Hyundai Engine Oil Selection

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HI all! I've been lurking around here for a while now looking for some answers.

I have a 2013 Hyundai Santa fe limited with the DI Lambda 3.3L V6 bought brand new in 2013. The first 100k kms on the car the oil was changed by the dealer with conventional oil at 6000km/6 month intervals as they required under the "Severe operation" maintenance schedule. It now has 123,000 kms on it and sees very short (10kms x 2) daily drives.

I have extended warranty on the vehicle to 160k so I still have to maintain the 6k/6month OCI. The biggest [censored] off is that even though I'm a licensed car and truck mechanic, the [censored] aftermarket warranty contract specifically states no DIY maintenance. I've fought with them to no end about this but they're not budging. Consequently I find my self wondering how well this warranty is going to go... But that's another story.

The more I've been reading, the more I've discovered what I believe is the timing chain tensioner rattle for 2-3 seconds on start up that has plagued the Hyundai v6 for years. I've been using OEM filters with Motul xclean 5W-30 since I took over the oil changes. Mainly because I'm running the 5W-40 Variant it in my Subaru STI and get it for $45 CAD/5L jug taxes in.

So my question is this. I have an impending oil change on the Santa fe and am contemplating my next move. Should I consider switching back to conventional Quaker State 5w-30 that the manual suggests? Maybe the synthetic oil is allowing the tensioner to bleed down? Too thin? The manual also states I can go to a 5w-40 under my climate. Should I try that Motul oil? Go to conventional 5w-40?

My biggest concern is with winter coming I'm not sure weather the 5W-40 will be too heavy or not. I know the 5W is the winter viscosity but 40 is a thicker oil regardless of how you spin it.

You guys are the pros here. Give me some input!
 
In my observation on here, Canadians tend to be more worried about viscosity and want to run a thicker grade than Americans. I'd use 5W30 in your Hyundai. I've never seen a conventional 5W40.
 
I have used 5-30 Quaker State syn in my 3.3 for 160,000 miles and the engine runs great and sounds like new.
 
Come to think of it you are right. I've never seen a conventional 5w-40 either. Do you think I should consider going back to a conventional oil?
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by STIcandy
Come to think of it you are right. I've never seen a conventional 5w-40 either. Do you think I should consider going back to a conventional oil?


I would say stay synthetic and go with a 5w30. The price difference is so small these days. It's also getting harder to find a true conventional oil these days.

If you choose to go conventional in the 5w30 grade it's will likely be a blend anyway.
 
You could always go back to the conventional Quaker State 5W-30 for one OCI and see if the noise disappears. Your OCI's are so short (and I love it!) you probably aren't getting any "real" advantage with the "full" synthetic. At least you would know if your oil is causing the noise.

Different oils will make the engine sound differently. Some really good oils will give some of my engines rattles. Sometimes, it seems oils high in moly will quieten engines.
 
Originally Posted by STIcandy

HI all! I've been lurking around here for a while now looking for some answers.

I have a 2013 Hyundai Santa fe limited with the DI Lambda 3.3L V6 bought brand new in 2013. The first 100k kms on the car the oil was changed by the dealer with conventional oil at 6000km/6 month intervals as they required under the "Severe operation" maintenance schedule. It now has 123,000 kms on it and sees very short (10kms x 2) daily drives.

I have extended warranty on the vehicle to 160k so I still have to maintain the 6k/6month OCI. The biggest [censored] off is that even though I'm a licensed car and truck mechanic, the [censored] aftermarket warranty contract specifically states no DIY maintenance. I've fought with them to no end about this but they're not budging. Consequently I find my self wondering how well this warranty is going to go... But that's another story.

The more I've been reading, the more I've discovered what I believe is the timing chain tensioner rattle for 2-3 seconds on start up that has plagued the Hyundai v6 for years. I've been using OEM filters with Motul xclean 5W-30 since I took over the oil changes. Mainly because I'm running the 5W-40 Variant it in my Subaru STI and get it for $45 CAD/5L jug taxes in.

So my question is this. I have an impending oil change on the Santa fe and am contemplating my next move. Should I consider switching back to conventional Quaker State 5w-30 that the manual suggests? Maybe the synthetic oil is allowing the tensioner to bleed down? Too thin? The manual also states I can go to a 5w-40 under my climate. Should I try that Motul oil? Go to conventional 5w-40?

