New 2018 Hyundai hybrid

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Feb 24, 2005
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Location
eastern NewMexico
This is a regular hybrid, not the plug in one.
We got a dealer demo car last year and the dealer did their 2 free oil chages so the last one was the first home oil change. Hyundai recommends 7,000 miles. But I changed it at right about 4,000 because the oil was starting to stink of fuel. It's been a cold winter and this car likes to stop and start the engine a lot. It normally doesnt warm up all the way unless we take it on the highway for at least a short little trip.
I sent off a sample to blackstone labs to see what's going on with it.
I searched around for hybrid cars on here and didn't find anything.
Anyone else have this problem of always driving around with a cold engine in a hybrid car?
 
For a short while i owned an older prius. I drive short trips ( around 7 miles) to work and in the winter it gets pretty stinking cold here. I saw the same thing you are. The car basically never warmed up, and there was constantly a decent amount of white moisture build up under the oil cap. It worried me enough that i sold it and moved on to something more simple.

On the flip side your car is likely under warranty until 100k miles. This (in my mind) takes away a lot of the worry. I believe your manual allows up to 5w30 to be used. That could give you a little buffer to account for fuel dilution from short tripping.
 
"It normally doesnt warm up all the way unless we take it on the highway for at least a short little trip."

Haven't you answered your question? You need to get it warmed up regularly, probably more extreme with an (I assume Ionic) than a non-hybrid but all DI Hyun/Kia engines do need regular warmups. I also use 5w30 rather than 5w20 because of potential fuel dilution.
 
I think the oil change for the spring, summmer and fall then oil change for winter and then again for spring is working.
It usually works like this. Run the oil for spring summer and fall for around 6,000 to 7,000 miles and the winter oil will run about 3,000 to 4,000 miles.
Now I'll probably fill it up just past the low mark, then top it off with 15w-40 half way through the oil change. Because filling the oil half way up the low/full mark on the dip stick then adding 1/2 qt of 10w-30 in the middle of the oil change milage barely kept the 5w-20 in spec.

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It looks like the solution is:
Change oil in the summer, as many miles as I can put on it.
Change oil in the winter 3,000 to 4,000 miles.
When I change oil fill with recommend 5w-20 oil to just past the low mark, add 6 to 8 ounces of 20w-50 every 1,000 miles till the full mark is reached.
Something in the engine is breaking down the viscosity in addition to the fuel dilution, by 4,000 miles the oil specs like a 0w-16 weight oil if I just run 5w-20 and forgetaboutit.
 
I would post your used oil analysis in the specific section for that.

One observation, your fuel dilution is probably far higher than stated, as Blackstone doesn't use an accurate method of determination. I would suggest trying a different lab.
 
It's good enough. Then if I just switched labs then I would be stating a new data set. I figured out what to do to keep the viscosity out of the danger zone what ever that viscosity break down cause may be.
 
What does your manual allow? I have a Kia GDI which allows 5/10W-30. I recently switched to M1 ESP 5W-30 because it's on the higher end of 5W-30 viscosity, and >= 3.5 HTHS. For the same engine, the corresponding Hyundai model allows up to 5W-40, which I found interesting to say the least.
 
What does your manual allow? I have a Kia GDI which allows 5/10W-30. I recently switched to M1 ESP 5W-30 because it's on the higher end of 5W-30 viscosity, and >= 3.5 HTHS. For the same engine, the corresponding Hyundai model allows up to 5W-40, which I found interesting to say the least.
The oil cap says "5w-20" but I should probably also check the manual.
 
It's good enough. Then if I just switched labs then I would be stating a new data set. I figured out what to do to keep the viscosity out of the danger zone what ever that viscosity break down cause may be.
I wouldn't say that but perhaps you will. It's been shown many times to be nowhere near close. Plus they have had issues properly measuring viscosity as well.
 
What does your manual allow? I have a Kia GDI which allows 5/10W-30. I recently switched to M1 ESP 5W-30 because it's on the higher end of 5W-30 viscosity, and >= 3.5 HTHS. For the same engine, the corresponding Hyundai model allows up to 5W-40, which I found interesting to say the least.
Automakers don't allow grades, they recommend them.
 
Filled it with good old 5w-20 PP.
The oil viscosity stayed in spec because I added about a quart of 20w-50 Castrol classic a little bit at a time between 1,500 to 5,500 miles like I always do.
I guess PP just doesn't have great shear stability. But once you know about it you can develop counter measures.
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