22 Hyundai Kona 2.0 Smartstream 10.3k mi; 0W-20 Kirkland 7.5k mi

[74DartSport]

Second change on the wife’s Kona. Doing exactly factory recommended changes as long as it is under warranty. Factory filter. With her mostly working from home only gets out two to three times a week.

 

[fantastic]

That's really good for just a second change on a new engine. That's great news!

 

[Urshurak776]

Based on my experience with Hyundai, going 7500 miles on a turbo engine would be a hard no. I realize its a new engine type, but I trust them as far as I can throw them until proven otherwise. My .02.

 

[Vitamin Yoda]

Second change on the wife’s Kona. Doing exactly factory recommended changes as long as it is under warranty. Factory filter. With her mostly working from home only gets out two to three times a week.

Based on your UOA, you have a decent amount of fuel dilution there (judging by that low flash point). Did you start up the vehicle, move it, then turned it off, right before the oil change?

These engines tend to create a lot of soot. Not as bad as previous models, but they still do. We had to reflash our 2020 Smartstream 2.5L in the Sonata several times, as Hyundai was trying to get the eight injectors to work right, along with the air/fuel mixture ratio. My advice to you is to bump up the viscosity one grade to 5W-30 to give you a cushion.

 

[74DartSport]

Based on my experience with Hyundai, going 7500 miles on a turbo engine would be a hard no. I realize its a new engine type, but I trust them as far as I can throw them until proven otherwise. My .02.

Not a turbo, Smartstream 2.0. Don’t know why it’s listed that way.

 

[We're Metals]

Based on my experience with Hyundai, going 7500 miles on a turbo engine would be a hard no. I realize its a new engine type, but I trust them as far as I can throw them until proven otherwise. My .02.

Look at the UOA, the engine has nearly no wear.

Keep doing what you're doing OP. Thats a great report.

 

[Vitamin Yoda]

Look at the UOA, the engine has nearly no wear.

A cheap UOA cannot be used to determine or infer engine wear. That's what expensive engine teardowns are for.

The only thing you can use an UOA for is to determine the condition of the oil. And the condition of this oil is not good, as it sheared and is fuel diluted, meaning that it can no longer protect the engine to its full ability.

 

[camrydriver111]

Thanks for sharing. I'm tempted to switch to Kirkland due to the cost.

1200 ppm calcium is more of an old school formulation.

 

[Vitamin Yoda]

1200 ppm calcium is more of an old school formulation.

Based on what?

 

[ATex7239]

Where does BS get these viscosity ranges?

 

[Urshurak776]

Look at the UOA, the engine has nearly no wear.

Keep doing what you're doing OP. Thats a great report.

Did you read the post literally right before yours where he said it was listed as a turbo but is not? That was my concern. For a turbo, it would be a hard no. Even not, I wouldn't do it. Mine was great at 5K OCI until 100K. These engines are unproven, and Hyundai has a reputation. I also said MY .02. Which was based on experience.

 

[Vitamin Yoda]

These engines are unproven, and Hyundai has a reputation.

Theta II got killed the fastest, because Hyundai took the Theta I and switched the port injectors to GDI injectors without changing anything else. They kept the 5W-20 oil specification. In short, soot and fuel dilution took these engines to an early grave. If you use an oil with a HTHS of 3.5 or higher, they will last for a very long time.

Same story with the Lamba II engine, it needs an oil with 3.5 HTHS. It fuel dilutes and generates soot. On a thin fuel economy oil, the soot buildup will shave the rod bearings until there's almost nothing left, and the most eager rod pops out.

The entire story about Hyundai not cleaning the crankshafts properly during manufacturing is made up. Imagine how much bigger the backlash would have been if they told the world the truth: that they specified low viscosity conventional oils (yes, they did) for the North American markets to meet EPA fuel economy claims and to cater to the cheapskate consumer who wouldn't spend any money on a motor oil that carried actual specifications anyway.

You only have to ask yourself this one question: why didn't the rest of the world have the same problems with these two engines? Although the Lamba II engine issues weren't nearly as publicized because Hyundai/KIA put them in fewer vehicles, and some of the issues were addressed by KIA by increasing the sump capacity by an extra quart and moving the oil filter next to the oil pan, and by specifying a 5W-30 oil without a API or HTHS restriction.

 

[wemay]

Looks

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Shorten the OCIs to 5k & buy oils with EP power. If not, then sell the vehicle by 100k..... if it lasts that long.

