Engine Seized

cod3

Hi,

I’m new to this forum but look for some help or guidance on what to do. I have a Hyundai Tucson 1.6 2016, bought in January 2019. Serviced 2020 and in 2021.

Car was going along grand til 2 weeks ago when engine oil light came on, within 2/3 minutes of this happening the engine started banging and boom it seized. Wouldn’t turn over it was gone.

Towed to local garage (where it had been serviced) and he informed us engine had seized, he said it was oil pump failure. Best thing to do is get a new engine for car (pricey!)

So shop around and find mechanic that has engine and will collect and fit the engine. Once he started on engine he rang us straight away saying the engine was shocking. He said it hadn’t been serviced in a long time and he doesn’t know how the engine was going at all.

Sent is pics of engine and in particular of the oil filter. Now I will admit I am no car buff at all but the picture did take me aback. He is keeping the parts for us to see ourselves when we collect.

So to my question…..what does this look like? Is this what an engine/oil filter looks like after an oil pump failure? Just looking for some help because we are out of pocket big time with new engine purchase.

Roger the cabin boy

Where did you buy that 2nd engine?

Just looking at the dipstick or oil filler cap should have had you running away.

That engine has been used with cheap oil and has gone an inordinate amount of time between (any?) Service.

I wouldn't put that in anything.

Escapees

The pics are of the OP's engine I think!!

cod3

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118082563#Comment_118082563

This is our engine that seized, we had it serviced in March 2021, bought the service kit ourselves and I personally handed it to mechanic when dropping off the car.

New engine is a refurb that’s being put in.

My guess is it wasn’t serviced the last 2 times but he’s denying this and blaming engine seizure on oil pump failure.

Roger the cabin boy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118082591#Comment_118082591

Ok. The OP is a bit confusing.

In that case, your mechanic is perhaps right. Or not.

Diesel engines need very specific oil. If you bought the wrong one, you will get sludge.

Larbre34

You may think you had it serviced, but it obviously wasn't done.

My late father had the same issue with a VW main dealer about 15 years ago, marking the car up as serviced, but doing no filters, no fluid changes etc. It was found by a local mechanic by chance.

I'd be going to whoever "serviced" that car the last twice and smack that congealed filter over his bonce. And then I'd be giving him the invoice for a new engine.

Atlantic Dawn

What kind of miles was put on it between oil changes? It looks like gel, not sure I've ever seen as bad.

cod3

We didn’t buy the oil, he used his own oil for service. And evidently didn’t use the oil filter we bought either.

Mechanic who took this engine out has said he has never seen an engine like it before which is why he felt he had to let us know it definitely wasn’t serviced.

It was at 74k in March when serviced, collecting it tomorrow so will update on the latest mileage but I know the mileage wouldn’t be high since then because there has been no long major journeys, just school runs and training/match runs for kids.

standardg60

Agree it looks like wrong grade of oil was used, can't imagine the right grade congealing like that no matter how old it was

Roger the cabin boy

Perhaps you might see if f the oil filter has a date code on it.

Also, you could get an analysis of the oil to see how old or used it is. Perhaps you might then be able to go to the small claims court.

You'd need all the recipts i should think.

Roger the cabin boy

One other thought: perhaps the sludge was there when you bought it.

Have you never checked the oil yourself

Roger the cabin boy

Also:

https://m.carcomplaints.com/news/2018/hyundai-engine-oil-sludge.shtml

Toyotafanboi

The oil pump probably did fail but it's a bit like someone dying from caridac arrest, that's kind of the bottom line for everyone and not necessarily the reason.

These engines honestly are a bit **** but are so so sensitive to the correct grade of engine oil being used and also have a few specific areas they need attended to every service to prevent sludging. Have seen this with them frequently before and second hand engines are difficult to source as a result.

I'd say it's a lethal mix of incorrect oil grade/ incorrect servicing technique. You're probably on your own here as you supplied the parts for the service. All a bit mad really on a car that was and possibly still is under manufacturers warranty.

They aren't too expensive to rebuild, we were rebuilding them for a shade under €4k all in, main dealer with genuine parts but we had seen ECP were doing an exchange unit recon base engine on a pallet for €2.5k ex VAT which isn't too bad, relatively speaking.

FintanMcluskey

Good lord

The black death

It threw a conrod aswell so the block is complete scrap, ruling out an exchange unit or repair

Excessive carbon in the crankcase could cause that sludge in the sump, something like an injector seat failing perhaps

Unlikely in that time though

easygoing39

The OP didnt help the situation by driving the car with the oil light on.Anyway,we don't know the service history of the car before the OP became the new owner.And the OP has'nt told us how many km's the car has covered between it's yearly service's while they've owned it.Throw in the fact that Hyundai make poor engine's and folk's not changing oil at frequent intervals anymore (ie every 10,000 km's ),failure was always a possability.

Andrewf20

If the oil pump seized there would be evidence of scouring in the camshaft area im guessing? Top of the engine look very oily which doesnt suggest oil pump failure.

sumo12

Serious black death going on there. Possibly a faulty injector seat causing carbon blow by into the oil? That's the only time I've seen it that bad, and that will come on quickly too. Even if the oil had never been changed in 75k, or the wrong grade of oil used I don't think it would be that bad!

RINO87

I'm no mechanic, but would that car not have sounded rough as foook for a while if it was sludged up that bad?

Akrasia

Why wouldn't the 5 year warranty cover this? If it has a service history, the Oil pump is not a consumable item, certainly not after 5 years

Toyotafanboi

Because it's a 5 year warranty and if it isn't up, based on the OP i dont think they'd have the supporting doccumentation to make a claim.

Turbolounge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118093230#Comment_118093230

No warranty will cover neglecting to change the oil at all. Aren't most Kia/ Hyundai products 6k mile/ 9k km service internals anyway?

Toyotafanboi

God no, 30k kms is the interval. They generally take well to it, once the recommended oil and filter is used.

I wouldn't say any car has had an interval that short in the last 30 years.

Dartz

I doubt that's ever seen an oil change.

It's got a con-rod sticking out of the block. That's a bit beyond seizure - it's self destructed. You might've been able to stop it from grenading if you'd stopped the moment the oil light came on but it basically ran dry of oil for 2-3 minutes which to be fair to it, is probably fairly impressive.

I wouldn't be surprised if the reason it lost oil pressure wasn't the pickup/filter finally getting clogged, or the bypass for the oil-filter or pump jamming with sludge.

mikeecho

Probably not helpful at the moment to the op.

But,, my car recommends an oil change every 30k ... I change it around the 15k mark.

I also supply my own oil and genuine filters (but I do get a Mann air filter)

I trust my mechanic, but I know he won't have the very specific oil that I need.

Which reminds me.. I've 16k done.. time for a service.