. Liquid CO2 based system..
ABS Upgrade: How to fix that over-sensitive system by Jeff Rouse:
My brakes sucked. A crack in the road would set the ABS off. I did a few things and it works way better now. After I took my Amigo back to the dealer ("everything checks out within manufacturers specs" ) for difficulty stopping twice, I bled the brakes. This made a HUGE difference. Cost: $0
Then I had some Earl's Plumbing steel braded brake lines custom made (I added 2" in front and 4" in back for future mods) and replaced all five stock rubber lines. HUGE, HUGE improvement. $150
Then I lifted my truck 3" and put rancho 9000's on. I don't know why but this helped quite a bit too. Maybe from it not getting jarred so hard when I'd hit a bump. Beats me, it helped a lot. $400 CP style lift.
I put 265/75/16 Futura Dakata's all around. Good improvement. $510 for five tires - mounted, etc
Next I changed brake pads all around. Axxis metal master. Some improvement. $70
Finally, I swapped the front rotors for Powerstop cross-drilled rotors. (I tow a lot, slotted are better for most people). I left the rear stock - for now. Great improvement in stopping, some improvement in ABS. $230 for the pair.
At first I thought my ABS didn't work anymore, because it didn't' come on for at least six months. Then when driving in the snow I jammed the brakes on one day and... it was still there working like ABS should. Since then it has only come on a few times, and only under extreme braking on bumpy surfaces.
Audio Upgrades: Putting tweeters in the empty factory tweeter hole (if you don't have a set)
Braking System: Upgraded system by Dr. Sean Michael. Click here.
Cooling System Upgrades:
In general (check your model to be certain), Isuzu automatic transmissions come with an electric fan, manuals come with a clutch fan. The stock fan will pull at least 3000 CFM. It's tough to better that performance with an electric fan that you can fit in that space. Some Honda accords and some Pontiac lemans (the later econo-box ones, not the 70's ones) have a cool little 10" pusher fan that's cheap at junkyards. And never mount additional coolers using clip-thru connectors to the radiator. They will stretch out.
Articles
Why is additional cooling important? (With pics). Short 4wd explanation: The automatic transmission produces a lot of heat when you're crawling or inching up things because the torque converter is forced to slip, and it dumps that heat into the radiator (the stock tranny cooler ties into the radiator). This heat build-up is too much for the radiator to handle and soon your temp gauge is up in the "hot" range.
According to Ford Muscle magazine, when shopping for a radiator, copper is better...and cheaper. Just less strong. http://www.fordmuscle.com/archives/2001/10/radiator/ BeCool Radiators (see below) disputes that.
Jeeps (sorry) article on replacing stock 4.0L engine's single-core plastic radiator with 3-core, along with
recommended "while you're there" replacements and installation tips. http://www.jeepin.com/features/gdi/index.shtml
Companies and Products
Fans: The Ford Tarus fan is a great electric fan to put in a vehicle. Works well with the radiator as well. Details here. Some other options are the Permacool 16" or the Flexilite 295, which has dual 13" fans and hopefully fits. The Permacool pulls 2,950 CFM and the Flexalite pulls 4,500 CFM. There's a write-up at: http://www.planetisuzoo.com/articles.htm/44
Perma
Cool: (This site is mirrored at Alamo
Motorsports). This was hard to split up. Bear with me.
- Water based
cooling: Electric fans for the engine radiator; performance fan
blades
- Oil and transmission cooling: Either separate radiators or
a combo (dual) mini-radiator (with fan option) for both oil and
transmission. Oil filter relocation kits,
transmission fluid filter kits, etc.
BeCool Performance radiators. Aluminum radiators, single or dual core, with or without integrated transmission fluid coolers. Have to send them your size for an Isuzu versions.
Warehouse stores: Besides Autozone, Pep Boys, CarParts.com, etc, you can try: http://www.radiator.com/ http://www.radiatorinfo.com/.
