I must confess, Strawmeyers hit it right on the head. The above is how things have been ever since I joined. Although I don't post as much as I used to, I still swing thru here every morning and evening. Sometimes during lunch, when I have time. I have met many of the old timers to this board and consider all of them to be my good friends. Many of you newer guys have learned your tech very well and I find it comforting that I don't have to answer all the newbee questions. Not that don't have anything to add. It's just that you guys beat me to it. I really don't mind. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
I jump in from time to time when I have some new discovery to share. So hang in there! This is still the best Zu site going.
Michael Clark, I consider you a good friend with a wealth of knowledge. I see you striving to keep things on track. But, you guys should know that he's an Engineer and sometimes in an Engineers world there is no room for Gray areas. It's either black or white. So take that into account if you get your feathers ruffeled. He's not really mean by nature. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> Just wired a little different than many of you. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />
I love this Forum and all of you guys who have the common appreciation for the Isuzu Brand. Too bad we can't get ZU Corp to have the same passion about their product.

Anyway,enough already. My keyboard is all screwed up. Half the keys work and the other half, I have to pound into submission. If you could only see what it looks like before I edit. You'd throw it out. I have a new keyboard coming so that's not going to happen.
CJ

Valve Ticking: Hate to say it, but SEARCH!
I also found this:
http://users4.ev1.net/~sanaghan/Vehicle/Index.htm
Click "General Maintenance" and go to "Valve / Lifters Noisy"
Ten easy steps to fix, and a link to a previous post...that's dead since 4x4wire changed. Man, I wish that guy would fix his page.
From another search on lifter noise, here's a summary of searches on lifter noise:
Searched Isuzu Tech on Lifter Noise

There is a "Best of" list you can see here:
http://www.4x4wire.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?Cat=&C=15
But Archives seems to be broken
It says 47 of the best question solving threads, but when I click into it, there's only 3. So there's a problem.

There's also Dan Houlster's FAQ
http://ifaq.houlster.com/Isuzu_FAQ/fom-serve/cache/1.html

Or this site when the lazy dude running it bothers to take a few precious minutes to update it:
http://users4.ev1.net/~sanaghan/Vehicle/Index.htm

It's hard--there's a lot of Isuzu's out there and catagorizing what's important takes a while. I know Randii and MLClark are getting rich off this scam and spending all that cash takes time. Of course David Chang made so much money off 4x4Wire he took a two year sabbatical to China. Houlster seems to blow all his money from this site switching back and forth between turbo and superchargers....and that leaves just poor Mr Paget earning minimum wage to do all the upkeep. If only Mr. Paget had settled for stock options instead of a shiney new oil cap.

I do understand the frustration moderators have. They are MODERATORS, not front-line "Here to answer newby questions"-ators. There's nothing wrong with being new or not knowing as much as anyone else, but I do see a lot of single-digit (or even 1st ever) posters who come on without even so much as a hello, just a barrage of questions (often without the details needed to help) that make it obvious they didn't even try. In one memorable case where I replied to them to look three posts below theirs....it was already answered.

GENERALLY, this kind of post is met with, "We will try to help, but we need more detail on your vehicle....like is it a Rodeo, Amigo, or Trooper." I think both the moderators and board members have been very helpful and as a community, have only lost it in a few cases that I've seen.

And in case it's never mentioned again: Moderators do have lives outside monitoring the board. So whatever time (and personal money) they give to just let this place exist is greatly appreciated.

Yes, he definitely got it right.

In much the same way that my cat stares at the TV when it hears meowing I have been closely following this thread.

I'd say I've been triplepimpslapped cold, alright, but not that I mind. This board is the best place for Isuzu info, and I'll be coming here with every single niggling (I typed that word, looked at it, thought to myself that maybe I should remove it, then I decided that it sounded right, and you guys are well edjumacated enough to know that it has nothing to do with anything offensive) little question, until the oldschoolers get together and create an Isuzu offroading dictionary, and even then it would still be better.

As for talk vs tech: My opinion is that tech is for serious technical discussion, and that talk is for a less devoted chat. That's why I post some of my technical questions in talk. They're not serious tech talk, they're a little lighter than that. Rest assured, when I'm actually putting the torch to the metal, and something needs confirming, I'll post in tech. I won't deny my intent to make a post in talk on my progress so far with a link to the technical post for people to take their tech advice.

(Yeesh, if anyone can untangle that post and get at what I mean, you're smarter than I am. I HATE MONDAYS.)