My biggest concern is with winter coming I'm not sure weather the 5W-40 will be too heavy or not. I know the 5W is the winter viscosity but 40 is a thicker oil regardless of how you spin it.

You guys are the pros here. Give me some input!

You've hit the nail on the head as to why I would never buy an aftermarket extended warranty. Does Hyundai Canada have the 10 year/100,000 mile (roughly 161K KM) powertrain warranty that we have here in the USA? I think I would at least have a talk with my Hyundai dealer about the timing chain/tensioner noise-if it's like the modular Ford tensioners, it's not going to get better, although a silicone ADBV oil filter can help. Unless it's a cartridge filter. I'm sold on the Castrol Magnatec synthetic oil in both 5W20 & 0W20, it's the real deal for a long chain engine.
 
In Canada it's 5yrs 100k kms (60k miles). Extended warranty takes it to 8 yrs 160k kms. I know I got suckered into the warranty. The bs part is the dealer sold me an aftermarket warranty at point of sale brand new! First and last time I'll ever buy this.

Unfortunately it's a cartridge style filter which I personally believe is half the problem. It doesn't have an adbv in the filter. I'd like to convert it to a spin on if anyone has any sources for that.
 
I have the 3.8L Lambda V6 with the same start up rattle. It effects certain 3.3L & 3.8L Lambda engines. It's the hydraulic tensioner.. it takes a couple seconds for the oil pressure to build then the sound (slack) goes away. It seems to be the loudest at startup after the engine has sat for a long period (drain down). There's a TSB on it you can Google. Basically the TSB says it's considered "normal" unless the sound persists beyond like 90sec.

Over 160k+ miles I've ran dino, dino blend and full syn. The engine sound always goes away for me in the 2~3sec you described and I've not found a difference, that i could tell, in startup noise from a Xw20 to Xw30. I does seem, from my calibrated ear, that the engine runs quietest on the thicker Xw30 lubes than the 20 at operating temp.

Fwiw everything in the TC assembly on mine is still OE and the oil filter doesn't show any metal shedding even after 164k miles, and I've always kept my oci's to a 4~5k max.

Btw... can't you get a refund for the unused term of the extended warranty??? Obviously in the future never buy an aftermarket warranty.. and rolling it into the financing is doubly insane.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by Mad_Hatter
I have the 3.8L Lambda V6 with the same start up rattle. It effects certain 3.3L & 3.8L Lambda engines. It's the hydraulic tensioner.. it takes a couple seconds for the oil pressure to build then the sound (slack) goes away. It seems to be the loudest at startup after the engine has sat for a long period (drain down). There's a TSB on it you can Google. Basically the TSB says it's considered "normal" unless the sound persists beyond like 90sec.

Over 160k+ miles I've ran dino, dino blend and full syn. The engine sound always goes away for me in the 2~3sec you described and I've not found a difference, that i could tell, in startup noise from a Xw20 to Xw30. I does seem, from my calibrated ear, that the engine runs quietest on the thicker Xw30 lubes than the 20 at operating temp.

Fwiw everything in the TC assembly on mine is still OE and the oil filter doesn't show any metal shedding even after 164k miles, and I've always kept my oci's to a 4~5k max.

Btw... can't you get a refund for the unused term of the extended warranty??? Obviously in the future never buy an aftermarket warranty.. and rolling it into the financing is doubly insane.




Nope. I missed the widow on getting the money for the warranty back. I did mention the rattle to Hyundai and they kept it overnight. Once they heard it they told me it's likely the tensioner(s) and/or the cam phasers. Regardless the extended warranty company requires me to authorize the tear down and inspection and only if they find visual conformation of failure they'll replace it and cover the repair. The advisory basically told me this happens with all of them and they won't find any problems visually and I'll be on the hook for the repair.

I'm basically at the point of saying screw it and I'll do my own maintenance and ditch the warranty with a lesson learned. I mean for crying out loud I have a hoist in my garage with the required mechanics licenses but I can't change my own oil!!!

I'm thinking I might throw it up today and change the oil and filter to QSGB and drive it for the next week myself (I'll put 600kms on it). If there's no change I'll dump and fill back up with my synthetic and ride it out. Maybe consider the 5w-40 I have here. It's encouraging that you have the mileage on yours that you do.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by STIcandy
Originally Posted by Mad_Hatter
I have the 3.8L Lambda V6 with the same start up rattle. It effects certain 3.3L & 3.8L Lambda engines. It's the hydraulic tensioner.. it takes a couple seconds for the oil pressure to build then the sound (slack) goes away. It seems to be the loudest at startup after the engine has sat for a long period (drain down). There's a TSB on it you can Google. Basically the TSB says it's considered "normal" unless the sound persists beyond like 90sec.

