I bought a new 2006 Elantra in December. As a D-I-Yer, and former
mechanic, I've always performed the majority of the oil changes on my
cars. I always change oil and filter at 3K or 3 month intervals using
Mobil 1 synthetic. I fully understand Hyundai's requirement of keeping
a maintenance log, either in paper form or at hyundai.com's online
service log to show proof of preventive maintenance to maintain the
warranty. (Note: Using Mobil 1, and sticking to the 3K/3Mo. change
intervals, I've never experienced an engine mechanical failure in over
25 years of using the product).

Years ago, it was generally recommended to perform the initial oil
change at 1,000 miles. At that time, many cars used a "break in" oil,
but I'm not sure this is the case anymore. In fact, most cars had a
free scheduled 1,000 mile inspection, which included an oil change.
Nevertheless, it still may make good sense to initially change the oil
at 1,000 miles.

Any thoughts on this, pro or con, or should I simply adhere to
Hyundai's "severe service" drain intervals?

Also, since the current Elantra has a cast-aluminum sump cover, it's
most likely quite critical to torque the drain plug to a certain
maximum lb/ft. I wonder if any Elantra has suffered from a cracked
sump cover due to over-torqueing? This is a very critical aspect of my
SAAB 900, as a cracked aluminum sump cover requires replacement of the
entire lower section of the engine. Of course, this is thankfully not
the case with the Elantra, but I certainly could see problems should
the oil drain plug be over-torqued. Perhaps this is a question for
hyundaitech . . .

 

Actually, you have given reason #1 why I try to never let anyone else
(except myself) do oil changes. It always seemed like they had used
tightening the drain plug as their daily pull-up exercise.

I was STUNNED when I saw what in these owner's manuals was the recommended
torque to tighten those things to, and how unbelievably overtightened I
would find them.

Maybe finally some of these places are smartening up, but I wouldn't a
synthetic oil change on it.

Tom Wenndt


"Don Allen" <w9cw@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1139154701.488533.322100@g14g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
>I bought a new 2006 Elantra in December. As a D-I-Yer, and former
> mechanic, I've always performed the majority of the oil changes on my
> cars. I always change oil and filter at 3K or 3 month intervals using
> Mobil 1 synthetic. I fully understand Hyundai's requirement of keeping
> a maintenance log, either in paper form or at hyundai.com's online
> service log to show proof of preventive maintenance to maintain the
> warranty. (Note: Using Mobil 1, and sticking to the 3K/3Mo. change
> intervals, I've never experienced an engine mechanical failure in over
> 25 years of using the product).
>
> Years ago, it was generally recommended to perform the initial oil
> change at 1,000 miles. At that time, many cars used a "break in" oil,
> but I'm not sure this is the case anymore. In fact, most cars had a
> free scheduled 1,000 mile inspection, which included an oil change.
> Nevertheless, it still may make good sense to initially change the oil
> at 1,000 miles.
>
> Any thoughts on this, pro or con, or should I simply adhere to
> Hyundai's "severe service" drain intervals?
>
> Also, since the current Elantra has a cast-aluminum sump cover, it's
> most likely quite critical to torque the drain plug to a certain
> maximum lb/ft. I wonder if any Elantra has suffered from a cracked
> sump cover due to over-torqueing? This is a very critical aspect of my
> SAAB 900, as a cracked aluminum sump cover requires replacement of the
> entire lower section of the engine. Of course, this is thankfully not
> the case with the Elantra, but I certainly could see problems should
> the oil drain plug be over-torqued. Perhaps this is a question for
> hyundaitech . . .
>

 

Actually, you have given reason #1 why I try to never let anyone else
(except myself) do oil changes. It always seemed like they had used
tightening the drain plug as their daily pull-up exercise.

I was STUNNED when I saw what in these owner's manuals was the recommended
torque to tighten those things to, and how unbelievably overtightened I
would find them.

Maybe finally some of these places are smartening up, but I wouldn't a
synthetic oil change on it.