Main manufactures (info only; don't sell direct to consumer): Imperial Coolers, Modine and Go Dan Industries (GDI). Both have 3 core systems with Automatic Trans cooler built in. (Note: Autozone said no GDI's available for Isuzu, but at the GoDan site, they have a part number), so give either of the companies a call.
Door Popping Noise on 2nd Gen: How to fix it with a simple bushing change.
Garage Door Opener - fits into any utility socket or coin holder. By MikadoTech.
Herculiner: Good
instuctions on how to put it on, from Eric D:
Note: Do not get cheap masking
tape.
Note: Do not get any kind of
roller other than the foam blue kind like what comes in the kit.
4" roller, 9" is too big for horizontal detail work..
Note: You will will want to
have disposable latex gloves, and someone helpful around to help remove
gloves
Note: Be ready to wipe Xylene
followed by water on any overprint you accidentally make.
I did 2 unequal coats, with the second probably twice as heavy as the first.
About 4 hours total work, not including pauses between coats.
Remove bumpers
Wash (but do not wax) truck
Apply masking tape, cut details of tape (give at least 2.5" of tape around ANY surface to be herc'd)
Sand area to be herc'd... all of it ... with 320 grit or similar sandpaper. Rougher is better, but 80 grit is probably much too rough. I like 320 or maybe 200.. careful not to mess up masking edge, but you have to come right up to the edge.
Wash area to be herc'd again with strong soap and thoroughly rinse
Rub down area to be herc'd with Xylene on a shop towel, being generous with the Xylene and allow it to fully dry
Stir Herc very, very well with a paint mixer in a power drill. Seriously, spend a full 2 minutes stirring, and don't bother using a wooden stick by hand... borrow a power drill if you don't have one. If it feels like the stirrer isn't going all the way to the bottom, and the bottom feels spongy and you just can not get to the bottom of the can - that means it has exceeded its shelf life and you need to get a different can of it.
Use paintbrush to get into tiny details, like cracks and corners etc - do this BEFORE rolling to preserve texture
Wash brush with Xylene.
Pour about half a quart or so into 4" rolling tray, coat roller but don't let roller stay TOO goopy.
Roll onto truck, trying NOT to get full coverage in the first coat. You want to get about 90% coverage with about 10% of your paint still showing through in tiny spots between the texture.
After the whole truck is done like that, have a beer and chase your girlfriend around with black goo all over your hands for 2 hours.
Touch part of the herc that's on the masking tape.. if it's tacky and your fingerprint doesn't stay there, you can continue.
Apply second coat. Apply this coat thicker than the first, try to get 100% coverage by applying force to the roller, and going back and forth a few times. Basically keep going on this second, thicker coat as long as you still have any paint showing, and go over everything.
Wait 1.5 to 2.5 hours, depending, until it's tacky but "mostly" dry, then peel off the masking tape. DO NOT WAIT until it's fully cured to remove the tape, or the tape will be stuck to the surface.
Show it off to everyone you know, because it looks hella, hella cool. Don't actually touch the surface for 24 hours, as it'll be tacky for a long time.
To do the bottom door panels and fenders of a trooper
takes about a quart. Two
quarts is plenty of safety margin. Don't spend a hundred dollars
on the whole "kit" because the only part of it you will use is
the roller thing. definitely use 4" rollers though, the 9"
roller is too hard to use with the thick herc.
Hub Protector: Protecting a manual hub conversion from rock-slams. By David Chang.
Jump Seat / 3rd Row Seat: See article here.
Lights: Fog, 2nd Gen Amigo/RS:
Headlight FAQ: Lot of info about bulb types, higher wattage bulb, do Blue Bulbs really work, European Standard vs USA standard, etc. Includes information on how to get brighter headlights.
Fog Light ON with high or low beams: To keep your fog lights on with high or low beams, is an easy procedure. Start by popping off the carrier that holds the three switches to the left of the steering wheel using a flathead on the bottom of the carrier about a quarter inch off the two bottom corners and it will fall right out. From there, snip the Yellow/Red wire (#4, second from the end) in the diagram. Then ground the tail of the switch (the wire coming out of the switch), I grounded mine to the cigarette lighter. The ground wire on the cigarette lighter is the wire that attaches to the side of the back of the lighter. Put everything back together and now you will be able to run your fogs on with high and low beams.
