16 Kia Optima ex 2.4 oil

[Whammo]

Originally Posted by Zaedock
Originally Posted by JustN89
It's in the owners manual for the 2.4L, and is pretty standard across all Hyundai/Kia vehicles. Severe service- 3,750 mile OCIs, Regular service- 7,500. Most people technically fall under the severe service, though the onus would fall on Hyundai/Kia to prove that to be the case in the event that you adhered to 7,500 mile OCIs and needed warranty work. All Kia manuals can be found at owners.kia.com.


• More than 50% driving in heavy
city traffic during hot weather
above 90°F (32°C).

A snip from the manual. You stated these cars need their oil changed under 4K. With respect, there's no way most people fall under the guidelines Kia lists for severe service. My wife has the same commute as her last car (GM) and the OLM had us change the oil at 7+/-K miles on conventional oil. She drives the worst commute in the country. I would have to change her oil every 6 weeks! I adhere to regular service intervals and so far, so good. She works for a large healthcare network in the Boston area, so she's has been working nuts for months. I plan on sampling her next oil change, so we'll see what these cars really need for an interval. Maybe you're right! If so, I'll need adjustments. If not, let's motor on!


My Kia oil goes dark black in less than 1k. I am only extrapolating that it is rough on oil. I also have a lot of oil and enjoy doing oil changes so it gives me an excuse haha

 

[Zaedock]

Originally Posted by JustN89
Nope, that wasn't me. Go back and re-read your quoted posts. I just posted the instructions from the manual with my opinion that most people will fall under severe service, though I also noted that the onus falls on Hyun/Kia for proving that. Personally, I follow 5k mile OCIs in my Hyundai.


You're right. Sorry man, I must have been drinkin'.

 

[Ram02]

Use Quaker State 10w30 in the kia. That motor will thank you

 

[farrarfan1]

Originally Posted by Ram02
Use Quaker State 10w30 in the kia. That motor will thank you


So, would the engine be disappointed if he used 10W-30 from Mobil, or Valvoline, or any brand other than Quaker State?

 

[ChrisD46]

Originally Posted by Ram02
Use Quaker State 10w30 in the kia. That motor will thank you


*Right now you can get Quaker State Ultimate Durability Synthetic 5W30 for under $14 at WM on - line ... This is a GRAT deal !! Yes , 10W30 when temps do not drop below 20 degrees F. (lower than that and 5W30 is the better option) . However , you can run 5W30 year round if you choose and with that QSUD 5W30 going on at WM now I would buy a few 5 qrt. jugs and run 4K mile OCI's and be in great shape with your Kia !

 

[Greg L]

Pretty sure what you have is a similar 2.4 engine for Kia/Hyundai/Mitubishi/Chrysler...which uses 5w20.

Mine seems to like Pennzoil the best, always quiet. Mobil and Valvoline good too, just not as quiet in my experience with this motor.


My 2 cents.

GL

 

[blufeb95]

Originally Posted by Zaedock
Originally Posted by JustN89
It's in the owners manual for the 2.4L, and is pretty standard across all Hyundai/Kia vehicles. Severe service- 3,750 mile OCIs, Regular service- 7,500. Most people technically fall under the severe service, though the onus would fall on Hyundai/Kia to prove that to be the case in the event that you adhered to 7,500 mile OCIs and needed warranty work. All Kia manuals can be found at owners.kia.com.


• More than 50% driving in heavy
city traffic during hot weather
above 90°F (32°C).

A snip from the manual. You stated these cars need their oil changed under 4K. With respect, there's no way most people fall under the guidelines Kia lists for severe service. My wife has the same commute as her last car (GM) and the OLM had us change the oil at 7+/-K miles on conventional oil. She drives the worst commute in the country. I would have to change her oil every 6 weeks! I adhere to regular service intervals and so far, so good. She works for a large healthcare network in the Boston area, so she's has been working nuts for months. I plan on sampling her next oil change, so we'll see what these cars really need for an interval. Maybe you're right! If so, I'll need adjustments. If not, let's motor on!

Pretty much according to the whole list of severe service conditions in the manual, the way most people drive which usually includes lots of short trips, siting in city traffic, and sitting in your car while it's idling in a parking lot counts as severe service.