Tom Wenndt


"Don Allen" <w9cw@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1139154701.488533.322100@g14g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
>I bought a new 2006 Elantra in December. As a D-I-Yer, and former
> mechanic, I've always performed the majority of the oil changes on my
> cars. I always change oil and filter at 3K or 3 month intervals using
> Mobil 1 synthetic. I fully understand Hyundai's requirement of keeping
> a maintenance log, either in paper form or at hyundai.com's online
> service log to show proof of preventive maintenance to maintain the
> warranty. (Note: Using Mobil 1, and sticking to the 3K/3Mo. change
> intervals, I've never experienced an engine mechanical failure in over
> 25 years of using the product).
>
> Years ago, it was generally recommended to perform the initial oil
> change at 1,000 miles. At that time, many cars used a "break in" oil,
> but I'm not sure this is the case anymore. In fact, most cars had a
> free scheduled 1,000 mile inspection, which included an oil change.
> Nevertheless, it still may make good sense to initially change the oil
> at 1,000 miles.
>
> Any thoughts on this, pro or con, or should I simply adhere to
> Hyundai's "severe service" drain intervals?
>
> Also, since the current Elantra has a cast-aluminum sump cover, it's
> most likely quite critical to torque the drain plug to a certain
> maximum lb/ft. I wonder if any Elantra has suffered from a cracked
> sump cover due to over-torqueing? This is a very critical aspect of my
> SAAB 900, as a cracked aluminum sump cover requires replacement of the
> entire lower section of the engine. Of course, this is thankfully not
> the case with the Elantra, but I certainly could see problems should
> the oil drain plug be over-torqued. Perhaps this is a question for
> hyundaitech . . .
>

 

Actually, you have given reason #1 why I try to never let anyone else
(except myself) do oil changes. It always seemed like they had used
tightening the drain plug as their daily pull-up exercise.

I was STUNNED when I saw what in these owner's manuals was the recommended
torque to tighten those things to, and how unbelievably overtightened I
would find them.

Maybe finally some of these places are smartening up, but I wouldn't a
synthetic oil change on it.

Tom Wenndt


"Don Allen" <w9cw@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1139154701.488533.322100@g14g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
>I bought a new 2006 Elantra in December. As a D-I-Yer, and former
> mechanic, I've always performed the majority of the oil changes on my
> cars. I always change oil and filter at 3K or 3 month intervals using
> Mobil 1 synthetic. I fully understand Hyundai's requirement of keeping
> a maintenance log, either in paper form or at hyundai.com's online
> service log to show proof of preventive maintenance to maintain the
> warranty. (Note: Using Mobil 1, and sticking to the 3K/3Mo. change
> intervals, I've never experienced an engine mechanical failure in over
> 25 years of using the product).
>
> Years ago, it was generally recommended to perform the initial oil
> change at 1,000 miles. At that time, many cars used a "break in" oil,
> but I'm not sure this is the case anymore. In fact, most cars had a
> free scheduled 1,000 mile inspection, which included an oil change.
> Nevertheless, it still may make good sense to initially change the oil
> at 1,000 miles.
>
> Any thoughts on this, pro or con, or should I simply adhere to
> Hyundai's "severe service" drain intervals?
>
> Also, since the current Elantra has a cast-aluminum sump cover, it's
> most likely quite critical to torque the drain plug to a certain
> maximum lb/ft. I wonder if any Elantra has suffered from a cracked
> sump cover due to over-torqueing? This is a very critical aspect of my
> SAAB 900, as a cracked aluminum sump cover requires replacement of the
> entire lower section of the engine. Of course, this is thankfully not
> the case with the Elantra, but I certainly could see problems should
> the oil drain plug be over-torqued. Perhaps this is a question for
> hyundaitech . . .
>

 

"Don Allen" <w9cw@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1139154701.488533.322100@g14g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...