Sound Dampening: This turned into a long list since it's supplied for every vehicle, not just Isuzu. I moved it here.
Spare Tire attachment: Conversion
bolt-on to a stud and nut by David Chang. Stock, you have to pick up the tire, hold it in
place (with one hand), then slide in a
bolt. Pre-mount the bolts, then just pick up the tire and slide it
on. Very useful for those with a spare-tire-mounted bike rack, like
Thule makes. His web page is down, here's the instructions:
Spare tires are heavy. Oversized ones are even
heavier. Still, while mounting and removing the spare from the Amigo
(Rodeo Sport) tire carrier is not that big of a deal, it could be
easier. Isuzu included a small tire holder to assist you in mounting
the spare, however, if you ever plan on using Thule's "Spare Me (part
number 943)" spare tire bike carrier, you must remove the
"shelf" that Isuzu includes with the spare tire carrier.
This, of course, now presents a problem, as you must now, not
only support the weight of the tire, but also attempt to line up the tire
and the bike carrier's mounting plate all at once. A task that is merely
hard for two people, is now down right nigh impossible for one person to
accomplish. Life is easier if you convert to a stud and lug nut
setup. Here's a list of what you will need and where to get it:
- 19mm
socket and ratchet or wrench
- Torque
wrench
- 22mm
socket and ratchet or wrench
- QTY.
3 of 2 inch long bolts, size M12 (Very Fine- 1.50 thread pitch) from Pep
Boys for $0.99 a piece.
- QTY.
3 of M12 (Very Fine- 1.50 thread pitch) lug nuts- Pep Boys part number
98965.1 at $1.99 a piece
**NOTE: It's always a good idea to take one of the original, tapered spare
tire bolts to the store when you go buy bolts and lug nuts. It serves as a
handy reference point to ensure you purchase the correct size.**
Here's what you need to do:
The Amigo spare tire carrier comes with 3 bolt holes with
nuts tap-welded on the inside to carry your spare tire. Take the 19mm socket
and ratchet or torque wrench and undo the bolts that are holding you spare
tire onto the carrier. Carefully remove the bolts and the spare tire. Then
take the new bolts and thread them through from the back of the spare tire
carrier. They also have 19mm heads. Run them all the way through and torque
them to about 110lbs.
After these are secure, you can now remount the spare tire and
fasten the tire to the spare tire "studs" using the 22mm socket
and ratchet. After you've remounted the tire torque the spare tire lug nuts
to 65-70 lbs. You now have a much cleaner look to your spare tire and the
ease of mounting and removing the spare is greatly improved.
Tires: Siping them yourself, and re-designing the tread yourself.
Towing products: Tow bars and other. Hidden Hitch. or Draw-Tite. Or see your local dealer.
Window Tint: Install on the soft-top windows by Jason B, an Amigo owner. I've heard the tint doesn't stick well to soft-top windows over time due to wind flexing and plastic expansion/contraction over temp. JasonB reports, "I live in Pittsburgh, temps ranging from sub zero to above or near 100 last year. No problems at all. I took the tint off the windows one time in 2 years to treat the plastic and that's about it." I had some problems with it bubbling a little, but nothing horrible. Just don't "flex" the window (open it 3/4, bend it back, and leave it there) or you will have a bubble "line" where it pulls away at that point.
Vehicle Tops, Hard And Soft
Auto Junkyards sell used tops. For example, Car Part.com and search on "Roof" Try also "sunroof" and a few other options since dealers may not be exact. Also Junk Yard Dog.
Putting a quick release on the 2nd Gen Amigo soft top, by Wade Ripowski.