Smiley needs to have post topics that are bold red, or something, in fact, all posts with more than three paragraphs of Smiley should be bold red. It would make my browsing easier.

Also, a way of 'rating' posts would be good, aside from page views. Users who have more than 50 posts would be able to choose 1-5 stars to rate the overall starter thread or post. Then we'd see good topics, bad topics, etc.

Regarding Moderators:

I used to once want to always be a moderator everywhere I went. Why? Because all I saw was mods flexing clout and doing things. Now I know that it's actually a boring, irritating job that really can get old. Heck, whoever deals with the guys on this forum should get Hazard Pay.
Whatever decisions they make (and I KNOW I've killed one post dead already, I should have just said "I bet her odometer has turned over a few times already." and left it at that, instead of my bizarre rant which thankfully has vanished from posterity.

Thank you, mods.

(And yes, I'm glad this place isn't pirate, what with angry internet tough guys (see http://www.somethingawful.com/articles.php?a=1936 ) threatening to murder car thieves (What? We live in the old west again?!) and in-your-face pirating of copyrighting material.)

Guess I missed something. Oh well....

I just stop in from time to time anymore and it seems to me the mods are doing it right. Not too much and just enough to keep it related. Yeah sometimes the same ol, same ol questions get asked and people forget to search, it happens. As far as unregulated talk or "chat" there is places for that but you better get a much thicker skin cause if a mod moderating you hurts your feelings don't go there.

I've been here a long time and still enjoy reading this forum even though I have gone a little too far in my Isuzu project.

Don't change a thing and keep on with the good work.

Oh and.....

Can I fit 50" tires on my Amigo? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />

We Moderators don't really operate in total isolation, but we don't always confer on every issue (there aren't enough hours in the day).

The metric that I try to use in deciding whether or not something is Tech or Talk goes something like this:

If the question posed lends itself to an ANSWER, then it is definitely TECH (see exceptions below). However, the answer may very well not be apparent and may require multiple suggestions and possible solutions.

If the question posed only will be answered by OPINIONS, then it is definitely TALK. Examples - tires,how much lift do I need, what mod should I do first (or next), etc.

Exceptions - all sound system questions are TALK. Why - because.

That takes care of all the relatively easy ones. The rest are strickly a judgement call as to which Forum is a better fit - my judgement.

Point of clarification on Michael, he actually has a Masters in Ag Economics and hopes to be a Veterinarian. He just talks and thinks like an engineer. If you really want to get into a deep conversation, engage him in a discussion of economics (off-line, PLEASE).

I had a nice long post started and realized that you all have hit just about all the issues. Very nicely done at that.

I do have to correct Curits. He has thought for years that I am an Engineer. That is not even close by a far shot. My formal schooling is Agriculutral Economics, with a background in Ag Tech. For reasons beyond my control, I have been able to change career directions and prusue a degree in Animal Sciences for the purpose of getting into vetrinary school. I wouldn't want to be known as an engineer, those people are *strange* <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

So, yes. I am a bit of a quandery. While I do not usually bring my personal moral/ethical beliefs into this forum, I am a right of center, non-breeder, animal loving, vegitarian/vegan wheeler. No kiddng. (If anyone wants to discuss any of my views, lets keep it in PMs or email. I am more than happy to discuss it, but this forum is not the place for it.) In general, I am very a logical and no BS kind of guy.

This is where I get into trouble. One of my suspicions was confirmed. I can be an *****. While I suspected, this, I think my dry humor and blunt nature gets me lumped into the AH category more than I would like to admit. Combining that with some recent tough changes in the direction of my life, I may have gotten a little edgy at times. I tried hard to not let my problems leak into here, it looks like I may have failed. To those who I offended, I appologize. Unless you deserved it. *cough* Wayne *cough*. j/k Hopefully, Wayne has checked his front diff fluid recently.

Other than that, I do have to say that being a Moderator is not as quite a drag as some have suggested. In fact, it is pretty fun. I have made some very good friends by being here and I get to talk Isuzus A LOT. This whole post arose out of my deep liking of this forum. I was getting a strange vibe from it that it was not quite right. I can promise you that there is not one person who caused it. It was not a fishing trip for complements or appologies. Although, thank you for your comments of support.

I think the thing that I can ask of the readers is to help us out a bit from time to time. If someone asks a common question, gently direct them to the search feature. If someone is not behaving correctly, gently bring it up. I am not asking to create a police state, but we have seen the board self-moderate and it works. It is a balance and it should be done with care, but when it happens, it is nice. Don't worry, we are always here to take care of the bad things.

