Waiting until 2021 or beyond

[Big T]

I have chosen not to be an early adopter on this SUV. Why you say? Number one reason: Power plant. No options at this time for a boosted motor, and a motor with port and DI. We travel a lot into the Eastern Sierras at elevations between 5,000 and 9,000 ft., and naturally aspirated engines bog down in thin air. Been there with boosted engines and absolutely no issues with maintaining power.
On the issue of direct injection, I have extensive experience with performance (and stock) engines, and valve coking with DI is something I don’t want to deal with on a new car. Kia should know that there’s a reason why Toyota has been using D-4S, why not learn from Toyota?

Is Toyota's D-4S Self-Cleaning Feature A Big Deal?

A new feature found in 2016 Toyota Tacoma engines cleans off carbon deposits. Is it a big deal or not?

tundraheadquarters.com

I love almost everything about the Telluride, except the Atkinson cycle DI engine. Change that to a 3.3 twin turbo, and the package is unstoppable IMO.

 

[ATL3630]

Toyota’s v6 with the direct and port injection is just marvelous. But we can’t expect everyone to be able to invent and adopt such a unique approach. Unfortunately the entire auto industry is moving towards DI in order to meet epa requirements. Plus DI is a great marketing term that makes an engine sound state-of-the-art. Hell, Toyota markets the Highlander engine as DI on their website, even though its both and that should be a big selling point for the vehicle. Buyers just aren’t that interested in learning about what they are buying. People that know about the coking issues on DI engines are rare. But yeah, it’s a big deal. It’s one thing that has me hesitant about the Telluride. If I end up buying one I’ll be babying the thing with excellent gas and frequent oil changes. Not that it’ll do much.

 

[Big T]

Toyota’s v6 with the direct and port injection is just marvelous. But we can’t expect everyone to be able to invent and adopt such a unique approach. Unfortunately the entire auto industry is moving towards DI in order to meet epa requirements. Plus DI is a great marketing term that makes an engine sound state-of-the-art. Hell, Toyota markets the Highlander engine as DI on their website, even though its both and that should be a big selling point for the vehicle. Buyers just aren’t that interested in learning about what they are buying. People that know about the coking issues on DI engines are rare. But yeah, it’s a big deal. It’s one thing that has me hesitant about the Telluride. If I end up buying one I’ll be babying the thing with excellent gas and frequent oil changes. Not that it’ll do much.

Something else to consider (if you buy one) is an oil catch can, and engine oil with low NOACK to help minimize Carbon I-Valve Deposits. Also helps to go 5w-20 instead of 0w-20. I had a good quality catch can on my F150 Ecoboost, and it caught a lot of oil that would otherwise would have been into the intake system. Ford was ok with having an aftermarket catch can; don’t know how Kia would like it.
Link to oil catch cans. I like Radium brand. Oil Catch Cans

 

[Jhondo]

This GDI issue and a lack of long-term feedback regarding this is pushing us toward the Highlander. We really like everything else about the telly. Except that uvo crap, I mean app.

______________________________

 

[ATL3630]

This GDI issue and a lack of long-term feedback regarding this is pushing us toward the Highlander. We really like everything else about the telly. Except that uvo crap, I mean app.

I’ve got a 2018 Highlander, platinum trim. It’s a great ride. The best part is the rock solid piece of mind in its reliability and resale value. The worst is the lack of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. There are some other benefits of the Highlander as well.

 

[Gwyn]

I’ve got a 2018 Highlander, platinum trim. It’s a great ride. The best part is the rock solid piece of mind in its reliability and resale value. The worst is the lack of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. There are some other benefits of the Highlander as well.

Why are you here then?

 

[Chwtom]

I have chosen not to be an early adopter on this SUV. Why you say? Number one reason: Power plant. No options at this time for a boosted motor, and a motor with port and DI. We travel a lot into the Eastern Sierras at elevations between 5,000 and 9,000 ft., and naturally aspirated engines bog down in thin air. Been there with boosted engines and absolutely no issues with maintaining power.
On the issue of direct injection, I have extensive experience with performance (and stock) engines, and valve coking with DI is something I don’t want to deal with on a new car. Kia should know that there’s a reason why Toyota has been using D-4S, why not learn from Toyota?

Is Toyota's D-4S Self-Cleaning Feature A Big Deal?

A new feature found in 2016 Toyota Tacoma engines cleans off carbon deposits. Is it a big deal or not?

tundraheadquarters.com

I love almost everything about the Telluride, except the Atkinson cycle DI engine. Change that to a 3.3 twin turbo, and the package is unstoppable IMO.

Ok

 

[ATL3630]

Why are you here then?

Why do you ask? I’m suppose I’m interested in the Telluride

______________________________

 

[ucinn]

Wouldn't the atkinson cycle alleviate the carbon build up problem with the DI engines since it pushes some of the fuel back out the intakes and back in to the next cylinder in line? It makes sense that it would. Also Kia has a DI cleaner fom CDC which is supposed to be good and doesn't require any engine breakdown to clean them. I'm not thinking build up is much of a problem anymore as tolerances have become a lot tighter on these engines. I've had quite a few DI engines thus far and all have ha no problems from 110K miles to 55K miles following recommended maintenance with nothing extra done to them. There's been some reports of people with 300K with GDI's with no extra work. I think t was a problem when GDI's first came out.

 

[tallLeRoy]

Wouldn't the atkinson cycle alleviate the carbon build up problem with the DI engines since it pushes some of the fuel back out the intakes and back in to the next cylinder in line? It makes sense that it would. Also Kia has a DI cleaner fom CDC which is supposed to be good and doesn't require any engine breakdown to clean them. I'm not thinking build up is much of a problem anymore as tolerances have become a lot tighter on these engines. I've had quite a few DI engines thus far and all have ha no problems from 110K miles to 55K miles following recommended maintenance with nothing extra done to them. There's been some reports of people with 300K with GDI's with no extra work. I think t was a problem when GDI's first came out.

It depends on the timing of the direct injection. The fuel may be injected after the intake valve is closed part way during the compression stroke. Or it may be injected near bottom dead center in which case it would be expelled back by the valves. I just don't have enough information to guess.

 

[ucinn]

In the Atkinson cycle, the intke valve stays open for about 20% of the compression stroke and sends fuel mixture back into the intake before closing the intake valve, that gets sucked into the next cylinder through the intake and past the top of the intake valve, so would think it would. How effectively it does it would be up for debate.