Hyundai Solaris engines
Content
Less than a decade has passed since the day when the first Solaris and Rio sedans rolled off the assembly lines of the factories of the united Hyundai / KIA corporation, and Russia is already “to the eyeballs” filled with these advanced cars in every respect. Korean engineers created these two clones based on the Accent (Verna) platform, especially for the Russian market. And they didn't fail.
History of creation and production
It is very symbolic that the official announcement of the start of production of the new model and the presentation of its prototype took place at the 2010 Moscow International Motor Show. On September 21 of the same year, it became known that the new model would be called Solaris. Another six months - and mass production and sale of the car began. Hyndai bosses acted very far-sightedly, removing the “baby” Getz and the i20 hatchback from the Russian market in order to promote the new model.
- 1 generation (2010-2017).
Cars were assembled in Russia at the Hyundai Motor CIS automobile plant in St. Petersburg. Under the Solaris brand, the car was sold only in our country (sedan, and a little later - a five-door hatchback). In Korea, the USA and Canada, it was positioned under the main name Accent, and in China it could be bought as Hyundai Verna. His clone (KIA Rio) first rolled off the assembly line in August 2011. The platform of the machines was common, but the design was different.
Gamma motors (G4FA and G4FC) had almost the same design. Power (107 and 123 hp) was not the same due to different piston strokes. Two types of power plants - two types of transmission. For Hyundai Solaris, engineers have proposed a 5-speed "mechanics" and a 4-speed automatic transmission. It should be noted that in the basic configuration for the Russian Federation, the set of Solaris features turned out to be very modest: one airbag and electric lifts in front. With the improvement of the basic content, the price increased (from 400 to 590 thousand rubles).
The first change in appearance took place in 2014. The Russian Solaris received a new grille, an even sharper geometry of the main lighting headlights, and a mechanism for adjusting the steering column reach. In the top versions, the upholstery style has changed, windshield heating and a six-speed transmission have become available.
Solaris Suspension:
- front - independent, McPherson type;
- rear - semi-independent, spring.
Suspension modernization was carried out on this car three times due to the lack of stiffness of shock absorbers and springs, the appearance of rear axle buildup when driving on a road with a lot of bumps.
Depending on the set of functions, the type of power plant and transmission, five types of vehicle equipment were offered to customers:
- Base.
- Classic.
- great.
- comfort.
- Family.
In the maximum configuration, there were a large number of additional "chips": installation of a supervision-type dashboard, audio control on the steering wheel, 16-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry with an engine start button, daytime running lights, an electronic stability control system, climate control, lined bottle pockets, interior Bluetooth support, six airbags.
Despite the popularity of the machine, a wide discussion on specialized forums in Runet, as well as a large number of independent tests, brought out several shortcomings:
- insufficient performance of the power steering pump;
- lack of a mechanism for longitudinal adjustment of the steering column;
- short length of the rear seat cushion;
- poor handling on uneven road surfaces.
Nevertheless, in terms of thrust-to-weight ratio and the quality of manufacturing of structural elements and finishes, the car surpasses many analogues of other manufacturers, the appearance of which on the Russian market was the same target. The popularity of the car in Russia was very high. The annual sales level was about 100 thousand pieces. The last 1st generation Solaris car was assembled in our country in December 2016.
- 2th generation (2017-present).
In 2014, the development and testing of the next generation Solaris car systems began under the leadership of P. Schreiter, head of the Hyundai Motor design service. The process lasted for almost three years. In particular, laboratory tests were carried out at NAMI, the determination of the running resource was carried out on Ladoga, as well as on the roads of the European part of the Russian Federation. The car has traveled over a million miles on them. In February 2017, the first car of the second generation was released.
