2015 Hyundai Genesis 5.0 lower front timing cover replacement

[skipgen]

LOL. I was just about to install my upper oil pan until I realize that I will need to clean the cylinder heads for the upper timing covers. The problem would have been that the old RTV could have fell into the upper oil with no way to clean it out without pulling the pan again.

If I clean the cylinder heads first then most of the old RTV would just fall out the bottom of the lower timing cover; especially if I use compressed air. Therefore, I will clean and install the upper timing covers before installing the upper oil pan.

I will take pictures of the RTV bead I will lay this time before installing the upper timing covers.

My upper timing covers that need to be cleaned and installed.

Wow!
Sure did bite off a mouthful! But might as well do it right while you're in there....

 

[carguy75]

Wow!
Sure did bite off a mouthful! But might as well do it right while you're in there....

Oh yeah, the front timing cover is a major repair job for sure ; hence the long time frame on completing it.

My choice was to pay about $4500 to have Hyundai service perform the repair or do it myself for about a fourth of the cost.

Note: The upper timing covers have to be removed to access four upper bolts for the lower timing cover; so the upper timing covers are just part of the long lower timing cover repair process. Do not attempt this repair yourself unless you have a second car to use because it could take a while due to back ordered parts and excessive labor time. Not factoring my actually job that I have to go to in the mean time.

 

[skipgen]

Oh yeah, the front timing cover is a major repair job for sure ; hence the long time frame on completing it.

My choice was to pay about $4500 to have Hyundai service perform the repair or do it myself for about a fourth of the cost.

Note: The upper timing covers have to be removed to access four upper bolts for the lower timing cover; so the upper timing covers are just part of the long lower timing cover repair process. Do not attempt this repair yourself unless you have a second car to use because it could take a while due to back ordered parts and excessive labor time. Not factoring my actually job that I have to go to in the mean time.

A ballbuster for certain!

 

[carguy75]

A ballbuster for certain!

Tell me about it!!! One oil sensor mishap turned into a full blown engine tear down!!!!

Thank goodness for my spare ride!!!

 

[skipgen]

Tell me about it!!! One oil sensor mishap turned into a full blown engine tear down!!!!

Thank goodness for my spare ride!!!

Lexus - Not exactly a penalty box....

 

[carguy75]

Lexus - Not exactly a penalty box....

Hence why I am taking my time fixing the Genesis. No real rush or pressing need to get it done. However I am tired of the garage being full of parts.

 

[carguy75]

Well finally got some time to work on the Genesis. I finished up the upper timing covers and will post on installing the upper oil pan soon.
I lightly tighten the bolts and will let the RTV cure for an hour and then I will torque to spec (8 ft/lbs)

Here are both the upper timing covers cleaned and one with a RTV bead and new rubber seal.

Here is the right side(passenger side) upper timing cover installed and I will tighten the bolts to 8 ft/lbs after the RTV cures for an hour.

 

[carguy75]

I am done with the timing covers(upper and lower) and will now be focusing on the rest of the repair in the other dedicated threads.

Replacing the lower timing cover or resealing a leaky one is a very complicated repair on this engine. I would pay someone to repair the lower timing cover if you have not done more than an oil change on a car.

 

[carguy75]

I decided to check to see how much to buy a new front timing cover(one large unit) on my 2015 Lexus RX350 AWD would be and it was $680. So, I guess Hyundai is not charging too much($650 or so) for its lower timing cover on its V8 engine. Man, these import make timing covers are expensive.

My old 2006 Cadillac Escalade 6.0 V8 AWD engine new OEM front timing cover was about $200 and it included the front crank seal already installed, cover gasket, and new bolts. GM engines may leak oil like crazy, but GM does provide cheap complete part units to fix the leaks. Hyundai(and other import automakers) can learn that point from GM to help these cars be easier to repair to earn a better reputation for easier long term ownership.

Hyundai only provides the actual timing cover for the price with no crank seal or any alignment pin or dowel, which means more work to do when replacing the cover and a larger repair bill.

 

[5.0KDM]

You are a trooper man!

______________________________

Help support this site so it can continue supporting you!

 

[skipgen]

I am done with the timing covers(upper and lower) and will now be focusing on the rest of the repair in the other dedicated threads.

Replacing the lower timing cover or resealing a leaky one is a very complicated repair on this engine. I would pay someone to repair the lower timing cover if you have not done more than an oil change on a car.

I'd have to pay anyway - I know just enough about it to totally screw it up!

 

[carguy75]

You are a trooper man!

Thank you.

I "usually" always complete my projects. It may take a while on the cars for major repairs like the Genesis lower timing cover, but it gets done.

 

[carguy75]

I'd have to pay anyway - I know just enough about it to totally screw it up!

Trust me, if the repair cost was about $2000 then I would have just let my local Hyundai service department handle the cracked lower timing cover. However, I was quoted $4500+ including labor to have it replaced.

I see why it cost so much in labor fees; due to how much of the engine and chassis that has to be removed to access the lower timing cover.

Well, i know that I could do it myself; so I could not justify to myself spending over $4500 to fix this issue just to be lazy. Plus, I could just take my time on the repair.

 

[carguy75]

After much tought on the matter about if the Hyundai service manual was to blame for my crack timing cover; I believe that my issue could have been from my torque wrench. I set the torque wrench to click off at 15ft/lbs to ensure that the oil sensor was snug, however the service manual gave a range of 10ft/lbs to 15 ft/lbs or so. My torque wrench probably went over 15ft/lbs before it clicked off which could have been as high as 20ft/lbs due to divination errors torque wrenches have that can be more or less than the set valves.

