Like others here who offer helpful advice for Hyundai / Kia owners to error towards that severe service OCI (3,750 miles) for mixed driving conditions in the city or suburbs using a quality synthetic oil … But what if suddenly 80%+ of your driving was now consisting of rural Highway and Interstate driving with sustained speeds of 45+ miles per hour - would you be willing to up your Hyundai / Kia OCI from 3,750 miles to 5,000 mile OCI’s (or somewhere in between) ? Of course a used oil analysis would be helpful but just looking fir a new starting OCI with a new change in driving habits to include almost all Highway and interstate driving . Your thoughts and recommendations ?
Hyundai / Kia OCI Revision ?
- Thread starter ChrisD46
- Start date
My rule is not to exceed 150 engine hours per OCI which in my case is about 4K miles and that's what I do. With Sportage having GDI engine and oil getting quite nasty at 4K miles I'd not extend its OCI. All the drives on Forte are short, so I stick to the same OCI.
5k OCI on a 2014 Kia Rio (mostly synthetic oil changes, a few synthetic blend) still gummed up the rings. Mix of city / Hwy. At least for the older Hyundais / Kia's. the severe schedule makes sense. YMMV.
Propflux01
$100 Site Donor 2026
I always did 5K OCI's, even on the 2.4L. Never had an issue with any of them, but one thing I did do was a 30-second warm-up ('til the 'flare' is gone), and drove very conservatively for the first 4-5 miles (which I still do for all my vehicles), as I am one of those OCD guys who has seen so many two strokes get cold seizure, and apply that to my 4 strokers as well.
For my Kia I do 10K km or 6000 mi changes with Pennzoil Platinum Ultra or now Mobil 1 Extended Performance 5w30 and so far about 133,000 km/83,000 miles total and no consumption past about 1 liter per change,so I do add 100 ml every 1000kms to keep full.
Use Valvoline Restore and Protect 5W-30 as your year-round forever oil. Change it every 4000 miles or 6 months, whatever comes first.
Carlostrece
$100 Site Donor 2025
If it was 55+ MPH sustained for 30+ minutes per drive, then defineately yes, IMO. At 45+ MPH, possibly OK, if sustained for 30+ minutes per drive.
A used oil analysis would (obviously) be helpful, but if lacking a used oil analysis, the next best thing (which I do) is inspect the oil on the dipstick. Then wipe dipstick on clean white paper towel and inspect the oil smear on the papertowel.
If oil looks frothy/foamy (water contamination) on dipstick, or very dark (dirty) on the white paper towel, change the oil. If oil has particles in it, change the oil. If oil is abnormally thin (fuel contamination) or abnormally thick (sludgey), change the oil. If oil smells like sulfur (abnormally stinky) or gasoline, change the oil.
Your eyes, nose, and common sense can tell you a lot about condition of oil.
Last edited:
This makes sense … I am just getting ready to do my 2nd fill of Valvoline Restore and Protect 5W30 in my 2017 Hyundai 2.4L . The first fill was severe service 3,750 miles / 6 months in mixed driving - but now all mostly highway miles so my new Hyundai “extended” OCI will now be 4,000 / 6 month OCI . I believe Hyundai GDI engines are hard on oil so no sense flirting too far beyond with what has been working . I also let the engine warm up a couple of minutes in the driveway before easing on down the road for a few miles until warmed up .
Do I think the GDI engine in my 2016 Hyundai is a good engine? Absolutely not. Do I change the oil more than any other car I have owned? Nope. You can't fix a poorly made machine with slightly cleaner lubrication.
Patman
Staff member
I wouldn’t be idling it to warm it up, that’s just going to introduce even more fuel into the oil. Start and go right away, just drive gently for the first few minutes
- Joined
- Mar 10, 2021
- Messages
- 252
Technically the oci tool on the app put me at 8k or 1 year. I might do 3k a year so I just change every year using Pennzoil Platinum Euro 0w40. 23 Santa Fe 2.5t.
I should have clarified : I get into my Sonata , start it up then put my seat belt on , check heat / AC settings (including seat) then defroster , hook up phone to charger before gently driving away (1 to 2 minutes on average before backing out of drive way).
Patman
Staff member
But even that 1-2 minutes of idling adds up if that’s what you do every morning. I pull away within 5 seconds after starting it up cold.
I'm doing 15k on HPL , non gdi elantra. Mixed city, freeway.
As far as idling on start up, I partially warm up every time I start my cold or semi-cold Hyundai. I want to reduce any form of piston rock with any form of load. If the rings are not jammed you should not get much fuel dilution. I had 1.5qt fuel dilution/water vapor in Minnesota winters at my worst point. I would have to suck out oil at the 1,500 mile mark. I ALWAYS dump at 3,000 miles. I had bad fuel dilution in the summer too, but not at winter levels. I am a 80% short tripper. 9 miles to work and back and 7 miles to Menard's/Home Depot and back up to 2-3 times a day for work, at least 3-4 times a week. Then I un jammed my rings and I get no summer fuel dilution, I warm up and start the piston expansion for a bit before I go off in summer too. Now, I let my car idle/warm up on cold startup and semi cold startup I have very little fuel dilution, since I un jammed my rings. 1/4 or less qt in the worst of Minnesota winter temps in 3,000 miles. So I guess if you are worried about fuel dilution and pre warming up, watch your oil levels as you don't need a used oil analysis to see if you have issues. I did not have any wear issue show up with my mid+ level fuel dilution and did not check at my higher levels since I became num to worring about wear and used oil analysising, it I guess.
Carlostrece
$100 Site Donor 2025
If the OP is not going to make decisions based on oil condition, then all we can do is guess. For his described driving situation, my guess is 5000 miles or 1 year (whichever comes first) would be fine, especially if he does the following to reduce problems related to fuel dilution...
Start car, let it idle for 10-15 seconds, then drive gently for the first 15 minutes. Then less fuel will get in the oil.
Use 5w30 grade oil. It will lubricate better in general, and being thicker means it can more easily withstand some fuel dilution.
Use a premium oil filter. My preferrred premium oil filter is NAPA Gold.
Doing the above things would work reasonably well with any good 5w30, and especially well with Valvoline Restore and Protect. IMO
Start car, let it idle for 10-15 seconds, then drive gently for the first 15 minutes. Then less fuel will get in the oil.
Use 5w30 grade oil. It will lubricate better in general, and being thicker means it can more easily withstand some fuel dilution.
Use a premium oil filter. My preferrred premium oil filter is NAPA Gold.
Doing the above things would work reasonably well with any good 5w30, and especially well with Valvoline Restore and Protect. IMO
We bought new a 2016 Santa Fe with the 2.4. When we sold it with 100k it still didn’t use any oil and ran perfect. I used 5w30 every 5k.
Thanks for the replies - I will get a used oil analysis after my 2nd straight fill of Valvoline Restore and Protect 5W30 using a Carquest Premium oil filter running it to 4K mile / 6 months then check . Again , 80% driving now rural highways and interstates. On a side bar note , I find it interesting that experiences with the Hyundai 2.4L engine oil burning can vary widely with equal good care.
Similar threads