> I bought a new 2006 Elantra in December. As a D-I-Yer, and former
> mechanic, I've always performed the majority of the oil changes on my
> cars. I always change oil and filter at 3K or 3 month intervals using
> Mobil 1 synthetic. I fully understand Hyundai's requirement of keeping
> a maintenance log, either in paper form or at hyundai.com's online
> service log to show proof of preventive maintenance to maintain the
> warranty. (Note: Using Mobil 1, and sticking to the 3K/3Mo. change
> intervals, I've never experienced an engine mechanical failure in over
> 25 years of using the product).
>

Religiously changed oil is the number one factor in long engine life. I've
adhered to a slightly different practice than yours over the years, but like
you I have never suffered an engine failure in over 35 years of driving and
owning cars. I change my oil and filter every 4000 miles but I still don't
use synthetic oils. No particular reason why, it's just that old habits die
hard I guess. No matter, real oil does server the purpose very well. I use
Wal-Mart's private label stuff which I believe is made by Quaker State.
I've driven too many cars for over 200,000 miles for me not to believe in
the practice. So - no matter which route one chooses, either synthetic or
real oil, 3000 or 4000 miles, just do it and do it religiously.

--

-Mike-
mmarlowREMOVE@alltel.net

 

"Don Allen" <w9cw@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1139154701.488533.322100@g14g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...

> I bought a new 2006 Elantra in December. As a D-I-Yer, and former
> mechanic, I've always performed the majority of the oil changes on my
> cars. I always change oil and filter at 3K or 3 month intervals using
> Mobil 1 synthetic. I fully understand Hyundai's requirement of keeping
> a maintenance log, either in paper form or at hyundai.com's online
> service log to show proof of preventive maintenance to maintain the
> warranty. (Note: Using Mobil 1, and sticking to the 3K/3Mo. change
> intervals, I've never experienced an engine mechanical failure in over
> 25 years of using the product).
>

Religiously changed oil is the number one factor in long engine life. I've
adhered to a slightly different practice than yours over the years, but like
you I have never suffered an engine failure in over 35 years of driving and
owning cars. I change my oil and filter every 4000 miles but I still don't
use synthetic oils. No particular reason why, it's just that old habits die
hard I guess. No matter, real oil does server the purpose very well. I use
Wal-Mart's private label stuff which I believe is made by Quaker State.
I've driven too many cars for over 200,000 miles for me not to believe in
the practice. So - no matter which route one chooses, either synthetic or
real oil, 3000 or 4000 miles, just do it and do it religiously.

--

-Mike-
mmarlowREMOVE@alltel.net

 

"Don Allen" <w9cw@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1139154701.488533.322100@g14g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...

> I bought a new 2006 Elantra in December. As a D-I-Yer, and former
> mechanic, I've always performed the majority of the oil changes on my
> cars. I always change oil and filter at 3K or 3 month intervals using
> Mobil 1 synthetic. I fully understand Hyundai's requirement of keeping
> a maintenance log, either in paper form or at hyundai.com's online
> service log to show proof of preventive maintenance to maintain the
> warranty. (Note: Using Mobil 1, and sticking to the 3K/3Mo. change
> intervals, I've never experienced an engine mechanical failure in over
> 25 years of using the product).
>

Religiously changed oil is the number one factor in long engine life. I've
adhered to a slightly different practice than yours over the years, but like
you I have never suffered an engine failure in over 35 years of driving and
owning cars. I change my oil and filter every 4000 miles but I still don't
use synthetic oils. No particular reason why, it's just that old habits die
hard I guess. No matter, real oil does server the purpose very well. I use
Wal-Mart's private label stuff which I believe is made by Quaker State.
I've driven too many cars for over 200,000 miles for me not to believe in
the practice. So - no matter which route one chooses, either synthetic or
real oil, 3000 or 4000 miles, just do it and do it religiously.

--

-Mike-
mmarlowREMOVE@alltel.net

 

My first reaction is that you're wasting a lot of oil and filters,
especially since you're using a synthetic oil. Modern oils in modern
engines last a LOT longer than 3000 miles, which is why car
manufacturers recommend much longer change intervals than they used to.
Remember, they're not going to recommend anything that could result in a
problem during the warranty period, which in Hyundai's case is 100,000
miles. Unless you beat the snot out of your car, just follow Hyundai's
recommended change intervals for normal driving (first change at 3500
miles, then every 7500 thereafter), especially if you switch over to a
synthetic at the first change (which I did). If you feel better changing
it at 1000 miles, it wont hurt to do so, then again at 3500, but I
wouldn't waste expensive synthetic oil on that first change. You could
also change to synthetic at 1000 and not change it again until 7500.

