Input Turbine

If it has an input turbine, the only thing that it could be is turbo-charged. Exhaust gasses pass through the turbo-charger's blades, spinning another set of blades on the other side to force air into the intake manifold. This is to increase HP. You could probable find one in a junk yard, but for $300 you'd be much better off as they can wear out fast.

So, since this car needs this part to run, I don't think $300 is unreasonable at all.

And if you "don't know that much about cars" and had to ask what it is, then have a qualified mechanic do the work for you.

I'd get a second opinion. $300 sounds like a lot. Chances are very good that it is simply the sensor on the input side of the transmission (the turbine is the torque converter). Often when these fail, you experience shifting problems. I don't follow Sonatas, but it would be extremely unlikely that your car is turbocharged.

Try searching here for a couple minutes. I think there was another input/turbine sensor problem not long ago.

The only time I remember the phrase "input turbine" was associated with the torque converter of an automatic transmission. I think you are right. Turbos usually have input impellers"

Grab your wallet and run.

I just searched CR4 for input turbine. The OBD code (which is standardized even among various makes) is 0715. There are at least 4 threads that you can look through to get a feel for what others have paid to have the sensor replaced. (Use the "Search all of CR4" field. I think the correct nomenclature is input/turbine, because the sensor is measuring the input shaft speed (manual transmission) or the turbine speed (automatic transmission). According to the little bit I just read on the web, on a Sonata the sensor is located ton the top side of the transmission, and easy to reach for replacement. You might call the dealer parts department and ask for a price on the part. The sensor itself shouldn't cost much, and I'd be surprised in the labor could exceed one hour.

Of course it could be the sensor is actually telling you something useful (imagine that!) (although sensor failure is common). In that case, the sensor is probably saying that the ratio of engine speed to the input shaft speed is out of limits -- probably meaning that the converter clutch is not locking up properly. If that is the case, then $300 seems reasonable to cheap.

If I were working on your car*, I'd replace the sensor, and see if the problem goes away. If it does not go away, then you'd have a relatively expensive problem. If I were the mechanic, I'd feel that, if the sensor is not the problem, then I should put back your old one and not charge you -- but I'd be in the minority, I think. Some sensors can be checked with other instruments (engine rpm, engine temp, oil pressure, etc.) so a good mechanic would not swap out a sensor as a diagnostic aid. Many other sensors, however, (the input/turbine should fit this alternative) have to be swapped out to check the sensor itself. I suppose the best approach for the shop, is to call you and say: We need to replace your sensor to verify that you problem is not the sensor itself. Sorry, but we have to charge for this -- there is no other way for us to know.

Another possibility is that an experienced mechanic will be able to detect other conditions that support that the sensor is either good or bad, without having to swap out the sensor. For example, a good mechanic can tell when a torque convert clutch engages/disengages, and can tell if the clutch is slipping once engaged.

*granted, this is not too likely, since I stopped twisting wrenches for a living many years ago.

Just in case this is a Turbo blower, (price fits, an automatic transmission would be much more) it is always a good idea to let the motor run for at least a minute to give the Turbo time to cool down before switching off as the only real cooling is the flow of lubrication oil.....from the engine!

Turning the engine off with a sometimes "red hot" Turbo, just causes the oil to burn in the Turbo bearings and seriously shortens Turbo life.

Synthetic oil is a must for Turbo blown motors if you want a reasonable life for the Turbo.

Some ( very few) Turbos are fully water cooled, I am informed that the above, except for the Synthetic oil, is then not needed.

Andy,

pretty close.

Some ( very few) Turbos are fully water cooled, I am informed that the above, except for the Synthetic oil, is then not needed.

Not so, actually the reason to leave engine run a few moments before shutdown has less to do with cool down; water cooled or not, turbine blades are now ceramic and overheating or cool down are no longer relevant. It is when stopping abruptly sucks the oil out of the turbine housing where as a few moments 3-4 seconds idle provide a puddle of oil for the bearings upon next start up.

Explain in more detail please......exact detail.

I did not fully understand why stopping the engine after a hot run, without a cooling down 30 - 60 sec idle, sucks the oil away. Makes no sense to me whatsoever....never heard of it from anyone else either.....

You didn't notice the time frame did you, look again, I wrote 3-4 seconds idle before shutdown. That would indicate that shut down with less than 3-4 seconds for lube to stabilize could by attrition cause damage to the bearings. A turbo can last longer than or shorter depending on the habits of the operator. I've toasted several in mountain climbing with diesels and paid the price for not understanding the lube issue I'm telling you about but remember 3-4 seconds idle. I don't expect a trouble would be from 30-60 seconds other than a fuel shortage.

Detroit Diesel will not warranty turbochargers if an aftermarket turbo lube accumulator is installed. How strange does that sound?

No stranger than what they consider a turbocharger warranty to be...

It is a well known fact, it is also in some car manuals, that after a hot run, an air cooled Turbo can be glowing red hot. Shutting the engine down stops the oil pump and this can cause the residual heat in the Turbo to carbonize the oil in the bearings, thus damaging the Turbo.....

Therefore it is recommended to let the engine idle for between 30 - 60 seconds, to allow the oil to carry away a large amount of residual heat first.

Water cooled Turbos do not need this....

Using Synthetic oil takes a large part of the danger away, because of the well known and published special quality that such oils have over normal mineral oils.......which of course most people know about so I will not bother writing it down again, but if you don't know, I will tell you later....just ask.

I still did not understand what the hell you are on about, it still makes no sense, please explain fully.....all I can say is that 3-4 seconds idle can be far too little, especially with standard mineral oils....

What has a fuel shortage to do with this other than it could cause the engine to stop while still hot, or did you mean something else.....?

On many diesels it is recommended NOT to run out of fuel as some can be troublesome to bleed afterwards.....

Andy,

You are correct about letting run at least 30 seconds after a hot run. I could have explained better that after a hot you should not stop immediately but slow down gradually for about five minutes to allow a host of items to adjust.

The manuals do not say it this way but this is sound advice:

I prefer to slow down in stages; if were speed I would slow from 75 mph to 65 mph for two miles, then to 55 for at least five miles. Thus allowing tires, transmission, engine and turbo a reprieve, this is the cool down I'm most concerned with. Next I would drive around at about twenty to thirty mph for about five minutes stopping briefly now and then. After these stages I would stop the vehicle and while I may be removing seat restraints or gathering umbrella etc. allow the engine to idle momentarily then shut it down.

Thanks for kind ways and other info about lubricants; yes I am familiar with synthetics and blends too and don't cheap out on filtration either.

I think I understand now much better as to where you are coming from and your method should also work fine to my mind with any Turbo, in fact I may just use the method myself from time to time when time allows better.

BTW, I have never ever damaged a turbo in over 20 years of driving Turbo Diesels either.....I have always practiced cooling them off properly....

I feel that the previous misunderstandings comes from your habit of not reading carefully to see that what you wrote is what you wanted to write before posting, some appeared even not to be English/American at first glance!!!

In your last post is a prime example of such failure to check = "after a hot you", which is still far easier to work what you really meant, than some stuff in your previous posts.

Speed reading in the USA has a lot to answer for. You are not alone, also you are not alone on CR4.....

I speed read "accurately", have done for many years, but I slow down to re-read before posting, which makes for a better final check, most of the time....maybe you should try to do the same? It saves on a lot of misunderstanding.....

Beware the bland message ABCXYZ-SENSOR FAILURE. It often means a connector fault not a sensor failure and misleads the blindly faithful.