 

[buddylpal]

I use 5W-20 synthetic in my Hyundai 2.4 Theta GDI. I've used 5W-30 synthetic and 10W-30 synthetic but I feel the engine has better cold starts and has smoother operation with 5W-20. The 5W-30 was actually very similar to 5W-20 so I would use it again. I will say that at least for my engine 10W-30 Mobil 1 Extended Performance wasn't a good match. Cold starts were much slower, the engine didn't spin over as freely. My engine idle also wasn't silky smooth with 10W-30. Sitting at red lights I could feel my engine idle wasn't smooth with 10W-30, this car normally has a smooth as silk idle. From now on I'll just use 5W-20 that's stamped on the engine oil cap. I've always used the oil viscosity on the oil cap for all my other vehicles so no real reason to change my habits now. I use 10W-30 on my GM 3800 cars like recommended and it works great in those applications.

 

[KCJeep]

Originally Posted by buddylpal
I use 5W-20 synthetic in my Hyundai 2.4 Theta GDI. I've used 5W-30 synthetic and 10W-30 synthetic but I feel the engine has better cold starts and has smoother operation with 5W-20. The 5W-30 was actually very similar to 5W-20 so I would use it again. I will say that at least for my engine 10W-30 Mobil 1 Extended Performance wasn't a good match. Cold starts were much slower, the engine didn't spin over as freely. My engine idle also wasn't silky smooth with 10W-30. Sitting at red lights I could feel my engine idle wasn't smooth with 10W-30, this car normally has a smooth as silk idle. From now on I'll just use 5W-20 that's stamped on the engine oil cap. I've always used the oil viscosity on the oil cap for all my other vehicles so no real reason to change my habits now. I use 10W-30 on my GM 3800 cars like recommended and it works great in those applications.


Oh my word Arco has a doppleganger.

 

[ChrisD46]

Originally Posted by buddylpal
I use 5W-20 synthetic in my Hyundai 2.4 Theta GDI. I've used 5W-30 synthetic and 10W-30 synthetic but I feel the engine has better cold starts and has smoother operation with 5W-20. The 5W-30 was actually very similar to 5W-20 so I would use it again. I will say that at least for my engine 10W-30 Mobil 1 Extended Performance wasn't a good match. Cold starts were much slower, the engine didn't spin over as freely. My engine idle also wasn't silky smooth with 10W-30. Sitting at red lights I could feel my engine idle wasn't smooth with 10W-30, this car normally has a smooth as silk idle. From now on I'll just use 5W-20 that's stamped on the engine oil cap. I've always used the oil viscosity on the oil cap for all my other vehicles so no real reason to change my habits now. I use 10W-30 on my GM 3800 cars like recommended and it works great in those applications.

*Based on your comments the Pennzoil Platinum D1 / 5W30 synthetic oil is more like a "robust" 5W20 oil or a light 5W30 synthetic (take your pick description wise) , while a 5W20 synthetic oil will work - I wouldn't run it past a 4K mile OCI nor would I run it above 4K RPM's . If you do more spirited driving I would bump up to the 5W30 synthetic with an OCI of 4K to 5K OCI's depending on driving style) .

 

[buddylpal]

I definitely don't drive the sonata spiritedly, it was not designed for that. Thanks for your advice but I'm going to continue using the viscosity statedon the oil engine cap, like I've done on all my other vehicles for years and years with no ill effects.

 

[ChrisD46]

Originally Posted by buddylpal
I definitely don't drive the sonata spiritedly, it was not designed for that. Thanks for your advice but I'm going to continue using the viscosity statedon the oil engine cap, like I've done on all my other vehicles for years and years with no ill effects.

*I have also run 5W20 in my Sonata 2.4L GDI (cold months) for under a 4K mile OCI never going over 4K RPM's . With make up oil the QSUD 5W20 was about toast by 4K miles with a TBN of 2.1 left (you will see the UOA report I had done here on BITOG) . *Fuel dilution is a concern for GDI engines (the 2.4L we does experience fuel dilution) , so as long as you keep 5W20 OCI's respectable (under 5K miles) you will be fine . **Also remember Kia allows for 5W30 and 10W30 (per the owners manual) and a big reason why the 5W20 is stamped on your 2.4L engine oil fill cap is definitely because of CAFE requirements ... See for yourself by researching what other countries are recommended to run in the way of oil weight recommendations for the KIA 2.4L GDI engine and you will see most are recommending 5W30 weight oil . I tend to believe that while the KIA / Hyundai 2.4L GDI engines will run on 5W20 oil - I have mixed feelings as to whether 5W20 is truly ideal for optimum engine protection and long engine life or not ?