I take very very good care of my cars, and if anything is even slightly wrong, I fix it.
Have a 11 Sonata 2.4L GDI, absolutely love the car. Drives perfect, 40k miles. Pearl white, spotless from Northern Texas.
Bought the car, smelled the oil it smelled like fuel. Figured it was due to short trips by the dealer.
I have been changing the oil out every 3k miles using Chevron Supreme 5w30 and Hyundai OEM filters. After the 3rd oil change, judging by smell alone, I have the fuel dillusion issue under control.
It drives me nuts that after 1500 miles the oil gets jet black. I suppose this is a known issue with these direct injection engines.
So, the car burns about 1/2 quart of oil in 3000 miles. I top it off.
I am trying to get it to burn no oil, so I switched to a lower NOACK motor oil. I chose Valvoline Maxlife Blend 5w30. My next oil change will be Maxlife Full Synthetic 10w30 which has a NOACK value in the 6's. 5w20, 5w30, and 10w30 are all approved in this engine per the book. I will be running the 10w30 in the Texas heat, which gets up into the low 100's.
Now I am reading some articles on low speed pinging in some of the new turbo GDI engines. This is remedied by the OEMs with full synthetic motor oil high in Calcium.
What does the lube have to do with pinging? I thought that was fuel related, or carbon buildup related.
Anyways, on 87 octane, top tier, this thing pings like crazy mostly at low speed. On 89 octane, it still pings.
Does not ping at all on Costco Top Tier 93. Did not expect to have to feed a hyundai sedan premium, but I have been doing it. I'm glad that fuel in Texas is cheap in comparison to many areas, I am paying $2.19 right now for 93.
I have been using chevron techron every 3k miles.
I would like to get the pinging issue on this car resolved, it should run on 87 just fine.
I have no desire to go into the engine and scrape the carbon off the valves, nor should I think that a 40k engine should have carbon on it.
I am considering taking apart the intake hose, and spraying some GDI cleaner in, right before I change the oil next time.
The other thing I am thinking about is plugs. I have read that these plugs get trashed in the GDI engines.
The turbo engine has a 30k interval for plugs, the non turbo is 100k. The plugs are $10 each for OEM denso plugs.
Do you all think that plugs would have anything to do with pinging?
I reluctantly paid the dealer to do a steering coupler in this car a few weeks ago, I asked if there was any new engine calibrations for this computer, they blew me off and said no nothing.
GDI sonata pinging.
- Thread starter JustinH
- Start date
- Status
Some of these engines had issues with metal shaving left in the engine during manufacturing.
Oil loss between oil changes is a symptom.
You might want to check to see if your engine might have this issue.
Hyundai is offering free engine replacement on affected engines.
You are correct that the plugs can experience accelerated wear, but some pinging can be called normal or acceptable.
I would also make sure and get some of the LSPI oils we discuss here ad infinitum.
GDI has part throttle distribution issues, especially in early versions for many mfgrs. This is why we see the combination port/DI setups coming out now.
Originally Posted By: knerml
Some of these engines had issues with metal shaving left in the engine during manufacturing.
Oil loss between oil changes is a symptom.
You might want to check to see if your engine might have this issue.
Hyundai is offering free engine replacement on affected engines.
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
You are correct that the plugs can experience accelerated wear, but some pinging can be called normal or acceptable.
I would also make sure and get some of the LSPI oils we discuss here ad infinitum.
GDI has part throttle distribution issues, especially in early versions for many mfgrs. This is why we see the combination port/DI setups coming out now.
Any Sonata forums out there? Also, http://www.carcomplaints.com/ has (unfortunately) a lot of info on your 2011 Sonata.
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2006
- Messages
- 29,570
I would just keep using super unleaded.
Nick1994
$100 site donor 2023
Log into the Hyundai owner's site, I'll post the link below. I did and put in my VIN and it came up that a software update was ready for it. I read in the Hyundai forums that it really makes the car more responsive and boy did it, although it's not supposed to change how the car drives. Not sure what the update was for, but you can check Hyundai's website.
https://www.hyundaiusa.com/myhyundai
I think it is a not bad car, but the service manual is not appropriate at all.
Hyundai should have spec'ed a higher grade motor oil, a 3750 interval mandatory not just severe, and changed the octane requirements.
I had the displeasure of driving one of my wife's friends Kia Optima's the other day. Similar year.
Car runs absolutely terrible, burns oil like crazy and pings all over the place. Has very little power and stumbles all over itself.
My wife drove it, and when SHE comments that it runs much worse than my Sonata, there is something seriously wrong.
Wife's friend has Kia dealer service car per standard service interval.
According to this (found on another thread here):
article
you want less calcium in the oil, not more.
The idea that a slightly higher oil level would cure pre-ignition sounds like nonsense to me. But one oil-related cause could be that oil is being sucked in through the PCV system (very common).
Going to colder plugs can help, but is not a real fix. You should check for vacuum leaks, for example from manifold bolts that aren't properly torqued.
Last edited:
It shouldn't ping on regular fuel.
My 2013 2.4L Sonata runs fine on 87 octane.
Could be a knock sensor gone bad.
My 2011 2.0t se doesnt ping but you can tell it doesnt pull as hard with 87etoh vs 93
all gas. I change pretty much as you do but a grade heavier. The warranty only gives you a fresh short block. I like the car, i hate the company. Its at 69kmiles. I changed the plugs
to evo x 1 grade cooler and have a catch can . I use synthetic group 4/5 and a little of the advertising "synthetics".
Last edited:
Castrol Edge 0w40 and premium fuel. Still a high calcium oil but should mitigate your consumption issues. Premium fuel helps with LSPI.
I know, I'm a broken record.....
This morning I saw some Gumout Octane Booster on clearance for $2.84, only two left. I'd try some of that.
Originally Posted By: SatinSilver
This morning I saw some Gumout Octane Booster on clearance for $2.84, only two left. I'd try some of that.
Originally Posted By: double vanos
Castrol Edge 0w40 and premium fuel. Still a high calcium oil but should mitigate your consumption issues. Premium fuel helps with LSPI.
I know, I'm a broken record.....
- Status
Similar threads
