My New 94 Sephia Is Dead :( Help?

leeb · 06-20-2005, 04:03 AM

I purchased a "new to me" 94 Kia Sephia about 3 weeks ago. The same day I finally got it registered with my state, it died. I was on my way to town when it overheated and stalled. I had to call a tow-truck to come and get me. Just before the tow truck got there, the car started up again. I went ahead and had it towed and when we got it home, I started it up and pulled it into my regular parking spot. The next day, I went to start the car to see if I could figure out why it had overheated and it won't start. I dinked around with it and can't find anything that sent off any red flags other than the spark plugs were soaked in gas. Anybody have any recommendations what I should look into? I've seen several posts on here suggesting that I should look into the head gasket, thermostat, and coolant. Are there any other suggestions and do you think one of those would be more likely to cause the problem I have than others?

Night-Hawk · 06-20-2005, 06:19 PM

wow... that is NOT GOOD, I suggest you take it intoa shop, sounds like a gasket leak or your spark plugs are not in properely. I would ahve that looked at, any CEL (Check Engine Light)? If so have autozone read the code and have it worked on. Have you taken out the spark plugs and did you see what kind fo deposits they all have on them? How do the wires look on them, is the air filter clean? Any other info would be most helpful, but I think that is a serious mechanical issue that needs to be solved fast. Any sluggish performance?

leeb · 06-20-2005, 08:29 PM

Well the lot I got it from has offered to "take care of it" for me. So that's already pressure relieved. And I, finally today, had the time to look at it a bit more. It started up just fine for me and the spark plugs all look fine. No fluid of any sort in them at all. It's still overheating but I put proper coolant in it (it had only water before that) and is continuing to overheat anyway. I don't live near an Auto Zone and have to travel roughly two states away to get to the closest one. LOL It also appears to be leaking from the radiator but I can't find exactly *where* it's leaking it from... just that it's my coolant leaking out. The "check engine" light isn't on either. I'm tending to lean towards the gasket theory myself....

trinogt · 06-20-2005, 10:28 PM

This may sound dumb, but you did mix coolant and water, right?
Get some good stop leak, the liquid kind. It should seal small leaks. Also, grab a new radiator cap, as yours may not be holding pressure (one of the key ingredients, according to physics, to raise the boiling point of coolant)
Cheap items, won't hurt to have new anyway...
I'm still looking for someone with a shop manual... PLEASE!
Mark

BasSBraT · 06-24-2005, 10:48 PM

i had a simaler problem with my 97 kia, it unded up being the water pump, so you might want to see if theres any leakage from there as well as the radiator. if you have the water pump replaced, make sure the crank position sensor hasnt got any water damage or it will need to be replaced & put the fan belt back on just right, cause after i got mine fixed is when the fan belt started sqeaking all the time.
ps, trinogt, i have a shop manual for kia sephia on cd rom, i cant remember where i got it but i will look into that for you

trinogt · 06-25-2005, 01:29 AM

Thans Bass, but I got my torque specs from a Kia tech on the phone, and the car is fixed, I'm happy to say... Thanks!
Good call on the waterpump... They can probably die without leaking, tho most have a weep hole above the bearing that leaks coolant out when most failures occur...
Mark