In terms of the power plant, the changes are minimal: the latest Kappa G4LC unit and a 6-speed manual gearbox have been added to the engines of the Gamma line. With it, the car accelerates from standstill to 100 km / h in a little slower than 12 seconds. Maximum speed - 183-185 km / h. In terms of “agility” on Russian roads, the new Solaris is comparable to Renault Logan and Lada Granta. The only inconvenience for advanced drivers is the lack of power under the hood. In the top-end equipment, the emphasis is still on the 1,6-liter G4FC engine with a capacity of 123 hp. It is faster than the "beginner" by two seconds from a standstill, and faster "in the absolute" - 193 km / h.
The car is delivered in four types of trim levels:
- active.
- Activate More.
- comfort.
- elegance.
In the ultima version, the car contains all the “chips” that were available to moneybags when buying a first-generation car. To them, the designers added fifteen-inch alloy wheels, a rear fixation video camera and a washer spray heating system. The main “minus” of the car never became history: the sound insulation is still “lame” (especially for those who sit in the back). The hissing of the engine when driving has not become less. It is not very convenient to be in the rear seats for passengers with growth above average: the ceiling of the car is, perhaps, understated for them.
At the same time, the engineers managed to cope with the "buildup" effect. On bad roads, the car behaves much better than its predecessor. Reviews of the "members of the forum" testify to a number of positive qualities of the machine:
- suspension softness;
- good dynamics;
- dimensions of the luggage compartment;
- smooth operation of the automatic transmission;
- low average fuel consumption.
In general, the subcompact model, designed by the Koreans purposefully for the Russian automotive market, showed an excellent balance. There are no obvious flaws in it that would lead to a radical decrease in sales. On the contrary, the popularity of the second generation has grown significantly, in comparison with the cars that were assembled in Russia until 2016. Question price for those. who wants to see everything "in one bottle" - 860 thousand rubles. This is how much Hyundai Solaris costs in the Elegance configuration.
Engines for Hyundai Solaris
Unlike the Hyundai Solaris, this car is a completely different story. She showed herself. As one of the most reliable in terms of the operation of power plants. Eight years of presence in the global automotive markets - and only three units under the hood.
| Marking | Type | Volume, cm3 | Maximum power, kW / h.p. |
| G4FA | petrol | 1396 | 79/107 |
| G4FC | –:– | 1591 | 90/123 |
| G4LC | –:– | 1368 | 74/100 |
With the presence in other models, everything is just as simple. The G4LC motor is brand new. It is designed specifically for use in the Hyundai Solaris car and the new compact KIA models. Two engines in the Gamma line, G4FA and G4FC, were tried as the main engines for the i20 and i30 intermediate hatchbacks. In addition, they were installed on the top models of Hyundai - Avante and Elantra.
The most popular motor for Hyundai Solaris
Gamma engines almost divide this line in half, but still, the G4FC engine “withstood” a little more configurations. They are very similar to each other. The FC motor was “increased” in displacement from 1396 to 1591 cubic centimeters, increasing the piston free play. The year of birth of the unit is 2007. The assembly site of the Hyundai car plant in the capital of China, Beijing.
Inline four-cylinder injection engine with 123 hp. designed for environmental standards Euro 4 and 5. Fuel consumption (for the variant with a manual transmission):
- in the garden - 8,0 liters;
- outside the city - 5,4 liters;
- combined - 6,4 liters.
The motor has a number of design features typical for modern Korean engines:
- distributed injection type MPI (multipoint multi point injection);
- execution of the cylinder block and head made of light and durable aluminum alloy;
- plastic intake manifold;
- two distribution centers (DOHC);
- chain drive with tensioner in the timing mechanism.
Unlike many other modern designs, in the G4FC, the designers installed the valve timing regulator on only one shaft, the intake.
Of particular interest is the multipoint distributed injection system installed in the engine. It has five main building blocks:
- Throttle valve.
- Ramp (main) for fuel distribution.
- Injectors (nozzles).
- Air consumption (or pressure/temperature) sensor.
- Fuel regulator.
