'06 Sonata electronic throttle

A question for hyundaitech: Is there any adjustments possible to the
electronic throttle? Mine is way too sensitive and has too little
tactile (footile? ) feedback. Can the gain/slope on this be
changed? Can a stiffer spring be put on it?

Thanks,
Matt

 

Hyundai doesn't offer any sort of adjustment to the electronic throttle.

The feedback you feel is from the pedal only. There is a sensor right on
the pedal assembly. I suppose it's possible that you could try to stiffen
it yourself with an additional spring or some such, but I really wouldn't
recommend it unless you're very mechanically inclined and are sure you
won't damage anything.

I haven't driven many and don't have much experience with the electronic
throttle reaction, but my initial impression was that it was much improved
over the 3.5 in the XG and Santa Fe. It's possible you may just need a
month or so to get used to it.

 

I've been driving it about a month. I'm a little more used to it, but
it still is very tricky compared to other standard shift cars I've
driven over the years. It requires way more concentration to start out
than a car should.


Matt

 

If it makes you feel any better, I find my Elantra's clutch to be rather
vague, even after removing the restrictor valve from the slave cylinder
(it's unnecessary and counterproductive). Speaking of which, I wouldn't
be surprised if the slave cylinder in the Sonata tranny has one, but
unfortunately, the slave cylinder is inside the tranny case, where you
can't get to it. I hope it's durable, since replacing it would require
dropping the transmission.

 

I remember learning about Hyundai using this type of clutch release
cylinder in training for th e 06 Sonata. Everyone in the class was
disturbed. DaimlerChrysler has been using them and they don't appear to
be any more durable than the external cylinders as far as I can tell.
I'd
definitely recommend replacing with a clutch job. But hey, it's probably
only 3x the cost of the old design. Who'd have a problem with that?
*sarcasm*

 

I'm not sure I understand this difference. Can you explain in a little
more detail or is there a diagram we could pull up somewhere?

Matt

 

If you sign up for Hyundai Webtech, you can access the manuals for any
model and compare them. The difference is that the slave cylinder on
most models is mounted outside the transmission case, making it easy to
service or replace. The new Sonata tranny has the slave cylinder INSIDE
the transmission case, which means that you have to pull the
transmission in order to service or replace it. What Hyundaitech is
suggesting is that you replace the slave cylinder as a precaution when
you replace the clutch, since the labor is the major part of the job.

If you drive sensibly and know how to drive a manual transmission
vehicle properly, a clutch should last over 100K miles and I don't see
any reason that the slave cylinder shouldn't last as long. Periodic
draining and flushing of the clutch fluid will help ensure that it does.

 

Speaking of which, it appears to me that the clutch master cylinder uses
fluid from the same resevoir as the brake master cylinder. I see no
separate resevoir, but I do see a hose coming from the clutch master
cylinder to the brake master cylinder resevoir. Makes sense I guess to
save adding another resevoir, but my other hydraulic clutch vehicles
have all had completely separate hydraulic systems. I hope that a leak
in the clutch line couldn't allow the fluid to be pumped out of the
brake cylinder causing loss of the brakes!

Hyundaitech, tell me this can't happen.


Matt

 

I don't think I've seen a manual '06 in person. But I have seen cars where
the clutch master uses fluid from the brake reservoir. In these cases,
they usually pull fluid from a point near the bottom of the brake
reservoir. It may pull the reservoir near empty, but you should still be
left with some brake fluid to perform braking. The brake warning lamp on
the dash should illuminate well before the fluid gets to that level.

As to the slave cylinders, the external type is simply a cylinder with a
piston which pushes a lever attached to the release bearing inside the
bell housing. The internal type is made as one piece with (I believe
Hyundai does it this way) or attached to the release bearing. It's
cylindrical in shape and goes around the input shaft where the release
bearing would normally be found.

 

I noticed that on Webtech. What is supposed to be the advantage of that
configuration?

 

I'd say the main advantage is reduced parts count as you no longer need
the linkage from the slave cylinder to the throw-out bearing.

Matt

 

I don't see many advantages. Matt may be correct or there may be a nickel
savings in production or something stupid.

 

Hard to say. My Chevy truck has an external slave cylinder that
operates a linkage through the bell housing to the throw-out bearing.
It has a pivot stud that must be greased every so often. So, I can see
where simply running a hydraulic line through the bell housing to a
piston that is intregral with the throw-out bearing would not only save
the cost of the linkage and stud, but also eliminates one more
maintenance item.

The downside, as you pointed out earlier, is that a failure of the slave
cylinder will now be much more expensive. Let's hope they don't fail
too often.


Matt

 

Well, I'm glad I'm not one of the "early adopters". You know what they
say about buying a car in its first year... ;-)

 

Yes, I haven't done this too often, but my prior experience hasn't been
all that bad actually. I bought a 1986 Jeep Comanche new in 1985 and
still have it! It has been one of the best vehicles I've ever owned and
86 was the first model year. Likewise, I bought a 1989 Plymouth
Acclaim and that was the best vehicle I have ever owned. It replaced a
1984 Honda Accord which was about the worst I have ever owned.

I'm hoping the Sonata follows in the footsteps of the Comanche and Acclaim.


Matt