Break-in oils aren't used anymore. Another thing that has changed is the
weights of the recommended oils. Unless you live somewhere that's warm
or hot all year round, a 5W oil is recommended, due the the smaller oil
passages in modern engines. In the case of the Elantra 5W-30 is
recommended for most climates. Since you're fond of Mobile One, you
could even use their Euro-spec 0W-40, which provides fuel saving and
protection under any conditions.

I replaced the drain plug in my Elantra GT with one of the Fram drain
valves. That eliminates any hassles with replacing crush washers,
possible cross-threading or over/under torquing of the drain plug and
dropping slippery drain plugs into your drain pan. Some people prefer
the more expensive Fumoto valve, but either one does the job. After
using one of these valve, I wouldn't go back to using a stock drain plug
again. It's one of those "Why didn't someone think of that before???" items.

 

My first reaction is that you're wasting a lot of oil and filters,
especially since you're using a synthetic oil. Modern oils in modern
engines last a LOT longer than 3000 miles, which is why car
manufacturers recommend much longer change intervals than they used to.
Remember, they're not going to recommend anything that could result in a
problem during the warranty period, which in Hyundai's case is 100,000
miles. Unless you beat the snot out of your car, just follow Hyundai's
recommended change intervals for normal driving (first change at 3500
miles, then every 7500 thereafter), especially if you switch over to a
synthetic at the first change (which I did). If you feel better changing
it at 1000 miles, it wont hurt to do so, then again at 3500, but I
wouldn't waste expensive synthetic oil on that first change. You could
also change to synthetic at 1000 and not change it again until 7500.

Break-in oils aren't used anymore. Another thing that has changed is the
weights of the recommended oils. Unless you live somewhere that's warm
or hot all year round, a 5W oil is recommended, due the the smaller oil
passages in modern engines. In the case of the Elantra 5W-30 is
recommended for most climates. Since you're fond of Mobile One, you
could even use their Euro-spec 0W-40, which provides fuel saving and
protection under any conditions.

I replaced the drain plug in my Elantra GT with one of the Fram drain
valves. That eliminates any hassles with replacing crush washers,
possible cross-threading or over/under torquing of the drain plug and
dropping slippery drain plugs into your drain pan. Some people prefer
the more expensive Fumoto valve, but either one does the job. After
using one of these valve, I wouldn't go back to using a stock drain plug
again. It's one of those "Why didn't someone think of that before???" items.

 

My first reaction is that you're wasting a lot of oil and filters,
especially since you're using a synthetic oil. Modern oils in modern
engines last a LOT longer than 3000 miles, which is why car
manufacturers recommend much longer change intervals than they used to.
Remember, they're not going to recommend anything that could result in a
problem during the warranty period, which in Hyundai's case is 100,000
miles. Unless you beat the snot out of your car, just follow Hyundai's
recommended change intervals for normal driving (first change at 3500
miles, then every 7500 thereafter), especially if you switch over to a
synthetic at the first change (which I did). If you feel better changing
it at 1000 miles, it wont hurt to do so, then again at 3500, but I
wouldn't waste expensive synthetic oil on that first change. You could
also change to synthetic at 1000 and not change it again until 7500.

Break-in oils aren't used anymore. Another thing that has changed is the
weights of the recommended oils. Unless you live somewhere that's warm
or hot all year round, a 5W oil is recommended, due the the smaller oil
passages in modern engines. In the case of the Elantra 5W-30 is
recommended for most climates. Since you're fond of Mobile One, you
could even use their Euro-spec 0W-40, which provides fuel saving and
protection under any conditions.

I replaced the drain plug in my Elantra GT with one of the Fram drain
valves. That eliminates any hassles with replacing crush washers,
possible cross-threading or over/under torquing of the drain plug and
dropping slippery drain plugs into your drain pan. Some people prefer
the more expensive Fumoto valve, but either one does the job. After
using one of these valve, I wouldn't go back to using a stock drain plug
again. It's one of those "Why didn't someone think of that before???" items.

