Checking the engine's serviceability (Hyundai Getz 1)

Is everything OK with the car engine? Maybe it's time to put money aside for computer diagnostics or even repairs? A few tips from an engineer who has been repairing foreign cars for many years will help you answer these questions.

Before going to the doctor, each of us does self-diagnosis. We do not do X-rays, do not use an electrocardiograph or other fancy devices. We simply feel our forehead, examine our throat, listen to see if there is a wheezing sound in our chest, or if our lower back is twisted. Of the devices, we traditionally use thermometers and, perhaps, a wristwatch when measuring our pulse.

This is how, in simple terms, we determine whether the body is functioning normally. And it works!

A car engine is the same organism. For its precise diagnostics and treatment, there are many complex devices, tools and instruments. Various methods and techniques are used, requiring a subtle knowledge of the internal structure. To begin with, we suggest you master simpler things to understand.

Let's try to figure out what to pay attention to when operating a car: what to touch, where to look, where to listen and maybe even smell to understand how the engine feels. If you don't want to learn with us, take a hundred dollars out of your wallet and go to a computer diagnostics. Automobile "medical care" is paid!

Initial examination

Imagine that you are a kind doctor. Entering the ward (garage), approach the patient (car), be sure to say hello, say a few kind, soothing words and ask him to undress to the waist (open the hood). Start with an external inspection of the engine. Remember that nothing reflects internal well-being as much as a pleasant, well-groomed, healthy appearance.

On the contrary, severe general contamination of the engine, as well as the presence of intense local leaks, indicate poor health. If in the evening, when parting with the car, you prudently placed a clean sheet of newspaper on the garage floor under the engine, take it out and inspect it. Traces of oil and other operating fluids will leave traces on the newspaper overnight, by which you will be able to determine the sources of leaks and determine their intensity. The higher it is, the sooner you need to take measures to eliminate the malfunctions.

The next step is to check and bring the levels of all operating fluids to the norm. First of all, we are interested in engine oil and coolant (antifreeze), since their deficiency has the greatest impact on the technical characteristics of the engine.

I would also like to remind you (believe me, this is not a joke) that you need to make sure there is fuel in the tank. Experience shows that some inattentive drivers torture the starter and battery almost to death, forgetting that first the "good fellow" needs to be fed and watered, and only then - on the shovel and in the oven.



At the same time, check the tension of the drive belts of the engine's auxiliary units (cooling system pump, generator, power steering pump, air conditioner). Make sure that the belts are not sagging or torn. If everything is in order, shake off your trousers and get behind the wheel.

Before starting the engine

Do not rush to start the engine right away. There is no need to rush here. First, turn the key to the "ignition" position. As a rule, in this case, several indicator lights come on on the dashboard of all modern cars. At this stage, we are especially interested in two: the first is the indicator light for insufficient oil pressure in the lubrication system, the second is the indicator light for the battery charge, which indicates that the generator is ready to start working after starting the engine. Both lights should light red when the ignition is on, even before starting the engine. But what if one of them does not light? If the indicator light for the battery charge does not light, that's half the trouble; if the low oil pressure lamp in the lubrication system does not light up, this is an alarm signal. Be careful, you have lost control over the lubrication system! Engine oil pressure is the main indicator of its serviceability. If you do not control the oil pressure, you are at risk of major engine repairs with all the ensuing consequences.

The cause of the malfunction is either poor contact of the sensor connectors or the sensor itself. The sensor should usually be looked for in the area of the oil filter. The malfunction must be eliminated. Only after you have made sure that everything is in order, start the engine.

"Cold" start

A serviceable engine with adjusted fuel and ignition systems, a serviceable battery starts with one attempt within 3-5 seconds. Constantly occurring problems with "cold" starting indicate malfunctions. Let's assume that we avoided this and the engine started.

We look at the instrument panel. The two lamps mentioned above should go out.

Warning! If the low oil pressure lamp in the lubrication system remains on for 5 seconds, stop the engine!

After a few minutes, try starting the engine again. If there is no oil pressure, you need to look for the cause of the problem.

Possible reasons:

• low oil level;
• the oil pressure sensor is faulty;
• the oil pump oil receiver mesh is clogged;
• the oil pump is faulty;
• severe wear of the main and connecting rod bearings of the crankshaft.

