Stocker

The body of knowledge here is obviously based on the transaxle that comes with the I4 Beta in J2/RC/RD platform cars. They are usually fine when driven by a sane driver, and the fluid is changed more often than required by the owner's manual.

The oil cooler is in the radiator, and ALL of them run 10-15 degrees too hot, always. Hyundai doesn't want to pay to replace a million transaxles so they will tell you it is normal that the fluid browns after 10-15k miles. It is not normal, it is burned. Installing a thermostat-controlled oil cooler is highly recommended for anyone with an RD platform car that really wants their auto trans. to last. That said, I did only a few partial oil changes on mine, and NEVER changed the filter, and it was dying at 120k miles. At least one bearing had disintegrated and it whined under deceleration, but it did hold power in every gear.

If the wrong ATF is used, the clutch packs will transform into black syrup, which does not hold up to torque input very well. Symptoms are similar to a slipping clutch on a manual transmission (revs without increasing speed) and mostly 4th gear goes first, then third, then eventually you need a tow truck. That's why everyone uses the fluid from Hyundai: you use it or else!

Back before everyone realized how easy it is to install a manual transmission, some people did some talking about Level 10, which was at the time the only company who would talk a Hyundai automatic. Contact information is on their website http://www.levelten.com/

IF I had the money, I would consider a spare transmission cheap insurance . . . but then, I had a spare CAR just for parts for most of a year at one point so I may be atypical wink1.gif

dddude55

To put it bluntly, a tiburon on this board is 13-10 years old, so pretty much everything is going to start going ;P

Stocker

^ useless post. The thread isn't even about a Tiburon! getout.gif

Savage99

Awesome input guys, thanks! Speaking of swapping to a manual..(and I know I may be getting out of the realm of the 'general performance' forum). I believe that the '99 Sonata could be had with a 5-speed in 4-cylinder form, and I know that the Tiburon could be had with a 5-speed in V6 form, so..a Tibby manual trans from a 2.7 car and the pedal assembly and such from a four banger Sonata... Are the parts all out there to be had or is there a basic difference in design that I am overlooking?

p.s....that's interesting about the Hyundai fluid. I wonder what's so specific about it. I think even the "universal import" ATF makers are shy about putting Hyundai on the label, although I think Mitsubishi Diamond? is close. Just wondering.

Just sent an inquiry to Level Ten about the transaxle..Wow! I didn't know there was really anybody out there that messed with a Hyundai auto. Thanks Stocker! I guess it comes down to how much one is willing to spend. $2500 on a 2000 dollar car..

majik

get a manual and necessary parts for $500 from the junk yard and swap it with a friend over the weekend. You appear to have much more experience now than I did when I swapped it years ago.

Stocker

Beware . . . you may be talking about different engine families with completely-different bellhousing mounting bolt patterns. I'm no Hyundai V6 maven, but I warn you to at least be ++ sure that your axle will physically fit and mate up properly. It really doesn't matter what car came with what. What matters is what you will end up with in YOUR car. I know that minor grinding for clearance is required, but later I4 5 speed manuals can be used with earlier I4 engines. Maybe you are lucky and later V6 manual transaxles will fit earlier V6 engines likewise. You might go lurk around NewTiburon.com to see if someone there has done the conversion you are considering.

The transmission fluid is just what works with the friction material in the clutch packs, chemistry-wise. Some chemicals don't play nice together is all.

Savage99

The V6 in question is the 'Delta' engine, which began as a 2.5 (which I have) and evolved into the 2.7 for later Sonatas and Santa Fe's and of course Tiburons. This is a different engine than the later or earlier 3.5. It's Hyundai's first non-Mitsubishi V6 and in fact it's the first automotive engine of their own design (or at least, that's what I read somewhere). So, presumably the 5 speed from a 2.7 Tiburon will bolt up, but beyond that I'm not sure. They never offered a V6 manual Sonata. The issues would be with the subframe mounts and such. Is there a difference in the 4 banger 5speed Sonata subframe and the V6 Auto subframe...I don't know. I'll poke around and in time will certainly find somebody that's done it.

Got some feedback from Level 10 today... For 2600 bucks they'll make you a Hyundai auto that will hold 500hp! What!? Big money...imagine that and the Next-Gen supercharged 2.7 in my heap...woohoo! sleeeeeperr

Stocker

Actually that's not so bad a price for an off-brand race transaxle.

In the RD platform, one side mount is different, but everything else to fit the transaxle in the engine bay is pretty much the same (except the wiring and shifter of course). Oh, and the starter motor is different. Even the one mount you might away with not changing, but it'd be super cheezy.

But RDs are all the same car. You may run into a problem with the axle shafts being the wrong length, or something even more inconvenient. It looks like, if you really want a standard gearbox, you might be doing some primary research and end up as a minor hero in the Hyundai tuning world. wink1.gif

Savage99

Would be fun to do..I guess most would agree that a manual trans is the way to go for an enthusiastic driver. The V6 is pretty flat at low revs. Manual shifting the auto and keeping the engine above 3000 is alot more fun than just putting in in D and going down the road, but it has that feeling feeling of abuse.