Questions and Answers

Hyundai Burning Oil

Q. My car is Hyundai 1996 Model Accent 1.5GS 3 Door. My car is burning oil. It is 5 years old. The reason of the burning is manufacture problem. We couldn't realized the problem in the guaranty period. So that we have used this car for 5 years with adding oil every 2 weeks. It has manual transmission, 1495cc, 87,600 km, fuel injection, No ABS, Power steering.

In 1000 km, approximately oil is decreasing 0.7 litres. I think it is very high value. When i am driving fast or in high rpm's, the exhaust smoke is bad. And also the smell is different from the any other exhausts.

I have asked to service and they have told me that the engine must be disassembled. When we have bought the car, in the first 1000km service, our service had changed the valve rings,etc. But the problem is going on.

What should I do?

Thank you very much for your great site...

A. If my calculations are correct, 87,600 kilometers is about 54,433 miles. This does not put you very far out of the warranty period of your car. I don't know if you are in the United States, but here Hyundai will do something to help you. This engine should not burn any oil at this point in its life. One quart in 600 miles is very high for any car at this milage. I would take it back to the dealer and see what they will do for you. If they value your custom, they will help you. if not, then request to speak to the Hyundai factory representative and he will help you. Keep your composure, but be firm that you will not take no for an answer. There are mediation boards, and in the United States, the Better Business Bureau, that will mediate the dispute.

If all of this is of no avail, which I seriously doubt, your options are limited. You'll have to pay for the repairs.

Right now the important thing is to determine the cause of the oil consumption. Is it from the valve seals or the rings? A simple wet/dry compression test will tell you this.

To do an accurate compression test, remove all the spark plugs from the engine. Then disconnect the coil wire from the distributor and connect a jumper wire from the coil wire to the negative (-) terminal of the battery. Prop the throttle plate so it is wide open. Connect a remote starter button from the positive (+) terminal of the battery to the small connector of the starter. Put the ignition key in your back pocket.

Now install the compression tester in cylinder number one and crank the engine about six or seven turns. Write down the compression reading and go on down the line. Good compression would be about 150 - 180 pounds. More important that the actual compression is that the readings should all be within 10% of each other.

Now that you have the dry readings, squirt two or three good squirts of motor oil into number one and do the test over. Note the reading next to the dry reading and go on down the line. Once you are done, compare the wet/dry readings. If the wet readings show a marked increase, say 20 to 25%, then you have ring problems and it's time for an engine overhaul. If there is a small increase, say 5 -10%, then the problem is in the valve seals and they will need to be replaced.

With this information, you will be better able to decide what you want to do with that engine. Please let me know how you make out.