If the oil pressure is normal, we proceed to inspect the engine in warm-up mode.

Warming up the engine

The crankshaft speed of an unheated engine is approximately 1.5 times higher than the rated idle speed of the engine, which is usually 700–900 min⁻¹ (revolutions per minute), and should gradually decrease as the engine temperature rises.

After 7–10 minutes from the moment of starting, the engine temperature should reach 80°C and stabilize (as should the idle speed).

This process can be easily monitored using a tachometer (a device for measuring the engine crankshaft speed) and a coolant temperature gauge.

When warming up occurs according to the above scenario, the idle system and engine cooling system operate normally.



If the engine temperature does not reach the required level, the thermostat (cooling system control valve) is most likely to blame. There are many more reasons for engine overheating, and they are reflected in the subsection of this manual describing the engine cooling system.

Once the engine has warmed up sufficiently and the idle speed has stabilized (you will know this from the readings on the control instruments), it will be time to listen to the engine "sing".

A beautiful voice means a healthy body

Doctors assure that this statement is completely true in relation to a person. The same can be said about the engine.

A functioning engine makes a steady hum and "ticks" like a clock. Some mechanics say that it "whispers." Despite the figurativeness of the expressions, you probably understand what they mean.

If the engine runs unevenly, with failures, periodically vibrates, know that this is evidence of its malfunction. Sometimes malfunctions are a consequence of wear of engine parts and a drop in compression in the cylinders, but most often the causes are leaky intake tract, clogged air filter, malfunctions in the ignition system and the power supply system (fuel supply).

I would like to dwell on those cases when the engine, as they say, "misfires", i.e. one of the cylinders does not work.

Using a diagnostic tool, it is easy to find the "saboteur" by sequentially disabling the cylinders. Once you get to the faulty cylinder, the engine's operating characteristics will not change.

Often the cause of the malfunction can be determined by examining the spark plug. This allows you to learn a lot of interesting things about the condition of the engine.



It is impossible not to mention extraneous noises and knocks. Let us stipulate right away that such a diagnostic method is "top-notch" and not even all professionals can handle it.

Car enthusiasts should keep in mind that any sharp metallic sounds indicate a malfunction. If they are "made" by attachments (generator, pump (cooling system pump), power steering) - this is half the trouble. You can determine the "culprit" of the noise if you sequentially remove the drive belts of these units. If after removing the next belt the extraneous sound disappears, shake the corresponding pulley to assess the amount of radial and axial play of the bearings. Most often, they are the ones that disturb the peace.

Knocks coming from the belly of the engine itself threaten much greater trouble. They are listened to in various engine operating modes using a car stethoscope or, if there is none, a dry stick of about 10 mm in diameter made of hard wood (it is pressed to the cheekbone below the earlobe). In this way, it is possible to identify defects in the valve timing mechanism, cylinder-piston group, crank mechanism.

Let us emphasize once again: in order to make a diagnosis, musical ear is not enough; you need to have professional experience and excellent knowledge of the "matter part".

A healthy mind resides in a healthy body

A diagnostic examination would be incomplete without analyzing the smoke from the engine exhaust. It is already warmed up enough, so it is high time to go to the exhaust pipe and look under the horse's tail.



The exhaust of a working engine is practically colorless. A barely noticeable light white smoke comes out of the exhaust pipe, the intensity of which increases when you sharply press the gas pedal.

In frosty weather, a properly functioning car leaves behind rather thick clouds of white steam (not to be confused with smoke!), indicating complete combustion of the fuel.

You shouldn't inhale exhaust gases for a long time. Stop the engine. But this is not the end. It is worth examining the inner surface of the oil filler cap. The presence of traces of a dirty yellow foam emulsion on it is a very alarming symptom indicating that coolant is leaking into the lubrication system. After removing the expansion tank cap, examine the appearance of the antifreeze.

Warning! To avoid injury (burn), do this on a cool engine!

An oil film on the surface of antifreeze, as well as foamed motor oil, are harbingers of an imminent engine repair.

