Hyundai specifies a 5w-20 oil for its 3.3L engine, especially when operating in 0º F and colder ambient temperatures. Since CVVT systems adjust valve timing by controlling engine oil pressure inside the phaser, they can be sensitive to engine oil viscosity. Depending upon factors like engine speed and load, the ECM adjusts intake and exhaust valve timing to provide the most efficient combination of valve timing for any operating condition.
The pintle valve is protected from oil-borne debris by a very fine oil-filtering screen (see Photo 3).
The CVVT solenoid incorporates a solenoid-operated pintle valve much like that found in a common fuel injector. If it’s any indication of reliability, Hyundai’s 3.3L maintenance schedule extends to 367,000 miles with no recommendation for a routine timing chain replacement (see Photo 2). While Hyundai recommends a 10w-30 oil for ambient temperatures above 0° F for its 3.3L engine, modern 10w-30 engine oils use a higher-quality base stock and additive package to improve cold-start lubrication. Some engines rely on a stream of pressurized oil not only to lubricate the chain, but also to cool it at high engine speeds. Unfortunately, this oil mist doesn’t fully develop until the oil warms up. During a cold start, the timing chain and timing chain guides in many engines depend solely upon an oil mist suspended in the timing cover for lubrication. It follows that a second factor might be the continued improvement of engine oils. At first glance, a timing chain design allows engineers to shorten the overall length of the engine and reduce rotating friction ( see Photo 1). WHY TIMING CHAINS?Īlthough Hyundai uses a single timing belt on its 2.7L V6 engines, its 3.3L, double-overhead camshaft engine is equipped with one timing chain for each camshaft and one drive chain for the oil pump. None have scheduled replacement intervals. Photo 2: Hyundai’s 3.3L DOHC engine found in the 2007 Sonata incorporates two chains to drive the camshafts and one chain to drive the oil pump. These repair solutions will cover more than six-million vehicles on the road today.ĭavid Hirschhorn, Director of Brand Management In a 45-minute webinar sponsored by CRP Automotive, the company that brings you Rein Automotive, we will cover six common cooling system repairs on BMW, Audi and VW vehicles. These solutions can simplify a repair and protect against future failures. These parts can create a win/win situation for your shop and customers when dealing with today’s vehicle’s complexity and longevity. Some replacement parts can be better than the original parts. It could be hoses, plastic couplings or water pumps. Have you ever noticed many European cars and SUVs no longer have coolant replacement intervals listed in the service information? This could be due to cooling systems requiring service or component replacement prior to that interval. Sponsored By CRP Automotive, the company that brings you REIN Automotive