G4FA Engine Replacement: Your Hyundai or Kia 1.4 Just Died. Now What?

The Phone Call That Ruins Your Month

Your mechanic just said "G4FA" and then a number. The number probably started with a four or five. Thousand, not hundred.

You're now Googling at midnight wondering if your Hyundai i30 is worth saving or if you should just set it on fire and claim the insurance. Welcome to the club nobody joins voluntarily. We sell the membership fees—factory-new engines that work.

What "Your G4FA Is Gone" Actually Means in Euros

When a mechanic pronounces death on a G4FA, it usually means one of three things happened inside your 1.4-litre four-cylinder:

Timing chain catastrophe. The tensioner wore out, the chain skipped, and your valves met your pistons in a violent first date. Cost to rebuild: more than a new engine. The G4FA's timing chain system is its Achilles' heel—Hyundai knows it, mechanics know it, and now you know it.

Oil starvation. Those piston rings that were "a bit tired" finally gave up. The engine consumed its own oil between services, bearings ran dry, and now there's metal where metal shouldn't be. The autopsy reveals neglect or design flaw depending on who's paying the lawyer.

Connecting rod departure. Something broke, punched a hole in the block, and created what mechanics poetically call "catastrophic internal failure." Your engine is now a very expensive paperweight.

The translation to euros: €2,768 for a factory-new G4FA engine. Installation adds €600-€1,200 at independent Irish garages (€60-€100/hour for 10-12 hours of work). Total: around €3,400-€4,000 to make your Hyundai or Kia drive again.

Your Three Options (And What Each Actually Costs)

Option 1: The Rebuilt G4FA

What they promise: "Professionally reconditioned" engine for €2,170-€4,077 (based on 493 listings tracked on Motorinsel.eu).

What you get: An engine that's been opened by someone. Maybe a specialist. Maybe someone less qualified. New gaskets, possibly new bearings, definitely the same block that already failed once.

The hidden cost: 90-day warranty that covers "manufacturing defects" but not "the thing that actually breaks." When it fails again in month four, you're buying another engine.

Real total: €2,500-€4,500 installed now, potentially again in 8-12 months. Plus towing. Plus your sanity.

Option 2: Factory-New from Hyundai/Kia Dealer

What they promise: Genuine Hyundai/Kia G4FA with full manufacturer backing.

What you get: Exactly what we sell, but blessed by the dealership and priced like it includes the building.

The price reality: €4,000-€5,500 for the engine alone (industry estimates—dealers rarely advertise parts pricing). Installation at dealer rates adds €1,000-€1,680 (€100-€140/hour for 10-12 hours).

Real total: €5,000-€7,200 installed. That's 43-50% more than our factory-new engine for identical specifications.

Option 3: Factory-New from Majestic Engines

What we promise: Factory-new G4FA, never installed, 12-month warranty, in stock now.

What you get: Exactly that. €2,768 including VAT. Ships in 2-3 days. Fits your i20, i30, ix20, Accent, Ceed, Rio, or Venga.

The hidden cost: There isn't one. €2,768 is €2,768.

Real total: €2,768 + €600-€1,200 installation = approximately €3,400-€4,000 driving.

Option 4: Used G4FA Engine

What they promise: Low-mileage engine for €1,500-€2,800 depending on kilometres.

The market reality (from eBay Europe, German and Spanish breakers):

• Under 80,000 km: €2,000-€2,800
• 80,000-150,000 km: €1,540-€2,250
• Over 150,000 km: €998-€1,700

The gamble: You're buying someone else's timing chain wear, someone else's oil change schedule, someone else's problems. Warranty is typically 30-90 days—enough time to install it, not enough time to know if it'll last.

When it makes sense: If your car is worth under €2,500 and you're selling it soon anyway. Otherwise, you're paying used prices for used reliability.