 

Don Allen wrote:

> I bought a new 2006 Elantra in December. As a D-I-Yer, and former
> mechanic, I've always performed the majority of the oil changes on my
> cars. I always change oil and filter at 3K or 3 month intervals using
> Mobil 1 synthetic. I fully understand Hyundai's requirement of keeping
> a maintenance log, either in paper form or at hyundai.com's online
> service log to show proof of preventive maintenance to maintain the
> warranty. (Note: Using Mobil 1, and sticking to the 3K/3Mo. change
> intervals, I've never experienced an engine mechanical failure in over
> 25 years of using the product).

3K/3 month changes with Mobil 1 is a waste of a lot of good oil. I run
5K changes and have run 10K on several vehicles once out of warranty
(one of which had 178,000 when totaled) with no ill affects.


> Years ago, it was generally recommended to perform the initial oil
> change at 1,000 miles. At that time, many cars used a "break in" oil,
> but I'm not sure this is the case anymore. In fact, most cars had a
> free scheduled 1,000 mile inspection, which included an oil change.
> Nevertheless, it still may make good sense to initially change the oil
> at 1,000 miles.

I think that is largely a thing of the past, however, due to my
conservative nature, I plan to change my Sonata at 2500 miles using dino
oil and then change to Mobil 1 at 5,000 and start my normal 5,000
schedule. Why 5,000 you ask? The main reason is that it is easy to
remember multiples of 5,000 and it is less than the normal schedule for
most cars and not far from the severe schedule so it should avoid any
warranty disputes. Once out of warranty, I'll consider 10,000 mile
changes. I started this with my last minivan after 150,000 miles of 5K
changes and it didn't bother it at all.


> Any thoughts on this, pro or con, or should I simply adhere to
> Hyundai's "severe service" drain intervals?

Only you can assess your driving conditions vs. the manual's
recommendations. My driving is 17 or so miles each way to work every
day on mostly level highway. I rarely idle for any length of time,
don't tow and don't drive much on dirt roads. I figure 5,000 is a safe
compromise between 7500 and 3750 or whatever Hyundai suggests.


> Also, since the current Elantra has a cast-aluminum sump cover, it's
> most likely quite critical to torque the drain plug to a certain
> maximum lb/ft. I wonder if any Elantra has suffered from a cracked
> sump cover due to over-torqueing? This is a very critical aspect of my
> SAAB 900, as a cracked aluminum sump cover requires replacement of the
> entire lower section of the engine. Of course, this is thankfully not
> the case with the Elantra, but I certainly could see problems should
> the oil drain plug be over-torqued. Perhaps this is a question for
> hyundaitech . . .

I don't know about cracking, but I'd be worried about stripping the
threads if the plug threads directly into an aluminum sump. My other
vehicles all have steel oil pans with steel plugs. My Kawasaki Voyager
had the plugs (yes, it had two drain plugs) threaded directly into the
aluminum engine case. Needless to say, I torqued those plugs back in
very carefully! However, I never had a problem in 17 oil changes over
17 years. Yes, you heard that right, Kawasaki only required oil changes
every 12 months or something like 6,000 miles. I never got 6,000 miles
in a year so I changed the oil every fall before storage. The bike ran
fine for all 17 years that I owned it.

Personally, I think current recommendations for oil change intervals are
VERY conservative given modern engines, oils and oil filters.

However, during the warranty period, which is a long time with Hyundai,
I won't experiment with the maintenance schedule.

Is Hyundai tough to deal with regarding warranty claims? The dealer
really pushed me to have all service done by them and hinted that if I
did my own maintenance it might make warranty claims tricky. I've done
my own maintenance for 30 years and never had a car maker hassle me on a
warranty claim, then again I've only owned a couple of imports before.
Chevy and Chrysler have never given me grief for doing my own maintenance.


Matt

 

Don Allen wrote:

> I bought a new 2006 Elantra in December. As a D-I-Yer, and former
> mechanic, I've always performed the majority of the oil changes on my
> cars. I always change oil and filter at 3K or 3 month intervals using
> Mobil 1 synthetic. I fully understand Hyundai's requirement of keeping
> a maintenance log, either in paper form or at hyundai.com's online
> service log to show proof of preventive maintenance to maintain the
> warranty. (Note: Using Mobil 1, and sticking to the 3K/3Mo. change
> intervals, I've never experienced an engine mechanical failure in over
> 25 years of using the product).

