Applicability
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All problems of Renault engines - expert analysis “At the wheel” Engines with a working volume of 1.6 (G4FC) of the Gamma family have been installed on many cars of the concern since 2010. First of all, these are the national favorites of Rio and Solaris, but they put and continue to use practically the same engines on the Hyundai Elantra, i30, Creta, as well as the Kia Rio X-Line, Сeed and Cerato. Moreover, motors of the Gamma I and Gamma II generation can be distinguished. The first ones were installed on Rio and Solaris cars from 2010 to 2016. The second generation is still used.
Since the engines of the second generation have changed slightly relative to the first, we will talk about the design as a whole.
Gamma Series Engine Design
Gasoline engine, four-stroke, four-cylinder, in-line, sixteen-valve, with two camshafts.
The engine with the G4FC index in the engine compartment of one of the first Solaris. The engine with the G4FC index in the engine compartment of one of the first Solaris. Related Materials
6 main problems of the VAZ 1.6 engine The cylinder block is cast from an aluminum alloy according to the Open-Deck method with a single casting of cylinders freely standing in the upper part of the block. In this case, the inner surface of the cylinders is formed by thin-walled cast iron sleeves cast during the production process. The crankshaft is made of ductile iron, with five main and four connecting rod journals. The shaft is equipped with four counterweights made on the continuation of the two extreme and two middle “cheeks”. The pistons are aluminum alloy and have a short, lightweight skirt. Piston rings are not very high. The piston pin rotates in the piston bosses and is pressed into the upper connecting rod head. A non-shrink gasket is installed between the block and the cylinder head.
At the top of the cylinder head are two camshafts. One shaft drives the intake valves of the gas distribution mechanism, and the other drives the exhaust valves. A design feature of the camshaft is that the cams are pressed onto the tubular shaft. Valves are actuated by camshaft cams through cylindrical pushers. The camshaft drive is a chain from an asterisk on the toe of the crankshaft. Used hydromechanical chain tensioner. On engines of different generations, a variable valve timing system is used, that is, changes in the timing of opening and closing of valves. The engines of the Gamma I generation experienced a change in the position of the intake camshaft, and on the second generation, on both camshafts.
The head of the engine block Gamma I. The head of the engine block Gamma I.
The head of the engine block Gamma II. The head of the engine block Gamma II.
Phase control only on the intake camshaft (Gamma I). Phase control only on the intake camshaft (Gamma I).
Phase control on intake and exhaust camshafts (Gamma II). Phase control on intake and exhaust camshafts (Gamma II).
Engine power system - distributed fuel injection. Each candle has an individual ignition coil.
Myths and Reality
1. Engines are made in China, but because the quality is not very. Engines are actually made in China, but more importantly, the production of motors is established at the Hyundai Motor Co plant, and therefore the quality is guaranteed by a well-known Korean manufacturer. Please note that even some premium cars, such as Volvo models, are assembled in China, including their flagship S90.
2. The engine block is aluminum, disposable and non-repairable. In fact, the design of the cylinder block allows replacing the liners with new thin-walled cast-iron ones, so that the engine can be repaired several times by the method of remaking. Moreover, the price of such repairs is often comparable to the cost of rebuilding an engine with a cast-iron block, provided that the pistons remain the same (and this is possible in some cases).
3. The crankshaft has a design with only four counterweights, and therefore it bends more than, for example, the VAZ “transverse" engines. Yes, from the point of view of engine design, the Korean shaft is under heavy load, but the practice of repairing such engines with high mileage shows that the wear of the main and connecting rod journals is usually minimal, and the matter is limited to installing new nominal bearings.
4. Engine life - 180, 000 km, after which the motor can be thrown out. Practice shows that with good care, some motors travel 400, 000 or more kilometers. I only recommend changing engine oil more often - once every 7, 500-10, 000 km, pouring fuel at branded gas stations and preventing engine overheating.
5. Lightweight and shortened pistons quickly begin to hang in the cylinders. Yes, of course, the design of the pistons is not the same as that of the “millionaires” of the eighties and nineties of the last century, but the relatively inexpensive repair with the replacement of pistons and rings, as well as troubleshooting and repair of the cylinder head over a distance of 200, 000 km, can significantly extend the life of the motor.
6. The timing chain drive is not particularly reliable. Up to a run of 150, 000–200, 000 km, the chain usually runs without any complaints with good oil and a quiet riding style. The multi-row gear chain serves very well and sometimes the sprockets wear out more than the chain.
7. The lack of hydraulic lifters creates a lot of problems for the owner. According to the maintenance regulations, the valves should be adjusted at least after 90, 000 kilometers. The real need for adjustment usually comes a little later than the specified time. Another thing is gas-powered engines. Here gaps really need to be monitored more carefully. In general, saving on hydraulic lifters is really a minus of this motor. And, what is most annoying, the ancestor of the first generation G4EC Hyundai Accent engine had hydraulic lifters.
8. Phase shifters are unreliable. In fact, complaints about the phase shifters are of a singular nature, and even then only with an untimely oil change or with its low quality.
9. Noisy motor operation, especially noticeable at idle. Yes, there is a characteristic “chirping” of fuel injectors, not particularly pleasant to the ear, but this is the only loud sound made by a working engine.
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10. The destruction of the ceramic block of the catalytic converter destroys the piston group of the motor. The ceramic block of any catalytic converter in our operating conditions is really not very durable. If the converter is located far enough from the motor, then there is no danger to the latter. This arrangement is used by some automakers (for example, Renault), but not Hyundai. When chipping, pieces of ceramic neutralizer can actually get into the cylinders and damage the working surface. Destruction is promoted by:
- Accumulation of unburned fuel in the ceramic block due to interruptions in the ignition.
- Mechanical damage to the exhaust system section and sharp thermal shocks when overcoming puddles.
- The use of low-quality fuel and a large number of fuel additives.
The catalytic converter in the Hyundai Solaris collector (pictured) is too close to the cylinder head and can damage the engine if it is destroyed. But this does not always happen. For example, Lada Vesta and Grant cars have a similar collector design, but no such phenomenon is observed. The catalytic converter in the Hyundai Solaris collector (pictured) is too close to the cylinder head and can damage the engine if it is destroyed. But this does not always happen. For example, Lada Vesta and Grant cars have a similar collector design, but no such phenomenon is observed.
The real disadvantages of the Hyundai 1.6 engine
Most of these shortcomings have no real reason. They can be considered myths. There are not many real miscalculations in the design of the Hyundai engine. This is the need to adjust the valves due to the lack of hydraulic compensators and the improper location of the catalytic converter for Russian operating conditions.
findings
Engines with a displacement of 1.6 liters of the Hyundai / Kia concern with distributed fuel injection are among the most problem-free in the domestic market. Only motors developed in the last century can be considered more reliable. For example, K4M concern Renault. But the characteristics of the engines of those times are noticeably more modest.
The mythical and real problems of the Hyundai and Kia engine
