2005 Kia Amanti - Interesting Oil Recommendation?

[Jim Gains 05]

Hi again folks.

I have a 2005 Kia Amanti ( www.kia.com/amanti/index.php ) and am coming up on 3500 miles. The car is a beast at just over 4000 pounds and is powered by a Hyundai 3.5-liter DOHC V6 engine (iron block & aluminum head, 3,497 cc, 200 bhp @ 5500 rpm, 220 lb.-ft. @ 3500 rpm). Needless to say, the car is quite underpowered for its substantial weight (I average 17 mpg…which is worse than my old ’95 Firebird Formula!), IMHO, but I digress…

I want to switch over to Mobil 1 oil and filter when I change it out. I took a look at the owner’s manual to see what the manufacturer recommends, viscosity wise. I was surprised to see rather liberal suggestions (at least when a lot of companies are pushing 5w-20 it seems).

Basically, it recommends:

quote:

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When choosing an oil, consider the range of temperature your vehicle will be operated in before the next oil change. Proceed to select the recommended oil viscosity from the chart:

5W-30, 5W-40 in -20 to 100 degrees F
10W-30, 10W-40, 10W-50 in -10 to 120+ degrees F
20W-40, 20W-50 in 38 to 120+ degrees F

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I guess I am just surprised to see it so wide open from a manufacturer these days, especially with those “20W-40, 20W-50” listings. Although I haven’t a clue if this is common place today, it just seems to me like there are a lot of thinner oil recommendations on newer cars (be it for the environment or fuel economy, and obviously cold weather).

I live in Florida, so I thought I would just go with the Mobil 1 10W-30 and Mobil 1 M1-104 filter. Does this sound acceptable? Interestingly, the Mobil 1 website at www.mobiloil.com suggested 10W-30 for a 2005 Kia Amanti when I “checked” yes that the car was still under warranty and “checked” “Temperature range Above 0°F”. If I "checked" that the vehicle was out of warranty, without changing anything else, the website then suggested Mobil 1 Extended Performance 15W-50 for this car, oddly enough.

Thanks

,
Jim

 

[LarryL]

That sounds like exactly the right choice, the right viscosity and an oil that may be a bit better that required. Because it's synthetic, you get better than planned starting performance and if you hit 120F, you'll have a little extra margin of protection. Now you can go on with the rest of your life, knowing the oil has been handled.

 

[Ray H]

I have an '03 Sonata with Hyundai's all aluminum 2.7L V6. Different engine family entirely, but same oil viscosity recommendations as yours. I've been using Chevron Supreme 10W-30 year 'round for the past 2+ years. No problems. (Personally I think Hyundai's oil recommendations are closer to what ALL manufacturers would've chosen had they not been spooked by CAFE requirements so they could continue selling their gas-hog SUVs without fear of gub'm'nt sanctions.) Your Hyundai 3.5L V6 should loosen up in the fuel mileage department as it continues to run-in. Anticipate around 20+ mpg in another 3,000 miles. Hyundai sets 'em up "tight" and they like an extended break-in. (1,200 miles according to my owner's manual) Mine went from 19 mpg initially to ~23.5 mpg (in town) by 7,000 miles. When I can get it out on unimpeded cruise control at about 70 mph, 32 mpg is typical. (unleaded regular) Given these motors have a 10 yr./100,000 mile warranty, and Hyundai won't budge a millisecond or an inch on their oil change interval recommendation, I'm not sure pricey full synthetics are worth their cost for these cars, but to each his own . . .

 

[Jon]

I have the exact same engine in an '03 Sedona (minivan). Our mileage was really bad at first (15 or less) but we now get consistently 18+, and that's almost /all/ city miles, very little highway.

Suggestions - find fuel that is not oxygenated or uses MTBE - we found 1.5 mpg that way. Don't be a lead foot, the 5 speed transmission and the comparatively very torquey engine (not much HP but plenty of torque and down low too!) makes for reasonable mileage if you can keep your foot out of it.

I'm running Mystik JT-8 10W-40 in it right now, and it seems happy. When winter comes I'll probably use Amsoil 5W-30.

I'm told the engines are bulletproof.

 

[jbas]

I, too, have a Sedona with same Hyundai engine. I posted about a year ago that I was surprised that a 10W-40, 10W-50 was still a factory recommendation (@ temps >86'F). I wouldn't go thin on this engine: on a 1600 mile RT, the 5W-30 I had in it was like water when I changed it out. This engine makes heat! Also recommend Purolator Premium Plus (PPP). I tried many other filters: amsoil, mobil 1, STP, Fram X2, but PPP seems to take to this engine.

I lock out the 5th gear around town, and my mileage has actually gone up. Better performance, too. We're now getting 17 mpg overall. In 5th on highway, almost 21.

 

[Mr Nice]

Just too many problems

Problems like what ??

 

[norseman]

quote:

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Originally posted by Jon:
I have the exact same engine in an '03 Sedona (minivan). Our mileage was really bad at first (15 or less) but we now get consistently 18+, and that's almost /all/ city miles, very little highway.

Suggestions - find fuel that is not oxygenated or uses MTBE - we found 1.5 mpg that way. Don't be a lead foot, the 5 speed transmission and the comparatively very torquey engine (not much HP but plenty of torque and down low too!) makes for reasonable mileage if you can keep your foot out of it.

I'm running Mystik JT-8 10W-40 in it right now, and it seems happy. When winter comes I'll probably use Amsoil 5W-30.

I'm told the engines are bulletproof.

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My wife has 02 Sedona with the same engine that has about 60 thousand miles on it. The engine has been great (minus the poor fuel mileage), but d@mn near everything else has had to be replaced and I have the work orders to prove it. This will probably be my last Hyundai/KIA product. Just too many problems.

 

[dkcase]

quote:

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Just too many problems

Problems like what ??

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quote:

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.... engine has been great (minus the poor fuel mileage), but d@mn near everything else has had to be replaced...

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That pretty well covers it.

 

[norseman]

quote:

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Originally posted by LT4 Vette:
Just too many problems

Problems like what ??

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Hey LT4, I'll give the litany over the week end. That way I'll have all the service tickets at hand to put it in a proper time line. It's going to be mind blowing!

 

[Jon]

If it matters, I did a huge amount of research before I bought our Sedona, and I was firmly set on an '03 or newer - the 01 and 02 model years (did they go back to 00??) had LOTS of problems. Windshield cracking was a common complaint, as well as transmission issues. In late '04, the '03 models had a very small fraction of the issues, I'm told they weren't redesigned but close to it.