Re: Lurching problem with 1997 rodeo

JohnHolley wrote:
I have a 1997 Isuzu Rodeo with 103,000 miles on it. It has an automatic
transmission and a 3.2L V6 engine. Yesterday (Saturday) I brought it to
one of those quick oil change locations. I have used this particular
location in the past but as is often the case there were all new faces
working this particular day. I had the oil changed and the automatic
transmission serviced. At 78,000 miles they did a T-tech service on the
transmission (power replacement of fluid). This time they performed a
Petro Transmission flush. In theory this is a two-part process. Part one
puts a cleaner in the existing fluid. The engine is run for ten minutes.
The fluid is drained. Part two puts an additive in the fluid and then it
is topped off. That is how it was suppose to work. The problem is that
on this engine there is no dipstick for the transmission. On the
transmission itself there is a drain plug and a fill plug. So to make a
long story short the engine oil was changed. Part one of the
transmission kit (cleaner) was put in the dipstick for the engine oil
and the engine was run for ten minutes. The transmission fluid was then
drained. Part two of the transmission fluid additive was put in the
engine oil dipstick. Afterwards approximately three quarts of
transmission fluid was put in the engine oil dipstick. I paid for the
service and drove off. The car was not driven very far. I went to get
gas at a station about 4 to 5 miles away. On acceleration the engine
would race (high RPM) and the car would lurch forward after shuttering.
It did not do this on gentle acceleration or on straight slopes like
leaving the location. It did it on inclines (climbing) and hard
acceleration.
I took it back thinking that there was either not enough transmission
fluid or too much fluid.
Anyway the mistake was discovered. The engine oil was drained and
replaced and the transmission fluid was topped off at the transmission
itself.
Basically, the transmission did not ever receive parts one and two of
the Petro Transmission Flush. The engine did. The car was driven with
transmission cleaner, additive and transmission fluid all mixed in with
the oil and heavily over filled. The car was driven without whatever
amount of transmission fluid that drains out of the transmission when
the plug is removed.
When I drove the car off it seemed to be working okay. However the
engine revving, the lurching, and the shuttering still occurs but only
on hard accelerations and not as bad as before. The car did not have
this problem before this service was provided. I suspect that there is
some damage to the transmission. I don't know about the engine. The oil
change place said the lurching was due to low compression and not the
transmission but I don't think so. I plan on bringing it to the dealer
for a diagnostic on Monday (tomorrow).
 I am posting this information to alert readers so that this doesn't
happen to them; to alert quick oil change shops not to make the same
mistake and to solicit input from readers as to what they think may be
the problem or problems created by this incident.
 Thanks
 JGH

This was a serious service mistake that's likely causing multiple issues with your Rodeo. The root problem is that the transmission flush chemicals and fluid were incorrectly added to your engine oil instead of your transmission.
Your 3.2L V6 ran with contaminated engine oil containing transmission cleaner, additive, and ATF, while your 4L30-E transmission may have been underfilled after the drain. The symptoms you describe - lurching, shuddering during acceleration, and high RPMs without proper power delivery - are classic signs of transmission fluid issues in these Isuzus.
Its been a long time since this was posted but if anyone else has this problem....
First, don't drive the vehicle until this is properly addressed. The contaminated oil could damage engine components, and low transmission fluid can quickly ruin the 4L30-E transmission.
You'll want to take it to a qualified transmission specialist familiar with Isuzus (rather than a quick lube shop).
They should:
Completely drain and refill the transmission with the correct Dexron III fluid using the proper fill plug procedure (since there's no dipstick)
Perform a thorough engine oil flush to remove all traces of the transmission chemicals
Inspect the transmission for any damage from fluid starvation
The shop that made this mistake should have been held responsible for these corrective services. Their claim about "low compression" doesn't explain why these symptoms appeared immediately after their service error.
Going forward, I'd recommend avoiding transmission services at quick lube places for your Rodeo. The 4L30-E transmission is particular about its fluid levels and condition, and the lack of a dipstick makes proper service more technical than most quick lube shops can handle reliably. A specialist familiar with these Isuzu systems would be a better choice for future maintenance. This is a response to the post seen at:
http://www.jlaforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=3295787#3295787