You won't believe this

[frenchaccent]

Our family has a 2003 Accent with 94k, automatic, and one very wierd issue besides the teen that drove it last. Ok, towed it home, thought the battery or starter was bad. Replaced starter, battery. Same problem, won't turn over. When you turn the key, engine advances about one inch at a time, meaning the flywheel rotates one inch on each key turn. Ok, here is the wierd part: Smoke drifts out of the transmission near the access plate between the trans and the engine! Like there is a smoldering fire inside? The wire off of the battery terminal that goes to the fuse block gets very hot as well. Where do I start? This car is a good car, but I have no idea what it is, unless the torque converter is stuck or some solenoid is burned up? Help me, Hyundai gurus!

[y2khyundai]

Well my tec is sort of short on hyundai's. But knowing some abou other cars american mostly I hope it will translate. Is timeing belt good? Will motor spin freely by hand? And did you relace starter? If timeing belt broke could have wedged a droped valve in piston. Or have a bad starter with a short in it causeing smoke and hot wires from shorting. See if it will spin by hand by turning crank with a socket and driver. Pull starter and have tested. And work your way back from there.

[Duro5341]

Originally Posted by frenchaccent

Our family has a 2003 Accent with 94k, automatic, and one very wierd issue besides the teen that drove it last. Ok, towed it home, thought the battery or starter was bad. Replaced starter, battery. Same problem, won't turn over. When you turn the key, engine advances about one inch at a time, meaning the flywheel rotates one inch on each key turn. Ok, here is the wierd part: Smoke drifts out of the transmission near the access plate between the trans and the engine! Like there is a smoldering fire inside? The wire off of the battery terminal that goes to the fuse block gets very hot as well. Where do I start? This car is a good car, but I have no idea what it is, unless the torque converter is stuck or some solenoid is burned up? Help me, Hyundai gurus!

What happened upon last shut down?
Was it running?or Did it stall and not restart?
Does the engine rotate with a ratchet freely?
Has the timing belt been replaced?

Duro

[IFiteWhatUFear]

sounds like either bad starter (internally shorted) which is why battery cables are hot, OR you cranked the starter about 30 times which causes a HUGE draw and heats up cables.. its also possible that one of the starter wires broke off and is shorting to ground or giving you a bad connection... also last idea is that it sounds very familar of hydro locked the motor, pull all 4 spark plugs out and crank the motor.. if it spins it'll prob be spitting water out of the cylinders and then you'll know, report back on anything you find.

[Barnyspup]

The wire off of the battery terminal that goes to the fuse block gets very hot as well.

That wire should not get hot and it doesn't carry the starter current, only the solenoid on the starter.

1) Unbolt that wire from the fusebox connection (disconnect battery first).
2) Find the Blk/Yell wire which goes down to the starter solenoid.
Reconnect battery.
Everything else in the car will remain dead except the starter.
With a jumper wire (any kind), touch the starter solenoid terminal (where the Blk/Yell goes) to battery +.

The starter should crank.
Nothing in the tranny should be live so hopefully no smoke.

The inch at a time movement could still occur and the cylinders filled with fluid may be the cause as noted. Pulling the plugs out will tell.

-----
Find out why that cable to fusebox gets hot; that's a red flag.

Jim

[theiceage05]

Originally Posted by frenchaccent

Our family has a 2003 Accent with 94k, automatic, and one very wierd issue besides the teen that drove it last. Ok, towed it home, thought the battery or starter was bad. Replaced starter, battery. Same problem, won't turn over. When you turn the key, engine advances about one inch at a time, meaning the flywheel rotates one inch on each key turn. Ok, here is the wierd part: Smoke drifts out of the transmission near the access plate between the trans and the engine! Like there is a smoldering fire inside? The wire off of the battery terminal that goes to the fuse block gets very hot as well. Where do I start? This car is a good car, but I have no idea what it is, unless the torque converter is stuck or some solenoid is burned up? Help me, Hyundai gurus!

I don't believe it!