A Kia driver stopped into an unconventional place to get an oil change—an Advance Auto Parts—and that kicked off a conversation about a certain kind of engine and the love that it might require.
The video comes courtesy of creator MelaninMegan (@melaninmegan_), getting more than 115,000 views as of Saturday night following its posting to TikTok on Monday.
It uses No Doubt’s “Just a Girl” to augment the visual of Megan’s Kia parked at an Advance Auto Parts with its hood up. An on-screen caption with the image reads, “POV: Your car has no oil so you paid the worker to put oil in your car on a nice Saturday.”
The caption adds to the messaging, reading, “literally im just a girl who needed an oil change.”
@melaninmegan_ literally im just a girl who needed an oil change ☠️ #black #contentcreator #justagirl #pov ♬ Just A Girl – No Doubt
One commenter helpfully contributed, “If it’s a gdi motor, they burn oil fast,” then adding, “Have to be on time for oil changes!”
Megan responded, “I don’t even know what that means.”
Another commenter offered, “Gasoline Direct Injection, it’s just a type of motor Hyundai makes. They are no bueno, just be sure to have a bottle of oil designed for the motor so you can keep it full and youll be good.”
Are Gasoline Direct Injection engines bad?
According to the Chevron Lubricants site, “Gasoline direct injection (GDI) engines are a type of internal combustion engine that inject fuel directly into the cylinder, rather than into the intake manifold. This allows for more precise control of the air-fuel ratio, resulting in better fuel efficiency, lower emissions and higher performance. GDI engines have become increasingly common in modern vehicles, especially in light-duty cars and trucks. According to a report by the U.S. Department of Energy, GDI engines accounted for 54% of the U.S. light-duty vehicle market in 2018, up from 2.3% in 2008.”
The main concern voiced on that page was the need for what the site termed as “formation of deposits on the fuel injectors,” necessitating “a high-quality fuel that contains adequate detergents.”
But various forums on the GDI topic, including one dedicated to the Kia Soul, ponders the need for frequent (or at least regular oil changes). One contributor there complained, “The bottom line is: you need to put good (expensive) oil in your car (that is designed for a GDI engine), you need to regularly use fuel injector cleaner and you need to regularly use intake and valve cleaner. Hmmm, how much does this cost in a year??”
City Auto Repair in Gainesville, Florida, recommends, “Use the proper oil and change it frequently, at a recommended 5,000 to 7,000-mile interval. Oil changes remove debris from your engine’s crankcase in addition to allowing for more freely moving valve control mechanisms.”