The extra torque probably was too much for the oil sensor port to take and it cracked. 15ft/lbs is probably the exact max torque that the oil senor port can handle before damage occurs. My advice would be to set a torque wrench to 10ft/lbs if used to install the oil pressure sensor; not the max 15ft/lbs to account for divination in the torque wrench which could add a few extra ft/lbs. 10-15 ft/lbs is not that much for a bolt, but an extra 3-5 ft/lbs can do some damage to the cast aluminum oil senor port and even strip the threads.

Just a tip for anyone swapping out their oil sensor on the 5.0 engine who likes to follow the service manual specifications. It appears the oil sensor port do not have much wiggle room for errors when tighten down a new oil sensor. Under tightening the oil sensor is better than over tightening it on this engine.

This thread is a warning about over tightening the oil sensor.

 

[Charlie1982]

After much tought on the matter about if the Hyundai service manual was to blame for my crack timing cover; I believe that my issue could have been from my torque wrench. I set the torque wrench to click off at 15ft/lbs to ensure that the oil sensor was snug, however the service manual gave a range of 10ft/lbs to 15 ft/lbs or so. My torque wrench probably went over 15ft/lbs before it clicked off which could have been as high as 20ft/lbs due to divination errors torque wrenches have that can be more or less than the set valves.

The extra torque probably was too much for the oil sensor port to take and it cracked. 15ft/lbs is probably the exact max torque that the oil senor port can handle before damage occurs. My advice would be to set a torque wrench to 10ft/lbs if used to install the oil pressure sensor; not the max 15ft/lbs to account for divination in the torque wrench which could add a few extra ft/lbs. 10-15 ft/lbs is not that much for a bolt, but an extra 3-5 ft/lbs can do some damage to the cast aluminum oil senor port and even strip the threads.

Just a tip for anyone swapping out their oil sensor on the 5.0 engine who likes to follow the service manual specifications. It appears the oil sensor port do not have much wiggle room for errors when tighten down a new oil sensor. Under tightening the oil sensor is better than over tightening it on this engine.

This thread is a warning about over tightening the oil sensor.

Probably a good idea. For a torque value that small, though, I might even recommend using an inch-lb torque wrench instead of one that measures in ft-lbs. Put 120-125 inch-lbs on the sensor and call it good.

Some people still prefer to use beam-type torque wrenches, too, which are a little more "fussy" to use accurately, but as long as the needle is pointing to zero before you start using it, there's no other calibration to worry about.

Also, with all due respect, I think you meant "set values" instead of "set valves" in your first paragraph, right?

 

[carguy75]

Probably a good idea. For a torque value that small, though, I might even recommend using an inch-lb torque wrench instead of one that measures in ft-lbs. Put 120-125 inch-lbs on the sensor and call it good.

Some people still prefer to use beam-type torque wrenches, too, which are a little more "fussy" to use accurately, but as long as the needle is pointing to zero before you start using it, there's no other calibration to worry about.

Also, with all due respect, I think you meant "set values" instead of "set valves" in your first paragraph, right?

Good idea to use a smaller torque wrench for better control to reduce the chance of over tighten the oil sensor.

I was going to use my smaller 1/4in inch-pound drive torque wrench, but the oil sensor have a 24mm nut body even though the threads are only about 6mm or 8mm. My only deep 24mm socket was a 1/2in drive impact socket, so I ended up using a larger 3/8in torque wrench that goes from 10 ft/lbs- 80ft/lbs with a step-up 1/2in adapter. Bad move on my part since the adapter messed up the torque wrench accuracy mostly likely and applied too much torque.


Yes, I did mean to type set values and deviation errors; not set valves and divination.

 

[Charlie1982]

Good idea to use a smaller torque wrench for better control to reduce the chance of over tighten the oil sensor.

I was going to use my smaller 1/4in inch-pound drive torque wrench, but the oil sensor have a 24mm nut body even though the threads are only about 6mm or 8mm. My only deep 24mm socket was a 1/2in drive impact socket, so I ended up using a larger 3/8in torque wrench that goes from 10 ft/lbs- 80ft/lbs with a step-up 1/2in adapter. Bad move on my part since the adapter messed up the torque wrench accuracy mostly likely and applied too much torque.


Yes, I did mean to type set values and deviation errors; not set valves and divination.

LOL, I wondered what you meant by "divination". Thanks!

 

[carguy75]

LOL, I wondered what you meant by "divination". Thanks!

I wish that I could have" divined" that changing my oil sensor was a bad omen that would lead to a more complex repair.

 

[skipgen]

I wish that I could have" divined" that changing my oil sensor was a bad omen that would lead to a more complex repair.

We learn by doing... Sometimes it works out well, sometimes not so much.

 

[carguy75]

We learn by doing... Sometimes it works out well, sometimes not so much.

So true that we learn by experience; hence why I have the courage to perform my own repairs even if could just pay someone else to do it. If I did not even try to do it myself; then I would not know what I now about repairing cars, ac units, and other home projects. I would still be dependent of the services of specialists to fix of my all problems; in which I would be charged labor fees and inflated part cost.

However, sometimes unforeseen issues does occur with any repair like a cracked lower timing cover. I just find a way to solve the issue and learn from the mistake.