If you are of the nature that gentle does not flow from your finger tips, let one of us know. If you have questions about anything (well, anything about the board ect) email us. It is nice to hear directly from folks every now and then.

That is all I can think of right now. I need to read through this again and pickup up what I missed.

Again, thank you to everyone who has replied. I appreciate it and it strenghtens my belief in this forum being one of the best out there. I have always thought that, but I am a bit biased. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Take care,
Michael

I also would like to say I love this place, hell, its one of the only zu forums on the net!

If I may add a suggestion ( may have been suggested already, too lazy to read ALL the replys ) perhaps make an off topic forum? still moderated for content of course....

? It would cut down on the bs here and still let us post away some OT stuff which we feel would be valueable/humurous to our online zu buddies?

-Like stated above, JUST a suggestion, an idea to kick around-

NJ

All right, guys, I am going to let you in on a little secret - there are a set of forums for moderators and administrators only that you guys can't even see that they exist.

There is more time spent there on issues that arise on the OT-type forums than on any other issue.

I think that I accurately represent the feelings of the Isuzu moderators that it is just not worth the work. The topics that come up are the type that incite emotions and gut reactions.

This is not a universal feeling. There are strong advocates of the Toy and Mitsu forums that allow O/T discussions.

To expand on what Jim said a bit, it seems to be the logical answer to create an off-topic chat. That is a good idea, but...that means someone has to manage it. We have discussed this many times over the year, and none of us (the Isuzu mods) are willing to do so. It is a lot of work, with little payback. Jim is correct in saying that, while some people think there is enough intellectual content created in an off-topic forum, the fact is that there is a constant stream of headaches coming from hurt feelings and inappropriate posts. Our view is that it would not add anything to the purpose of the Isuzu section.

There are plenty of places, here at 4x4Wire and elsewhere, to partake in open topic forums. This is not intended to come across as heavy-handed, but we do revisit this on a regular basis, and every time we decide that the pain is not worth the pleasure.

Michael

I've always been pretty reactive to posts here, explaining rules as needed, in reaction to arisen issues. I like the idea of this proactive request... and I am enjoying the feedback, both good and bad.

Some of the sillier rule-issues (OT, silly flames, etc.) come in waves... and it always gets a little extra crazy in the winter. Cabin-fever, or just an influx of new folks not yet familiar with the rules? Dunno.

One thing to ALWAYS keep in mind is that we moderators appreciate feedback, but this is most effective in personal contact and LEAST effective on the public stage of the forum. This is not to maintain secrecy or hide the machinations, but rather to have honest, open discourse. Trust me, honest discussions are tough to do in a dark, crowded theater when suddenly the spotlight pops to life on ya, and someone shouts a question from the anonymous darkness... it can feel downright adversarial <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> even before anyone cracks the valves on their flamethrower.

Sometimes we moderators get hurried and end up appearing overly brusque. Most of you exercise the option of not reading EVERY thread, but we really are obliged to read more than most. That's a lotta content to cover, so please forgive us in advance.

Something I have resolved to do personally to do is to encourage use of the SEARCH function by showing a few results of a relevant search and citing the specific search criteria that got me to those results. We're working to continue to improve our already much-improved search features, but changes can be confusing, improvements notwithstanding. Not everyone thinks in Boolean form (I do!).

I know we need to better-define some of the rules, especially how Isuzu Talk is different from Isuzu Tech. I've tried to document this before with little success... seems like it is just a sensibility that we wind up having. Some issues are obviously Tech (fuel injector resistance, Tera gear installation, gear setup, etc.) and others are obviously Talk (wash-and-wax, driving style, Isuzu corporate advertising issues). Some topics could go either way on the initial post (tire size, lift preference, wheel width) but end up in Talk since the responses wind up Talk-ey -- that's a historic frame of reference that moderators consider. Confused, yet? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" /> I like Michael's approach to it: "Sometimes people are not sure what goes where. This is fine and it is what we are here for." That said, we'll continue to work to document the rules better.

Michael also touched on a couple of things that sometimes pass without much notice... there truly is a good bit of cooperation between the moderators and effort behind the scenes -- and doggonit, we're volunteers! We appreciate the help we get from other members of the forum, both in terms of self-moderation and by helping answer the stuff that you know. What I find best to remember is that we're all pretty much friends around this virtual campfire, and I try to conduct myself as I would around the real thing.

I've got the graham crackers and marshmallows -- who has the chocolate? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Randii (ain't singin' kum-ba-yah, though!)