 

[Vitamin Yoda]

oils with EP power

These have more anti-oxidants like alkaryl amine. That's the only difference between EP and non-EP oils. A better choice are Euro oils with more stringent approvals.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

These have more anti-oxidants like alkaryl amine. That's the only difference between EP and non-EP oils. A better choice are Euro oils with more stringent approvals.

Tell that to the UOAs here that breakdown both Supertech and Supertech Advanced additive numbers in the same viscosity.
Also tell that to my Hyundai 2.4 GDI, when I see and hear a noticeable difference between the two Supertechs.

There's more to the effectiveness and performance levels of (hypothetical) neighboring oils. Some vehicles are just more sensitive to what we use and only a close eye ans/or ear can tell there's a difference.

Lastly, somewhere I read the antioxidants in oil are either supplemental - not naturally occurring, Not sure if that's correct. The supplemental side is more open for debate. Even the scientists don't bat 1000 when deciding the future formulations. Not all Euro oils add-packs are built the best for turbos. I turn away from any with high Calcium and little Magnesium.

Not open for my debate any further than this. I'm no scientist and just a backyard oil changer of 57 years experience and a longtime reader of what oil gurus feel works best for every group of engines popular to the USA citizens.

Example" My oil bucket looked like crappola using 10k Supertech. Engine sound supported what I saw. Not so with the 20k version ..... engine sound quieter. Oil didn't look worn out at 3k. But it sure did with 10k Supertech.

I don;t use either since and not meant as a knock on the product, outside of Theta 2 four cylinders between 2012 and 2019.

 

[74DartSport]

Based on your UOA, you have a decent amount of fuel dilution there (judging by that low flash point). Did you start up the vehicle, move it, then turned it off, right before the oil change?

These engines tend to create a lot of soot. Not as bad as previous models, but they still do. We had to reflash our 2020 Smartstream 2.5L in the Sonata several times, as Hyundai was trying to get the eight injectors to work right, along with the air/fuel mixture ratio. My advice to you is to bump up the viscosity one grade to 5W-30 to give you a cushion.

I just checked the owners manual, only oil listed is 0W20 , SN Plus or SP. As long as it’s under warranty that’s all it’s going to get. Might tighten up the interval to 5k.

 

[M1Accord]

A cheap UOA cannot be used to determine or infer engine wear. That's what expensive engine teardowns are for.

The only thing you can use an UOA for is to determine the condition of the oil. And the condition of this oil is not good, as it sheared and is fuel diluted, meaning that it can no longer protect the engine to its full ability.

So is it the oil or the engine? Asking because I run Kirkland 0W20 in my 2012 Fit (177k miles) around the same OCI as OP. I personally seem to think engine noise is louder but I am not the main driver so it is hard to say if it has always been this loud for being a 1.5 liter wrapped in a tin can and driving like a respectable 2.4 liter or that Kirkland (Warren) oil is no match for thr M1 0W20 I used for the first 10 years of the car.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

I just checked the owners manual, only oil listed is 0W20 , SN Plus or SP. As long as it’s under warranty that’s all it’s going to get. Might tighten up the interval to 5k.

Check with the dealership to see if any letterhead or phone calls from Hyunkia Inc came after you took delivery - that say to change to 0w30 with all the TGDIs.

I don't recall the exact date when the dealerships were notified. But I do know that my dealership had a big-time delivery of cases & cases of Pennzoil Euro-L 0w30 while I was there getting my dipstick swapped (recall) to a different colored one in 2022.

 

[nicholas]

Theta II got killed the fastest, because Hyundai took the Theta I and switched the port injectors to GDI injectors without changing anything else. They kept the 5W-20 oil specification. In short, soot and fuel dilution took these engines to an early grave. If you use an oil with a HTHS of 3.5 or higher, they will last for a very long time.

Same story with the Lamba II engine, it needs an oil with 3.5 HTHS. It fuel dilutes and generates soot. On a thin fuel economy oil, the soot buildup will shave the rod bearings until there's almost nothing left, and the most eager rod pops out.

The entire story about Hyundai not cleaning the crankshafts properly during manufacturing is made up. Imagine how much bigger the backlash would have been if they told the world the truth: that they specified low viscosity conventional oils (yes, they did) for the North American markets to meet EPA fuel economy claims and to cater to the cheapskate consumer who wouldn't spend any money on a motor oil that carried actual specifications anyway.

You only have to ask yourself this one question: why didn't the rest of the world have the same problems with these two engines? Although the Lamba II engine issues weren't nearly as publicized because Hyundai/KIA put them in fewer vehicles, and some of the issues were addressed by KIA by increasing the sump capacity by an extra quart and moving the oil filter next to the oil pan, and by specifying a 5W-30 oil without a API or HTHS restriction.

Great points