[nkuruvil]

Hi all.
Long time follower, 1st time poster. I have a 2011 i30 sx 2.0L auto with 107km

So wanted to gauge opinions here re the valve body issue on the i30 esp the 2009-2012 editions that seemed relatively plagued by them.

My car has what I can only assume is a valve body issue. Started a few years ago around 80k. Wasn't too noticeable but now starting to be more noticeable. Flares on 2nd to 3rd, flares on 3rd to 4th. Occasional stuttering when in 4th.  Noticing my mileage getting worse. Every now and then when doing a long drive I get a check engine light but then it goes off on its own (typically before I've gotten to a mechanic)

Had been mostly, if only city driving but now every month doing two 700km trips back and forth between capital cities and a bit more nervous about ongoing long drives. 

The options:
1. replace the valve body - roughly 2500 fitted including transmission fluid etc.
2. Replace the whole transmission including the valve body. A refurbished transmission with a 2 year 40k warranty from fluiddrive costs 3100 including GST but not including installation and have to return the old one to them for them to fix up. Assuming a 900 cost for installation (most places I have spoken to say somewhere between 500-800 to replace) Brings me to 4000.

My fundamental question is for those that have replaced the valve body has that largely solved the problem ongoing? The chap who I spoke with re the transmission recommended replacing the whole lot because he said even with the new valve body the old transmission could end up contaminating (not his words, but more what I understood) the newer valve body and you still run into problems after a year or so.

The other question I have is the replacement valve bodies that are going in. Are they still having the same fundamental problems or has hyundai improved them for the replacements?

Thank you!

[nkuruvil]

And I know the other point of it is that most people wouldn't put 4k or so into a 10 yo car but literally this car has given me absolutely no problems except for this transmission issue and if I could spend 4k to get another 5 years/60km out of it that seems like a better deal to me than spending 22k on a new car.

[Dazzler]

Good Morning and welcome,

Sorry to hear of your troubles. Here's my educated but not expert thoughts. Well I probably am an expert on i30's but I'm no mechanic and unfortunately we've fairly recently lost touch with the most knowledgeable Aussie member on this particular issue.

Firstly, I don't know for sure, but I strongly suspect that there has been some modification to the offending part/s or that there has been a change of supplier or something on this part. It seems to me to be way more prevalent in 2010 and 2011 FD's than any other year or model. I also seem to think the majority of those reported on here have been diesels and the proportion of CW (wagon body) seems unusually high.

So the fact yours appears to be a hatch and is a 2.0 petrol is interesting. Now I could be entirely wrong (I was once but can't remember when and never actually admitted it) 

Anyway, I digress (not sure if it's my Parkinson's or my meds but I do that a lot)

Now the other things. I personally think spending $4000 on such a repair on a 9 year old car of this value would be insane. I respect your love of the i30. I love them too (i've had 4 of them and am co-founder of this 12 and a half year old site) but with the real possibility that as with any 9 year old car, the chances of other expensive repairs in the near to medium future are quite high..

However, I'm not saying, don't do it. I think you need to do some serious shopping around for an alternative supplier for a replacement part/transmission and another transmission mechanic. Again, I cold be wrong but I was of the impression with used or refurbished parts diligent shopping and negotiation the cost would be more like $1000 to $1500.

Where are you @tw2005 we have coped ok without you Gerard but your fellow i30 owners like this new member really could do with your valued and knowledgeable opinion on this daunting question.

You can even say i'm a *ickhead and talking thru my *ss if it helps our new member.