The principle of operation of the system is quite simple. Air, passing through the atmospheric filter, mass flow sensor and throttle valve, enters the intake manifold and engine cylinder channels. Fuel enters the injectors through the rail. The proximity of the intake manifold and injectors minimizes the loss of gasoline. The control is carried out using the ECU. The computer calculates the mass fractions and quality of the fuel mixture based on load, temperature, engine operating modes and vehicle speed. The result is electromagnetic impulses for opening and closing the nozzles, supplied at a certain moment from the control unit.
MPI injection can operate in three modes:
- simultaneously;
- in pairs;
- individually.
The advantages of this fuel injection scheme include efficiency and full compliance with environmental standards. But those who prefer to buy a car with an MPI engine should forget about dashing high-speed driving. Such motors are much more modest in terms of power than those in which the operation of the fuel system is organized according to the principle of direct supply.
Another “minus” is the complexity and high cost of the equipment. However, in terms of the ratio of all parameters (ease of use, comfort, cost, power level, maintainability), this system is optimal for domestic motorists.
For the G4FC, Hyundai has set a fairly low mileage threshold of 180 km (10 years of operational use). In real conditions, this figure is much higher. Various sources contain information that Hyundai Solaris taxis are gaining up to 700 thousand km. run. The relative disadvantage of this engine is the lack of hydraulic lifters as part of the timing mechanism, and the need to adjust valve clearances.
In general, the G4FC proved to be an excellent motor: small in weight, inexpensive in maintenance and unpretentious. However, it should be borne in mind that from the point of view of a major overhaul, this is a one-time copy. All that can be done on it is the plasma spraying of cylinders and boring to the nominal size. However, whether it is necessary to think about what to do with a motor that can easily “drive” half a million kilometers is a rhetorical question.
Ideal engine for Hyundai Solaris
The base engine of the Kappa series for a new generation of Korean cars of the KIA and Hyundai brands was designed and delivered to the assembly line in 2015. We are talking about the latest development, a G4LE encoded unit designed to comply with European environmental standards Euro 5. The motor is specially designed for use in power plants of medium and compact models of KIA (Rio, Ceed JD) and Hyndai Solaris cars.
The injection engine with distributed fuel injection has a working volume of 1368 cm3, power - 100 hp. Unlike the G4FC, it has a hydraulic compensator. In addition, the phase regulators are installed on two shafts (Dual CVVT), the timing drive is advanced - with a chain instead of a belt. The use of aluminum in the manufacture of the block and cylinder head significantly reduced (up to 120 kg.) The total weight of the unit.
In terms of fuel consumption, the engine brought the most modern Korean car as close as possible to the best world standards:
- in the garden - 7,2 liters;
- outside the city - 4,8 liters;
- combined - 5,7 liters.
The G4LC has a number of interesting design features:
- VIS system, with the help of which the geometric dimensions of the intake manifold are changed. The purpose of its application is to increase the magnitude of the torque.
- MPI multipoint injection mechanism with injectors inside the manifold.
- Refusal to use short connecting rods in order to reduce the load on a not too powerful engine.
- The crankshaft journals are narrowed to reduce the total weight of the engine.
- In order to increase reliability, the timing chain has a lamellar structure.
To top it off, Kappa engines are much cleaner than the vast majority of opponents from FIAT, Opel, Nissan, and other automakers, with CO2 emissions of just 119 grams per kilometer. It weighs 82,5 kg. This is one of the best indicators in the world among mid-displacement engines. The main parameters of the unit (toxicity level, speed, fuel mixture formation process, etc.) are controlled by a computer with an ECU consisting of two 16-bit chips.
Of course, a short period of operation does not give rise to the identification of characteristic malfunctions. But one “minus” still slips in various forums from owners of cars with the G4LC engine: it is noisy compared to the older lines of Hyundai units. Moreover, this applies both to the operation of the timing and injectors, and to the general level of noise from the operation of the power plant while the vehicle is moving.