3K/3 month changes with Mobil 1 is a waste of a lot of good oil. I run
5K changes and have run 10K on several vehicles once out of warranty
(one of which had 178,000 when totaled) with no ill affects.


> Years ago, it was generally recommended to perform the initial oil
> change at 1,000 miles. At that time, many cars used a "break in" oil,
> but I'm not sure this is the case anymore. In fact, most cars had a
> free scheduled 1,000 mile inspection, which included an oil change.
> Nevertheless, it still may make good sense to initially change the oil
> at 1,000 miles.

I think that is largely a thing of the past, however, due to my
conservative nature, I plan to change my Sonata at 2500 miles using dino
oil and then change to Mobil 1 at 5,000 and start my normal 5,000
schedule. Why 5,000 you ask? The main reason is that it is easy to
remember multiples of 5,000 and it is less than the normal schedule for
most cars and not far from the severe schedule so it should avoid any
warranty disputes. Once out of warranty, I'll consider 10,000 mile
changes. I started this with my last minivan after 150,000 miles of 5K
changes and it didn't bother it at all.


> Any thoughts on this, pro or con, or should I simply adhere to
> Hyundai's "severe service" drain intervals?

Only you can assess your driving conditions vs. the manual's
recommendations. My driving is 17 or so miles each way to work every
day on mostly level highway. I rarely idle for any length of time,
don't tow and don't drive much on dirt roads. I figure 5,000 is a safe
compromise between 7500 and 3750 or whatever Hyundai suggests.


> Also, since the current Elantra has a cast-aluminum sump cover, it's
> most likely quite critical to torque the drain plug to a certain
> maximum lb/ft. I wonder if any Elantra has suffered from a cracked
> sump cover due to over-torqueing? This is a very critical aspect of my
> SAAB 900, as a cracked aluminum sump cover requires replacement of the
> entire lower section of the engine. Of course, this is thankfully not
> the case with the Elantra, but I certainly could see problems should
> the oil drain plug be over-torqued. Perhaps this is a question for
> hyundaitech . . .

I don't know about cracking, but I'd be worried about stripping the
threads if the plug threads directly into an aluminum sump. My other
vehicles all have steel oil pans with steel plugs. My Kawasaki Voyager
had the plugs (yes, it had two drain plugs) threaded directly into the
aluminum engine case. Needless to say, I torqued those plugs back in
very carefully! However, I never had a problem in 17 oil changes over
17 years. Yes, you heard that right, Kawasaki only required oil changes
every 12 months or something like 6,000 miles. I never got 6,000 miles
in a year so I changed the oil every fall before storage. The bike ran
fine for all 17 years that I owned it.

Personally, I think current recommendations for oil change intervals are
VERY conservative given modern engines, oils and oil filters.

However, during the warranty period, which is a long time with Hyundai,
I won't experiment with the maintenance schedule.

Is Hyundai tough to deal with regarding warranty claims? The dealer
really pushed me to have all service done by them and hinted that if I
did my own maintenance it might make warranty claims tricky. I've done
my own maintenance for 30 years and never had a car maker hassle me on a
warranty claim, then again I've only owned a couple of imports before.
Chevy and Chrysler have never given me grief for doing my own maintenance.


Matt

 

Don Allen wrote:

> I bought a new 2006 Elantra in December. As a D-I-Yer, and former
> mechanic, I've always performed the majority of the oil changes on my
> cars. I always change oil and filter at 3K or 3 month intervals using
> Mobil 1 synthetic. I fully understand Hyundai's requirement of keeping
> a maintenance log, either in paper form or at hyundai.com's online
> service log to show proof of preventive maintenance to maintain the
> warranty. (Note: Using Mobil 1, and sticking to the 3K/3Mo. change
> intervals, I've never experienced an engine mechanical failure in over
> 25 years of using the product).

3K/3 month changes with Mobil 1 is a waste of a lot of good oil. I run
5K changes and have run 10K on several vehicles once out of warranty
(one of which had 178,000 when totaled) with no ill affects.


> Years ago, it was generally recommended to perform the initial oil
> change at 1,000 miles. At that time, many cars used a "break in" oil,
> but I'm not sure this is the case anymore. In fact, most cars had a
> free scheduled 1,000 mile inspection, which included an oil change.
> Nevertheless, it still may make good sense to initially change the oil
> at 1,000 miles.