The Mathematics Nobody Wants You to Do

Let's compare your actual options with actual numbers:

Decision	Engine Cost	Installed Total	Warranty	Risk Level
Used G4FA (under 80k km)	€2,000-€2,800	€2,800-€4,000	30-90 days	High—unknown history
Rebuilt G4FA	€2,170-€4,077	€2,900-€5,300	90 days-6 months	Medium-High—design flaw remains
Majestic factory-new	€2,768	€3,400-€4,000	12 months	Low
Dealer factory-new	€4,000-€5,500	€5,000-€7,200	24 months	Low
Replacement car (120k km)	N/A	€8,000-€12,000	Whatever seller promises	Unknown

The maths are simple: our factory-new G4FA costs the same installed as a quality reconditioned unit, 43% less than dealer pricing, and comes with warranty that actually means something.

Your i30 with 150,000 km and a new engine is worth more than your i30 without an engine. It's also worth more than a different i30 with 120,000 km and an engine you know nothing about.

The used car comes with someone else's maintenance history, someone else's driving style, and someone else's problems waiting to surface. Your car only has one problem, and we're selling the solution.

G4FA Engine Specifications (For the Research Phase)

The G4FA is a 1.4-litre inline-four petrol engine from Hyundai/Kia's Gamma family:

• Displacement: 1,396 cc (1.4L)
• Configuration: Inline 4-cylinder, DOHC, 16-valve
• Technology: CVVT (Continuously Variable Valve Timing)
• Power output: 66 kW (90 PS) to 80 kW (109 PS) depending on tune
• Fuel type: Petrol
• Production years: 2007-present

Fits these vehicles:

• Hyundai Accent IV
• Hyundai i20
• Hyundai i30
• Hyundai i30 Coupe
• Hyundai ix20
• Kia Ceed
• Kia Pro Ceed
• Kia Rio III
• Kia Venga

Two People Who Made Different Choices

The i30 Owner in Dublin Who Chose Rebuilt

Starting point: Timing chain rattle at 145,000 km. Ignored for a month.

The quote: Independent garage quoted €3,200 for a reconditioned engine from a German supplier. "Should be fine," he said.

The decision: Went rebuilt to save money versus factory-new.

Month 3: Engine running. No problems.

Month 5: Same rattle. Same mechanic. Different excuse. Warranty had a 90-day limit with exclusions for "timing chain related failures."

Total cost: €3,200 + €3,800 (factory-new after rebuild failed) + €180 (tow) = €7,180 and two breakdowns.

The lesson: The €600 you save on a rebuilt engine costs €4,000 when it fails.

The Ceed Owner in Amsterdam Who Chose Factory-New

Starting point: Oil pressure warning, then silence, then a very expensive noise.

The quote: €2,768 for factory-new G4FA from Majestic.

The decision: Ordered Monday. Delivered Wednesday. Installed Friday.

Month 12: Still driving. Still boring. Still exactly what an engine should be.

Total cost: €2,768 + €950 installation (Netherlands independent rate) = €3,718. Once.

The lesson: Boring engines are the best engines.

When to Replace vs. When to Walk Away

Replace the G4FA if:

• Your car has less than 200,000 km on the body/chassis
• No significant rust or structural issues
• Transmission works properly
• You like the car and know its history
• The math works (car value + engine cost < replacement car cost)

Consider walking away if:

• Multiple major systems failing simultaneously
• Severe rust compromising structure
• Car value is genuinely less than €2,000
• You've been looking for an excuse anyway

For most i30, i20, Ceed, and Rio owners, the G4FA replacement makes financial sense until the car hits about 250,000 km or develops problems beyond the engine.

The Bottom Line

Your G4FA died. That's €2,768 for a factory-new replacement—43% less than the €4,000-€5,500 dealers charge, and roughly the same as a quality reconditioned unit that comes with a fraction of the warranty.

We stock G4FA engines. They ship in 2-3 business days. They come with 12 months of actual warranty that doesn't require a legal team to interpret.

Factory-new. 12-month warranty. In stock. Shipping to Ireland, Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, France, and Spain.