Swap Amigo / Rodeo Sport Hard Top and Soft top. http://www.geocities.com/madisoneastclassof1993/amigo/
Soft Tops
Note: The two main soft top
manufactures are BestTop and Kayline. Everyone knows BestTop, and for
1st Gen they came up with the rail system in the back instead of the snap
system--a great improvement. Kayline tops are generally $100 less
expensive, use the original snap mounts on the rear door, come in a variety
of colors for the vinyl, can be 31% tinted, and can roll up the side windows
like on the new 2nd gen Rodeo Sports. Kayline was sold to Specialty
Tops. Finally, your best bet is always to go to Google and search for Amigo
Bestop
If you're not picky on brand or new/used and just want the lowest price, go to EBay and do a search for 'amigo convertible top', 'amigo soft top', and 'amigo replacement top'. Classic American Parts Inc. and Isuzu. You might also find some good deals on branded tops.
Quadratech: http://www.quadratec.com/ BestTop for 1st & 2nd gen.
JC Whitney: http://www.jcwhitney.com/ Not BestTop or Kayline brand; might be JC's own.
WindRock Offroad: http://www.windrockoffroad.com
TheJeep: http://www.thejeep.com/stc/amigo.html Kayline/Specialty tops for 1st gen.
Convertable Parts sells original Isuzu tops.
SeatCo of Arlington, Virginia. http://www.seatco.com/convertibles/isuzu/amigo.html 1st Gen only. Features OEM factory original LOD snaps, apprx. 20% larger windows for improved visibility, rear window zip outs (which eliminates the necessity to roll up rear curtain), two snap tabs to hold rear curtain in place for easier installation of zippered rear window, Sturdy Denim Vinyl for improved durability. Plus, they actually sell replacement rear windows.
AutoStyles: http://www.autostyles.com/amigo.htm Part # 7370. Robbins top for 1st gen, variety of materials to choose from. They also sell another top at http://www.autostyles.com/softtops.htm,
Other Spots (Bestop and other brands): http://www.tops4less.com/ http://www.accessconnect.com/softtop.htm http://www.clemson4wheel.com/replace_a_tops.htm http://members.aol.com/a4west/index.html Also try ReplaceATop and Tiger Tops (google and e-bay them).
Hard Tops
Note: There are a variety of these
manufacturers.. Top flight is the commercial application of Fleet
Air. Colonel's Truck Accessories is actually a subsidiary of Sports
Resorts International.
AutoStyles: Sells Top Flight. http://www.autostyles.com/isuzuamigohardtops.htm Good for 1st or 2nd Gen.
MJW: Sells Fleet Air directly. $1200 for 1st or 2nd gen hard top. http://mjw.com/hardtop/
Colonel's Truck
Accessories. Info may be out of date. 888-427-3867
• Price: $750 + options -- Lifetime warrantee against cracking.
• Features: Slanted back end. Slants about 80
degrees of vertical. Double cam locks (two handles, one on each corner--
more durable). Black or white stock, paint to match (4-5 days, no
extra cost) with BASF paint. Charcoal foss headliner instead of
fiberglass or carpeting. Smoked or clear glass windows, rust proof
frame.
• Options: Sliding glass windows ($42), Rear defroster ($125)
3rd brake light mounted on rear glass ($25)
• Note: No roof rack available. Higher quality automotive paint
instead of gel coat.
Rally
Tops. http://www.rallytops.com/pages/amigo2.htm
Also sold at: http://www.4x4now.com/4wsbirt.htm
Price: $899 -- Lifetime warrantee against cracking.
• Features: Double cam
locks (two handles, one on each corner-- more durable), carpeted
headliner, tinted windows.
• Options: Defogger ($85), Roof rack ($120), all colors.
• Note: Ralley makes tops by hand w/ multiple layers of
solid fiberglass instead of stranded spray. This makes it stronger.
Automotive paint job instead of gel-coat finish.
Quardatech: http://www.quadratec.com Sells top by DG Industries. Options: Sliding rear window. Black or white. 1st Gen only.
Manufacturer isn't listed, but Isuzu Hard Tops are here.
Accessories (Alphabetical as I could make it)
Bumper and Tube Accessories and Replacements.