I think that is largely a thing of the past, however, due to my
conservative nature, I plan to change my Sonata at 2500 miles using dino
oil and then change to Mobil 1 at 5,000 and start my normal 5,000
schedule. Why 5,000 you ask? The main reason is that it is easy to
remember multiples of 5,000 and it is less than the normal schedule for
most cars and not far from the severe schedule so it should avoid any
warranty disputes. Once out of warranty, I'll consider 10,000 mile
changes. I started this with my last minivan after 150,000 miles of 5K
changes and it didn't bother it at all.


> Any thoughts on this, pro or con, or should I simply adhere to
> Hyundai's "severe service" drain intervals?

Only you can assess your driving conditions vs. the manual's
recommendations. My driving is 17 or so miles each way to work every
day on mostly level highway. I rarely idle for any length of time,
don't tow and don't drive much on dirt roads. I figure 5,000 is a safe
compromise between 7500 and 3750 or whatever Hyundai suggests.


> Also, since the current Elantra has a cast-aluminum sump cover, it's
> most likely quite critical to torque the drain plug to a certain
> maximum lb/ft. I wonder if any Elantra has suffered from a cracked
> sump cover due to over-torqueing? This is a very critical aspect of my
> SAAB 900, as a cracked aluminum sump cover requires replacement of the
> entire lower section of the engine. Of course, this is thankfully not
> the case with the Elantra, but I certainly could see problems should
> the oil drain plug be over-torqued. Perhaps this is a question for
> hyundaitech . . .

I don't know about cracking, but I'd be worried about stripping the
threads if the plug threads directly into an aluminum sump. My other
vehicles all have steel oil pans with steel plugs. My Kawasaki Voyager
had the plugs (yes, it had two drain plugs) threaded directly into the
aluminum engine case. Needless to say, I torqued those plugs back in
very carefully! However, I never had a problem in 17 oil changes over
17 years. Yes, you heard that right, Kawasaki only required oil changes
every 12 months or something like 6,000 miles. I never got 6,000 miles
in a year so I changed the oil every fall before storage. The bike ran
fine for all 17 years that I owned it.

Personally, I think current recommendations for oil change intervals are
VERY conservative given modern engines, oils and oil filters.

However, during the warranty period, which is a long time with Hyundai,
I won't experiment with the maintenance schedule.

Is Hyundai tough to deal with regarding warranty claims? The dealer
really pushed me to have all service done by them and hinted that if I
did my own maintenance it might make warranty claims tricky. I've done
my own maintenance for 30 years and never had a car maker hassle me on a
warranty claim, then again I've only owned a couple of imports before.
Chevy and Chrysler have never given me grief for doing my own maintenance.


Matt

 

Brian Nystrom wrote:

> I replaced the drain plug in my Elantra GT with one of the Fram drain
> valves. That eliminates any hassles with replacing crush washers,
> possible cross-threading or over/under torquing of the drain plug and
> dropping slippery drain plugs into your drain pan. Some people prefer
> the more expensive Fumoto valve, but either one does the job. After
> using one of these valve, I wouldn't go back to using a stock drain plug
> again. It's one of those "Why didn't someone think of that before???"
> items.

Where did you buy the Fram valve at? My airplane had a quick-drain
valve, but I've never bothered to put one on a car. Makes a lot of
sense though and if it is good enought for Continental and Cessna, it is
good enough for me!

Matt

 

Brian Nystrom wrote:

> I replaced the drain plug in my Elantra GT with one of the Fram drain
> valves. That eliminates any hassles with replacing crush washers,
> possible cross-threading or over/under torquing of the drain plug and
> dropping slippery drain plugs into your drain pan. Some people prefer
> the more expensive Fumoto valve, but either one does the job. After
> using one of these valve, I wouldn't go back to using a stock drain plug
> again. It's one of those "Why didn't someone think of that before???"
> items.

Where did you buy the Fram valve at? My airplane had a quick-drain
valve, but I've never bothered to put one on a car. Makes a lot of
sense though and if it is good enought for Continental and Cessna, it is
good enough for me!

Matt