Well, that's probably all. We examined the "patient" completely, literally "from nose to tail". And during the examination we used not expensive equipment, inaccessible to most car enthusiasts, but what is given to us by nature - sight, hearing, smell and, of course, the mysterious "gray matter".

Exhaust analysis

An oily band 6–8 mm wide on the outer surface of the car exhaust pipe ("mourning band") is a consequence of increased oil consumption. A major engine overhaul is inevitable.

Black smoke

Sign of incomplete combustion of fuel. The fuel system prepares a very rich mixture and needs adjustment.

Smoke of a blue (violet) hue

Sign of increased oil consumption. The engine requires replacement of oil seals or repair of the cylinder-piston group.

Thick white smoke

Sign of a burnt out cylinder head gasket. Coolant enters the combustion chamber.

Smoke with the smell of exhaust gases from the removed crankcase ventilation system pipe (breather) of the engine.

A sign of exhaust gas breakthrough into the oil pan due to increased clearances in the cylinder-piston group.

Eats a lot, but drives quietly

If the engine starts poorly, pulls weakly and consumes a lot of fuel, the problem may not be what you initially think. A seemingly simple situation from the point of view of determining the root cause is the most insidious. Many bravely begin an independent search, not

understanding that these manifestations can be the result of a number of reasons, from elementary to quite serious. Well, if you have a car that uses simple and outdated technical solutions - classic "Zhiguli", "Moskvich" and "Volga" - you can safely contact auto mechanics who have experience in repairing such cars.

But, having changed the car for a more modern one, many car enthusiasts continue to turn to the same mechanics. And they lack the courage to admit that they do not understand the complex processes occurring in fuel injection systems and electronic ignition circuits. They examine the spark "for breakdown", damaging transistors, insulation of ignition coil windings, high-voltage wires and "punching" conductive paths on the covers and rotors of ignition distributors. Without solving the problem, such mechanics drive the "disease" inside. And in the end, the owner still ends up with professionally trained mechanics. "Treatment" of the car, however, will already be significantly more difficult.

Specialists often find themselves in a situation where, after a long period of work, even with the use of complex devices, they cannot understand anything. Only after some time (sometimes quite a long time) it turns out that the previous "smart guy" changed the jets in the carburetor or twisted everything in the injection system, and eventually broke its tightness or "killed" the pressure sensor.

The list of possible causes leading to increased fuel consumption and reduced engine power is quite extensive. And besides them, there are a number of uncharacteristic, but serious and quite common malfunctions, such as piston burnout, fuel getting into the oil, failure of one of the injection system temperature sensors and thermostat, mixing up of vacuum tubes, destruction of one of the carburetor gaskets, piston rings or piston partitions.

Diagnostics must be carried out without disassembling, since otherwise there is a high chance of only temporarily eliminating the consequence or even adding a new, sometimes more complex, problem to the existing one.

For example, there are many reasons that lead to a decrease in spark power. If diagnostics are performed on a multifunctional motor tester, you can immediately determine on its screen what kind of defect is taking place.

A common situation is when, having discovered signs of abnormal engine operation, a car enthusiast goes to a mechanic. The mechanic, having measured the engine compression and found it to be within the norm, begins to adjust both the carburetor and the ignition system, achieving stable operation. Sometimes this is successful. The engine starts properly, stops stalling, but the traction and fuel consumption leave much to be desired. What is the error?

In a worn-out engine, there is often a leak in the valve seals. Oil getting on the pistons leads to artificial compensation of the gaps that have arisen due to wear of the pistons, rings and cylinders. As a result, when measuring the compression, false readings are obtained. Elimination of this malfunction after the "repair" made by the mechanic is significantly complicated due to the need to restore the original adjustments.

The opposite situation is also quite common, when the owner is unjustifiably "pushed" into a major overhaul, although it would be enough to replace the same seals, which are more than ten times cheaper.

Unfortunately, the car maintenance market is still divided roughly equally between stations that meet modern requirements for qualifications, technical and cultural maintenance, and the remnants of the sadly memorable Soviet car service. Therefore, car owners should carefully familiarize themselves with the technical center in whose pit the car will be installed. And not so much with the cost of services, but with how, with what and under what conditions the car will be diagnosed and repaired.