Auto Extras has some grill guards that are more decorative, but cheaper.
Calmini Tube Products. Available at www.Calmini.com. Members of ITOG get 10% discount. Both tube type and full bumpers with winch mount.
Darlington Off Road has a winch mount bumper.
East Cost Bullbarrs -- Imported. USA rep here.
Smittybilt - Available in black and chrome from www.carparts.com (Use discount code 1858007 and get 33% off your order!). Less expensive than Calmini.
TJM Bull Bar available here
Westin has a variety: Front bars, side-step tubes, etc. Can't look up by model, must go by product then see if it's available for Isuzu.
Carpet Replacement
Available at: www.autostyles.com Have to call and ask for Amigo/Rodeo Sport.
Available at http://www.quadratec.com
Available at Auto Custom Carpets
Or, go dumpster-diving at the local carpet store, and cut your own. Wayne did, and now has a wall-to-wall white shag carpeting in his blue 93 Amigo.
Center Console
Locking - Get a Tuffy steel lock box. Sold at many retailers, their homepage is: http://www.tuffyproducts.com
Build your own from steel: http://www.mindspring.com/~jayk3/toyota/console.htm
Build your own from wood and fiberglass.
Clutch Kits - get it at: www.autospree.com or : www.cabrera.com. There's also the Centerforce Performance Clutch.
Emergency Gear. You can never have enough. There are the obvious: some basic tools, flares, first aid kits, communication gear. Here's some others.
Emergency engine belts. One size fits all adjustable.
Engine Rebuilts - get it at: www.rebuiltengines.com
Mounts and Stands. Computer stand. Palmtop mounts. Ham Radio mounts. GPS mounts. Permanent and temporary, bolt-in to suction cup.
Homebrew version Rodeo Sport by David Chang. Click here or here for different pics / directions.
OffRoad Guides sells the Jotto Desk Mount for laptops and other Palm holders.
RAM-Mounts - Sells mounts for everything.
Racks, Roof Racks, Light Racks, etc.
Temporary, by both Yakima and Thule. Find your rack hear, find the cheapest dealer on the web. Agees has a good deal where prices are similar to others but you get 20% of your price towards other accessories.
Permanent Racks, by Proline. Like the kind seen stock on larger SUV's.. Review of install on Amigo.
Racks, Safari type: Racks, rear carriers, light bars, and more. Built by Robert Smith, 600 Doby St., Kannapolis, NC. 28081, Phone: 704-934-2951
Rack, Light: See Macromotive and search on light racks. Gutter mount temporary system.
Recovery Gear: See FAQ section for more info on tow straps and how to use them.
Pull-Pal to pull yourself out of a mess. Review by Dr. Sean Michael. Click here. Manufacture home page. Sold in a variety of spots, including MasterPull Or you can try a search.
Straps, chains, shackles, snatch blocks (pulleys) and other mount points: You can buy single parts, or full kits. RecoveryGear, MasterPull, RockStomper, Warn and even WalMart if you just want a strap. There are even receiver hitch mount shackles for the strap. Don't forget the high-lift jack.
Winch: Winch Model list 1. (5k-12k pull) Winch Model List 2 Compares various makes and models all in one page. This is not an all-inclusive list, but a good starter when looking for a model.
Tires
Aftermarket tire trim for Amigo at: www.mastertrim.com (90-95, last time I looked)
Steel wheel covers at http://store.yahoo.com/autoznet-store/honda.html
Lights, Light Bars / Accessories
See Bumper and Tube Accessories up top.
Aftermarket light accessories for '89-94 Amigo at: www.lightlens.com
Ground Effects Kits at www.erebunicorp.com
Brake Light Info
Brake light options vary by state. Some states regulate only solid brake lights, some regulate they can blink for 5 seconds then go solid, and others say you can blink for as long as you're holding the brakes. Some of these are great if you don't have a 3rd brake light or want to replace it with something more out of the way than the spare tire vision blocker. Search for "Motorcycle Tail Light Law" to find easy answers.
