Recently I've been searching the web for articles on proper fuels and oil for use in turbocharged, direct injection engines used in the Hyundai Elantra N. ( This applies to anyone with a Kona N or Veloster N as well.)
Our engines are very powerful and efficient considering they produce almost 300 HP in stock form from a 2.0 liter engine. Part of that is the result of turbocharging as well as having direct fuel injection. With the benefits of power and fuel efficiency come some demands on making sure the oil we use is up to the task and owners need to be sure they are using the best fuel available.
The best fuel available does not mean the highest octane, rather it means keeping Top Tier fuel in the tank at all times. Top Tier refers to the quality/ aka additive package the suppliers use that helps keep the fuel system including fuel injectors, pistons and cylinders as clean as possible. Regardless, you still should be using 91 or higher octane.
For this post, I'm illustrating what it takes to do an oil analysis for your car. The company I chose is SPEEDiagnostix. The reason I'm trusting them with my oil analysis is the guy that founded the company, Lake Speed Jr.. He is one of the world's foremost Tribologists ( the study of friction, wear and lubrication) and has years of experience working with top NASCAR teams, including Joe Gibbs racing. Some of you may remember the NASCAR driver, Lake Speed from the '80's, well Lake Speed Jr. is his son and he obviously grew up around fast cars. I urge you to check out several YouTube videos by Lake about the science behind engine performance. You will learn a lot!
The cars I am having tested are my two Elantra N's. The '23 model with the six speed and my '22 Elantra N with a DCT. The six speed is still running factory oil as it only has 2800 miles on it and the DCT has about 6800 miles. I changed out the factory oil at 3200 miles and am now running Amsoil Signature series 0-30 Synthetic. It will be very interesting to see what the analysis shows.
The other thing I like about SPEEDiagnostix is they use the same type tests as used by Formula 1 teams. This is explained on the company website and is worth reading.
Pulling a sample is easy- I bought a fluid transfer pump at Harbor Freight for only $6 bucks and I've included a picture. The oil is accessed through the dip stick tube. The only downside is I consider this a one time use. The reason is contamination of the samples. I bought two pumps; one for each car and I don't know if I'll use the pumps for a second test in the future. It all depends on the process to clean out the pump apparatus. SPEEDiagnostix sells a less complictaed pump that looks easy to clean.
There is a second option and that is taking a sample when you remove the drain plug to change the oil. That is more work and could be messy, but it certainly works.
I have put a link below to check out some videos by Lake and his company. If you have the time check them out and you might want to have an analysis done on your oil. And if you want to save some money, You can get a shop pack good for 6 tests for around $249.00 It just might save you an engine rebuild, or at least alert you to a potential problem before it gets serious.
I hope you enjoyed this 'educational' post. Stay tuned for some action photos from Watkins Glen as I will be traveling to New York in June for the HSR Classic followed by the IMSA Six Hour of the Glen and TCR Series cars, including the Hyundai N racing team cars.
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Author, "Echoes From The Glen"
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