Over 160k+ miles I've ran dino, dino blend and full syn. The engine sound always goes away for me in the 2~3sec you described and I've not found a difference, that i could tell, in startup noise from a Xw20 to Xw30. I does seem, from my calibrated ear, that the engine runs quietest on the thicker Xw30 lubes than the 20 at operating temp.

Fwiw everything in the TC assembly on mine is still OE and the oil filter doesn't show any metal shedding even after 164k miles, and I've always kept my oci's to a 4~5k max.

Btw... can't you get a refund for the unused term of the extended warranty??? Obviously in the future never buy an aftermarket warranty.. and rolling it into the financing is doubly insane.




Nope. I missed the widow on getting the money for the warranty back. I did mention the rattle to Hyundai and they kept it overnight. Once they heard it they told me it's likely the tensioner(s) and/or the cam phasers. Regardless the extended warranty company requires me to authorize the tear down and inspection and only if they find visual conformation of failure they'll replace it and cover the repair. The advisory basically told me this happens with all of them and they won't find any problems visually and I'll be on the hook for the repair.

I'm basically at the point of saying screw it and I'll do my own maintenance and ditch the warranty with a lesson learned. I mean for crying out loud I have a hoist in my garage with the required mechanics licenses but I can't change my own oil!!!

I'm thinking I might throw it up today and change the oil and filter to QSGB and drive it for the next week myself (I'll put 600kms on it). If there's no change I'll dump and fill back up with my synthetic and ride it out. Maybe consider the 5w-40 I have here. It's encouraging that you have the mileage on yours that you do.

Yeah.. and that tear down is gonna lighten the wallet a bunch..screw that. At least the service advisor was honest with ya on how that would shake out. I'm sure he knows about the TSB and the warranty company knows about the TSB, so it would be a total scam to do the tear down. What a drag man.. sorry you're stuck in a shi##y deal. Honestly, I couldn't fault you for just saying the eff' with the extended warranty and doing the maintenance yourself at this point. Just do those oil changes on time and hopefully you'll have similar luck that I've had. That's the only thing I've done. I've not been particularly brand loyal, only make sure I use a Xw30 and keep the oci's under 5k like I mentioned... that's about it.
 
*I would run QSUD 5W30 as well ...
Originally Posted by walterjay
I have used 5-30 Quaker State syn in my 3.3 for 160,000 miles and the engine runs great and sounds like new.
 
Originally Posted by ChrisD46
*I would run QSUD 5W30 as well ...
Originally Posted by walterjay
I have used 5-30 Quaker State syn in my 3.3 for 160,000 miles and the engine runs great and sounds like new.


Another vote for QSUD 5w30.
 
We have a 2010 SF with the 3.5.
Your concerns are well thought out.
I changed the oil with synthetic 5w-20 every 4 to 6 months.
Had the timing chain rattle since new. Told it was normal.
At 143,000 the exhaust side chain bit the big one.
Needed two new VVT actuators and chains and guides.
Also needed a new oil pump chain and guide.
I was shown all the broken parts after. Just could not believe it.
I could not believe it given the maintenance I did.

I have since switched to 5w-30.

Something is up with Hyundai's timing chains and VVT systems.

Our new SF 2.0t does not have these noises....so far.
 
I also tried various oil grades that did nothing.
I know my 3.5 is different. Just my 2 cents.

How did the 5w-40 go
 
I'm not convinced of the 20 weight oils especially in a V6 which would produce more heat.

The introduction of 20wt oils was all to do with the CAFE battles of the manufacturers, with much less emphasis on what's best for the longevity of the engines.

I look at it like this. The amount of warranty repairs vs post warranty repairs and new car sales, it is worth it to them to roll the dice on thinner oils. If you make it out of warranty and it grenades, regardless of which way you go it's more profit to them. Nobody wants your car to last past 10 years anymore or the automotive sector goes stale.
 
I haven't tried it yet. I have some in the garage but not sure I want to try that with winter approaching. I may try it on my next change in the spring. Haven't decided either way yet. According to the owners manual though it's approved for the same operating temperatures of the 5w-30....
 
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