Are lower OCI's better for timing chain wear even if analysis is good?

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nobb

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I have a 2011 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0T that is known for timing stretch in as little as 100,000 kms. I've been running a quality synthetic (5W30 Pennzoil Platinum) for most of it's life at 8000km oil change intervals and the oil analysis comes back perfect, even suggesting I could go longer. There is an improved timing chain design available for this engine but in a sense I'm trying to avoid having to eventually do the work.

So now I'm wondering, if the oil analysis is perfect even at 8K, is there any reason to believe that shortening the OCI's even further would have any meaningful effect on timing chain wear? In the future I'm even considering switching from PP to SuperTech or Kirkland synthetic as they still meet spec so there's no reason to believe they would perform any worse than PP.

Thoughts?
 
Switch to a 40 grade and keep OC intervals at 5k or less. Probably the best thing you can do for the entire engine, including the timing chain. No doubt PP is a good oil but it's too much on the thin side for me.

Oil analysis doesn't really do a good job showing micron sized soot that is a problem with GDI and timing chains. My oil is plenty sooty at even just 3k.
 
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nobb said:
I have a 2011 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0T that is known for timing stretch in as little as 100,000 kms. I've been running a quality synthetic (5W30 Pennzoil Platinum) for most of it's life at 8000km oil change intervals and the oil analysis comes back perfect, even suggesting I could go longer. There is an improved timing chain design available for this engine but in a sense I'm trying to avoid having to eventually do the work.

So now I'm wondering, if the oil analysis is perfect even at 8K, is there any reason to believe that shortening the OCI's even further would have any meaningful effect on timing chain wear? In the future I'm even considering switching from PP to SuperTech or Kirkland synthetic as they still meet spec so there's no reason to believe they would perform any worse than PP.

Thoughts?
Click to expand...
That engine is basically a Copy-Paste of Mitsubishi Evolution X engine. Those benefit greatly from higher viscosity. Mobil1 0W40 for daily driver and occasional spirited driving, and something like Mobil1 15W50 for track-day seasons. One of the things M1 0W40 is known for is reduced wear on timing chain components. Don't know if the Genesis timing chain is a manufacturing defect or a result of running oils that are not quite as robust as M1 0W40, but by running 0W40 you'll at least rule out one of the possible causes.
 
I don't know that there's any definitive proof one way or another that a shorter OCI will reduce the chain wear. There is plenty of conjecture and supposition, but not real "proof".

I believe the issue to be much more of a design issue than anything else. Some engines with timing chains do very well; Ford 2v mod-motors do fine and run for hundreds of thousands of miles. Other engines don't fare as well. I'm not familiar with that engine you have, but I'll take your word for it; there's a concern.

I don't think it's going to hurt the engine to use a slightly thicker lube and run a reasonably short OCI (8k km), but there's no proof it's going to help, either. I'd simply stick with what you're doing. If you want to switch brands, that's OK also; it's likely to be essentially the same, and might save you a bit of money.

If the UOAs are showing low wear, that's about all you can hope for.
 
GM lowered the OCI for the 3.6 in an attempt to lower cam/timing chain wear and for the most part it was successful. Chains do not stretch they wear at the pins and rollers, take a chain side plate on a badly worn chain, it will not measure any longer than it was when new.
In Europe where higher HTHS oils are common eg Dex 2 oils in GM gas engines not just diesels and 0w40 is also very common chain wear is no where near the issue it is in the US market.

Personally I would run Mobil 1 ESP 5w30, Mobil 1 or Castrol 0w40 and keep it 5K or less. JM2C
 
My son had a 3.6 GM GDI 2008 V6. These engines were known for timing chain failure. The original chain was replaced under warranty at 33,000 miles. Engine ran fine with replacement chain/guides until the car was scrapped at 250,000 miles. Oil was changed every 6,000 miles plus. Used cheap store brand synthetic 5W30. Driving conditions were mixed in a Canadian climate. I don't think it's the oil killing timing chains, I think it poorly made chains/guides.
 
Chain stretch "if that is the real cause of failure" is metal fatigue due to mechanical forces. Do you think the chain is wearing thin in certain spots and scratching out.... i doubt it. Poor metal choice or thin links or mechanical joints would be my thoughts. No oil can save a bad design. They might have gotten too "cute" in trying to increase MPG by .01% and went too far.

I would keep running the same oil until it eventually goes. If there is a recall on the, get the recall done.
 
Accent Abuser said:
Switch to a 40 grade and keep OC intervals at 5k or less. Probably the best thing you can do for the entire engine, including the timing chain. No doubt PP is a good oil but it's too much on the thin side for me.

Oil analysis doesn't really do a good job showing micron sized soot that is a problem with GDI and timing chains. My oil is plenty sooty at even just 3k.
Click to expand...
*How significant is soot content in a GDI engine with respect to engine wear (i.e. timing chain) ? My '17 Sonata GDI engine's oil is pretty dark by 2K ~ 3K miles .
 
Not to discourage UOA testing but consider this;

Suppose the next series of UOA's shows a slight uptick in wear metals.

Is the increased wear metal content coming from cylinder/ring/piston-pin wear, crankshaft journal/bearing wear, cam wear, or from the timing chain?
 
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MolaKule said:
Not to discourage UOA testing but consider this;

Suppose the next series of UOA's shows a slight uptick in wear metals.

Is the increased wear metal content coming from cylinder/ring/piston-pin wear, crankshaft journal/bearing wear, cam wear, or from the timing chain?
Click to expand...
Yeah its hard to tell from a uoa on where the wear is coming from, depending on what each component is made of.

I just use 15w40 on any chained engine, 400,000 miles no chain slap or off timing, still cant believe it died from a crash.
 
MolaKule said:
Not to discourage UOA testing but consider this;

Suppose the next series of UOA's shows a slight uptick in wear metals.

Is the increased wear metal content coming from cylinder/ring/piston-pin wear, crankshaft journal/bearing wear, cam wear, or from the timing chain?
Click to expand...

OR if it’s an actual indication of increased actual wear…
 
I have both the 3.6 and the 2.0T, I run a 5K OCI with Pennz Platinum 5w30 and Wix/NAPA filters. ;)
 
ILSAC GF-6 is suppose to help reduce cam-chain wear more than GF-5 per the performance spider chart. Not sure exactly why the wear improvement, but must be a change in the additive package because it would apply regardless of viscosity.

Agree with others that higher viscosity (higher HTHS) will help along with a shorter OCI (5,000-7,000 miles) with synthetic oil. Also, IMO a high efficiency oil filter can't hurt because cleaner oil causes less wear than dirtier oil.
 
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ZeeOSix said:
ILSAC GF-6 is suppose to help reduce cam-chain wear more than GF-5 per the performance spider chart. Not sure exactly why the wear improvement, but must be a change in the additive package because it would apply regardless of viscosity.

Agree with others that higher viscosity (higher HTHS) will help along with a shorter OCI (5,000-7,000 miles) with synthetic oil. Also, IMO a high efficiency oil filter can't hurt because cleaner oil causes less wear than dirtier oil.
Click to expand...
Cam and chain wear are mainly affected by base oil (kinematic) viscosity not HTHS. A 5w40 with an HTHS of 3.5 is better than a 5w30 with a 3.5 HTHS.
 
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