Brighter drop-in replacement light: http://www.ibmwr.org/ktech/taillite.shtml The standard tail/brake light is the twin-filament 1157. It burns 26.8 watts when braking. The alternate 2357 is a direct plug-in. It's the same brightness when running, but it's 20-25% brighter when braking. It burns 28.1 watts when braking. Bulb life drops from about 1200 hours to 400. If you brake for 30 minutes a day (a lot of braking), you'll need a new set of brake lights about once every 2 years.
The H1157 (Halogen) that puts out 50w. I don't recommend it because if you rest on your brakes at a stoplight or you'll melt your plastic lens.
TailBlazer. Turns an 1157 incandescent bulb into a blink-5 seconds then stop halogen bulb. You can use a 5/10 watt halogen (10 watt bulb that 'runs' at 5 watts and when braking goes to full 10 watts) or a 10/20 watt halogen bulb to get their attention (my favorite). Works for my motorcycle, but a twin-pack that blinks on the Amigo would be a little expensive.
To replace the vision blocking 3rd tail-light, mount the below assemblies from your soft top bar (hang low enough to work with the top on or off) or glue them to your hard top on the inside. They could also double as up-in-the-air turn-signals (use a diode to power them off the turn signals so they don't power back into the brakes).
There are blinking LED clusters. One brand is called HyperLights. Enough wire for a motorcycle, you'll have to splice on some extra. Prices vary...widely....by brand.
Build your own simple set of Hyperlights. All it takes is a self-flashing LED to power a 12-v reed relay, then run that "hot pulsing DC" wire to a bright LED cluster you set up (LED's and a resistor) and set in Aluminite or other solidifying mold. Should blink about twice a second. Cheap, easy, simple, small circuit.
Since it's for your car and space isn't a problem, build a circuit yourself about the size of a pack of cards. Use the same LED-in-aluminite LED's as above and do as follows: Ask me for the plans for the 555 board. Lay out the breadboard as you wish, and by varying some resistors, you can control how fast it blinks, as well as whether it blinks constantly (one 555 chip) or blinks and goes solid (two 555 chips--one controls the blinking speed, the other controls the 3, 5 or 10 seconds you set it to stay on). You can also find plans for the 555 all over the internet. You can also splice this into your regular brake lights, or have a high-up LED set that blinks constantly when braking, and a lower set that blinks 5 seconds and stops.
Lock boxes: http://www.tuffyproducts.com/ I know for a fact the delux steel box fits in the 1st Gen Amigos and no one will steal your stereo again!
Paint. Finding that hard to find color. Fabric paint, anodized-aluminum looking paint, DupliColor has a full line of specialty paint and coatings..
Seat Covers: Wet Okole review by Dr. Sean Michael Click here.
Trail Welding System. Very easy to make. Click here.
Tire Tools for quick and easy tire changes. By Randy Burlson. Click here.
Winch: See recovery gear, above.
General Maintenance
20% Off Extended Warrantee: Protection Level 2. Also reveals the average Isuzu owner keeps their vehicle for 84 months (7 years)....I bet a lot of other companies wished they had that kind of loyalty. Or maybe not--turnover move profits.
Bleeding Section (Vehicle, not you)
General Bleeding -- Try Speed
Bleeders. One-way valves for your bleed ports, allow true
self-bleeding.
a. Siphon out old fluid in reservoir with a baster (Don't put back in
the kitchen!). Then fill with new fluid
b. Use clear tubing on the bleed so you can tell when the old fluid is
purged.
Bleeding Brakes: Pretty straight forward. The only thing to note When bleeding brakes is to work from rear to front, pulling new fluid through system.
Bleeding Clutch: One early-model Isuzu's (and possibly 2nd Gens), this is more complicated. There's a long stretch of hard line that crosses the dash, a good bit higher than either the master or the slave cylinder, that holds air. If you get air in the line, be prepared to pump forever. Solutions (no matter which one you use, make certain you don't get excited and let the clutch reservoir go empty again or you'll put more air right back into the system):
Pressure-bleeding the system via a spare clutch cap with an air-pressure line attached. Try bench bleeding the master cylinder first, but the trick is to get a column of fluid in the hard line. Some people cut the line out and replace it with stainless braided hose, so you can bench-bleed the MC and work the fluid to the slave cylinder with it unattached.
