Success!

Recently my Hyundai Santa Fe 3.3L started running very rough and I was getting code P0018, which was indicating an oil control valve problem on one side.

It was not a trivial task to replace the oil control valves (OCV) (I replaced them both since the car has high miles and I don't want to have to pull the intake again any time soon), but finally I got the job done tonight after 2 days of removing the upper plenum and lower intake manifold to gain access to the OCVs. (The are a real pain to get access).

I also replaced all the spark plugs (with NGK iridium) since, in order to gain access to the rear 3 plugs, you must pull the upper plenum off (which itself is a pain).

My Santa Fe runs like a new car now! No more codes and also no chain noise on startup like I used to get.

I am a happy camper!

Basil said:

in order to gain access to the rear 3 plugs, you must pull the upper plenum off (which itself is a pain).

Click to expand...

That is bone-head engineering. My Ford Ranger had that issue as well. Each plug needed a certain combination of extensions and U-joint, but it could be done.

A buddy of mine had a Lincoln Mark II and to change two plugs he had to cut a hole in the inner fender well to get to the plugs, he fabricated a cap for the hole and it looked like it belonged there. To get to the two plugs, he was told he had to raise the right side of the engine, cutting the hole was easier. The designer, :stupid:.

The designer?

Probably more like the ten guys assigned to modify the engine which had been designed by ten other guys.

Combined with the ten guys modifying the chassis which wasn't originally designed for the modified engine.

Combined with the ten guys who felt that the plugs would never need replacing - at least in the original design.

(And none of those groups ever talked to each other.)

As we say at Sturbridge Village - patch it up to last until 5pm. Tomorrow it'll be someone else's problem.

I am going to have to figure out which of the sensors or controls in my moms pick-up (96 Chevy 1500) is causing it to bog down occasionally under a load. Then I will get to do the same with my Rav (it is starting to do a similar thing just less frequently).

It wouldn't be so bad of the upper plenum were easy to remove, but it's a real pain.

Can't find the cartoon, but two guys in lab coats leaning over the engine bay of a Rolls, the caption reads something akin to: "Cedric, we've done it! Nothing is easily serviceable!"

DrEntropy said:

Can't find the cartoon, but two guys in lab coats leaning over the engine bay of a Rolls, the caption reads something akin to: "Cedric, we've done it! Nothing is easily serviceable!"

Click to expand...

Cedric must have had a hand in the Santa Fe design!

DrEntropy said:

Can't find the cartoon, but two guys in lab coats leaning over the engine bay of a Rolls, the caption reads something akin to: "Cedric, we've done it! Nothing is easily serviceable!"

Click to expand...

If you find the cartoon, PLEASE post it here, PM it to me, or send me a link to it. I have a good friend who recently bought a Lister XJS. He had owned an XJS before and knew they were hard to work on but he couldn't resist. Two days into replacing 1 cooling hose and he now remembers why he got rid of his last XJ.

Yes, modern cars, they are better, they are worse. Stuff that should be easy to get to like plugs can be a pain. I did the plugs on the wife's Honda Fit a couple months ago. It was a longer job than it should have been, but not ridiculous, but flip side, second time in over 10 years and nearly 90,000 miles it has needed any mechanical work beyond wear items like tires, pads, fluids and bulbs.