Gee I wonder why I wont bother to help.....lol....gtfo
I dropped the vehicle off and told them to take their time with it. Over a week went by, and ten days after I dropped it off, I got a phone call. They tell me that they don't know what's wrong with the engine. However, they said it took them this long to replicate the issue (the startup rattle). They said they might want to start taking apart the engine, starting with the valve covers and then proceeding to the front cover. I tell them to wait. I'll be there in ten minutes. So I get to the dealership and ask them to explain why they want to open up the engine and anything specific they're looking for. They say no, there isn't. And they also hint at the fact that they don't want to do it. They admit that Hyundai doesn't know what's wrong with it, and they don't know what's wrong with it. I have a friend over there, a tech that's been working there for more than two decades, and I've known him for fifteen years. He tells me that about 25% of these engines have faulty tensioners and that Hyundai doesn't want to replace them, so even if the other guys (he wasn't the one working on it) open everything up, nothing will get replaced. I told him that I'd keep quiet and take my vehicle home. I also said that I doubt it's a faulty tensioner because the rattle starts after the engine fires up. So I took it home. First, I tried a few different lubes and flushed the engine, but that didn't help. I noticed that the battery was undersized compared to my 2018 Santa Fe Sport because that's the biggest battery they could fit with the big 3.3L engine under the hood. So I hooked up an H7 battery to my wife's car, and surprise, no startup rattle.
I went out, bought an AGM battery (124R, smaller than H7, is what fits), and the problem went away for good. If Hyundai could have been bothered to route the intake around the battery, they could have installed an H7 battery from the beginning and avoided this issue altogether. I went back to the dealership and informed the service advisor, the tech that worked on the car, and the service manager of my findings, but they couldn't care less. If the CVVT solenoids don't have enough power at startup (undersized battery), then the CVVTs will rattle. I also told my friend who works there, and he listened and thanked me. It would have been nice if his colleagues could have cared enough, especially since the vehicle is still under warranty, to check what's going on with the CVVTs, and maybe try to hook up either a fresh or bigger battery. But they didn't, hence my comment on their ineptitude. The fact that we didn't have the vehicle (or a loaner) for almost two weeks complicated our lives further.
So, I am not lumping all technicians together, but many couldn't care less. I don't know whether it's the pay, lack of motivation, poor management, or lack of training. Some of the things I went through with technicians over the years are just scary and enough for me to make me want to stay away, especially from dealerships.
As for you bothering to help me, I didn't ask for your help. It would have been nice, though, if, at the very least, you helped the OP. I popped on here to help the OP with some well-researched advice, not to argue with anyone. Comments like "
u will for sure want to use the right stuff unless you want to be rebuilding the clutch in it" aren't helpful. If you want to get involved in this thread and genuinely want to help, why not do the research and provide the OP with some options for the correct fluids that he may use in his transfer case? Or the comment you just made above? This is a family-friendly place, where people come to learn and get help with their vehicles, maintenance, etc. Cordial and friendly discussions are encouraged. If you want to make a counterargument to prove that my statements are wrong, then please frame it properly. While sensational and dramatic, snide comments aren't welcome here. As such, please respond accordingly. Thank you.