Buy a cheap oil can with hand pump. Pump the fluid up from the slave cylinder to the master cylclinder.
Attach a vacuum gauge hand pump to the bleeder valve (at the slave cylinder) and pull a low pressure vacuum in the tube. Viagra is not a substitute for a vacuum pump.
A trick that may or may not help: try reverse-bleeding the clutch with driver's side tilted up on ramps, jack, or a seriously crowned street.
Used a 60cc oral syringe bought at a drugstore for $1.97 and a piece of clear airline bought in the fish tank section of Walmart for $2.23. With a rubber adapter, a turkey baster would work. Fill up the master cylinder reservoir to the top and leave the cap off. Attach the hose to the TOP bleeder first, open bleeder and suck the fluid out. One problem I had was that air was sucking past the threads on the bleeder screw, but some Teflon tape cured that! Once you've done the top (it might take a fill or two of the res.) go to the slave cylinder bleeder and repeat.
CV boots Changing them on Independent Front Suspension Isuzu's by Dan Houlton.
Dyno from Home: HomeDyno
Electrical Specs including stereo
Electrical Specs: Under The Dash. Want to know what those wires are? Here's the color-coded wire guide for all vehicle models and years. From Jake (Migo90)
Car Stereo - How to get it out.
Front Bearing Repack by David Chang. Save about $300 by doing it yourself. Same article on David's web site.
Fuel Injector cleaning and balancing from C&C Fuel Injection, Reno, NV By Randy Burleson.
Hubs: Installing / Rebuilding AISIN hubs.
Keyless Entry: Resetting the code so you can reprogram it.
OBD-II Scan: Get the
Warning codes and read real-time engine information. There have been
three I've seen recommended on the board. This does not mean they're
the best. Features and prices change, so do your own comparison, or
use the 4x4wire search function to get some background. Let me know if
you find one you like.
Note: 1999 and previous Isuzu's use a 16 bit computer and the ISO
cable. 2000 and later Isuzu's use a GM 32bit computer and you will
need a GM compatible cable.
OBD Scan that several people recommended..
OBD Scan that AZ Wildfire liked.
Auto X-ray that these guys liked.
Shift On The Fly troubleshooting.
Starter: Repair and rebuild. Many times instead of an expensive replacement, you can do a simple repair. This doesn't work for worn brushes (no noise at all, but a good thwack on the starter makes it work), but works for the "Click Click Click....start"
Step by step rebuild. Toyota and Isuzu use the same manufacturer.
Rebuild and Contact supplier for Nipon Denso.
4x4 Wire Isuzu starter replacement experience.
Valves / Lifters Noisy
or Engine Tick Ticking on
your 3.2L v6? The detailed "how to fix" thread is
here, by Adam Hart.
A summary of his summary is below; I recommend reading the full link for
what people found the most effective.
1. Gunk (or other brand) Motor Flush. Other very similar products are
Berryman's B-12 or just pure Kerosene.
2. Diesel Fuel mixed with the old oil, run through the motor,
then an oil change.
3. Switch to Mobil 1 or Valvoline synthetic.
4. 1 can of HP restore with an oil change
5. Replace 1 qt. of Oil with Transmission Fluid after an oil change to clean
system.
6. 1 can of "Sea Foam" (a marine additive) with an oil change
7. Change oil w/ 0w30, rev to 2500 rpm for 30 minutes, change oil again with
recommended weight (this is what the dealer will do if you come to them with
this problem)
8. Have the motor flushed with Bilstein's motor flush machine. http://www.motorlife.com/
9. Remove the lifters, bleed them and re-prime them
10. Replace the lifters altogether.
Valve Clearance: Adjusting. Do it a couple times and you'll have it down fast.
