Holden Rodeo Engine Problems

Based on probability, you either have a faulty oil filter which is not sealing properly, or there’s a crack or some other flaw in the boss (fitting) on the side of the engine that accepts the filter. Chances are the oil appears when the engine is cold and oil pressure is highest. The oil pressure (which all engines need to survive) is pushing the oil out through the weakest part of this assembly.

It’s not unknown for oil filters (especially cheaper brands) to have basic manufacturing flaws that allow them to leak, so that’s where I’d start my investigation.

I’d say that you’re absolutely spot on that the rising level on your engine’s dipstick is caused by diesel getting into the sump. At this point, you have a problem because the diesel will be diluting the engine oil, meaning it won’t be lubricating the engine parts as well as it should. Leave it unchecked and eventually you’ll damage the engine internally.

There are a couple of major ways for this dilution to occur. Firstly, a worn, damaged or stuck fuel injector can dump excess fuel into the engine. At this point, the engine can’t burn it all, and some finds its way past the piston rings and into the engine’s sump.

The other common way for this to happen is when the vehicle’s Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) becomes full of soot and needs to regenerate (clean itself). If you haven’t been driving at highway speeds for a while, the exhaust system may not have got hot enough to force this regeneration. At that point, the computer will inject extra fuel into the engine to make the exhaust run hotter. And, again, some of this excess fuel can find its way into the sump.

An oil change is your best plan of attack, and then keep a close eye on the level of the dipstick. Any increase in level should not be ignored.

According to the information I have, the final drive ratio on this vehicle was 4.3:1. That means, for every revolution made by the wheels, the driveshaft (which links the transmission to those wheels) has to turn 4.3 times.

The coincidental nature of these faults would make most mechanics suspect the body computer is having a nervous breakdown. This computer is the one that controls functions ranging from central locking, the immobiliser, power windows, dashboard and even the entertainment system. It’s also responsible for the indicators, climate control and probably the gear selector. See the pattern?

And because the computer itself – rather than an individual component – has gone on the blink, it won’t always throw an error code. An auto electrician is the first place to visit as your diagnosis of an electrical fault is almost certainly spot on. Don’t rule out a simple bad earth connection, either, as these can also cause electronic havoc.

There are many, many things in a modern cat that can cause the check-engine light to illuminate. The cause could be anything from a sensor somewhere on the engine or in the exhaust to a problem such as low oil pressure, overheating, a dud fuel-injector or even a stretched timing chain that has allowed the crankshaft and the camshafts to become out of synch.

Basically, the car’s computer notices and logs anything that’s amiss and warns the owner that some form of servicing is required by lighting up the check-engine light. The other possibility, of course, is that whoever worked on the emissions control system you mentioned, may have neglected to manually turn off the check-engine light. It’s happened before.

Yes it did. In order to produce the engine’s 96kW and 280Nm of torque (291Nm in automatic form), Holden - or rather Isuzu, who engineered the vehicle and provided the driveline - used an intercooler to achieve that level of performance.

The factory intercooler was a top-mount (mounted on top of the engine) and there are plenty of aftermarket alternatives when it comes time for replacement. Some owners also choose to fit a front-mounted intercooler for better performance, although in an off-roader like the Rodeo, this can place the intercooler in harm’s way in an off-road scenario.

This is very possibly a fault with the power supply to the fuel pump rather than the pump itself. The clue is that the fuel gauge started playing games just before the engine shut down. The fuel gauge is controlled by the sender which is usually in the tank with the pump. They’re often supplied power by the same wiring. So any problem with the power to the fuel pump would also possibly show up as a fuel gauge that’s making strange movements.

Start by checking the power supply to the pump, but don’t rule out a poor earth somewhere in there as well. Even though the fuse is okay, if the power wire or earth wire is loose/corroded/faulty/dirty/short-circuiting, then you may have found the problem.

Any time a vehicle with the DOHC Holden V6 is mentioned as having a starting problem or check-engine light illuminated, mechanics will often go straight to the engine’s timing chain to check its wear. That’s because this engine is notorious for such antics and, when they occur, it can often mean poor starting and the dreaded check-engine light.

However, in this case, the engine in question was an Isuzu-designed unit that doesn’t seem to have the same rash of timing chain problems. Which means you need to go back to basics and have the vehicle scanned to see if the onboard computer has logged the root cause of any problems.

The fact that the check engine light is flickering and the starting problem is an intermittent one could mean anything, but a good place to start checking would be the various earthing points around the vehicle. Bad earths are a common cause for this sort of problem.

The condition of the car’s battery is also a smart place to begin investigations. A lack of power in the battery is enough to make a lot of electronically fuel-injected vehicles throw in the towel on a random basis.

When an engine (petrol or diesel) inhales water through its air-intake system, it's never usually a good outcome. Because water is – as is any liquid – non-compressible, the engine's pistons will try to achieve that but, in the process, the engine will lock up and all sorts of internal carnage can ensue.

If you're lucky, the damage will be fixable but can still involve bent con-rods, broken pistons and bent valves. If the lock up was more severe, there's a chance that the engine block could be cracked or a con-rod has broken and punched a hole through the crankcase. Sometimes the force of the lock up is sufficient to smash the main bearing caps and throw the crankshaft out of place. In any of those latter cases, the whole engine would be considered a total loss.

But even if you've gotten away with a bent con-rod or two, you'd still need to rebuild the entire engine and, in the context of a 2004 Rodeo ute, you might find you're spending more money than the vehicle is actually worth.

A potentially better idea would be to find a good, tested second-hand engine from a wrecking yard or any other sort of damaged Rodeo and do a relatively simple heart transplant.

If the engine were reconditioned by a reputable engine reconditioning company and they gave you a guarantee with it you can be confident that it will last a long time. How long is impossible to say. There would be little difference between the exchange reconditioned engine and the one done by your mechanic. Either way you should check on what they are going to do the engine in the reconditioning process, so you can be confident that it is done professionally and properly.