We have been having trouble starting the Kia on colder days and now today it wants to just free spin when I try starting it. Is this a good sign of a starter going bad and if so how hard is it to change out the starter????

I also think it is flooded and it won't turn over long enough for me to hold the foot pedal to the floor and get it started.

definetely sounds like a bad starter, well not the starter motor, just the starter drive, but either way you have to replace the whole starter. its fairly easy to change as far as starters go. as far as i know the kia electronics do not use a clear flood WOT program, i think its because of the air shrouded injectors. but i could be wrong, you'll have to ask Axe when he gets back.

matt

What do you mean by "free spin"? Is the engine turning too when you turn the key to start? If yes, you have some sort of other problem. If no...the starter turns but the engine doesn't that means the starter drive is shot or (unlikely) a bad flywheel that has worn teeth.

Never changed a starter myself but it's definitely a job underneath. It's down below and behind the oil filter. Probably best to put the Sportage on ramps to get enough room to work on it.

When we turn the key the starter just goes zing, and the motor doesn't turn over. Then you stop wait a little and try again and it will turn the motor until it about starts then goes zing again.
Seems like it is flooded, but I'm not sure since I wasn't the first one to go out and try starting it this morning.

Zing was a word my wife came up with......
I call it free spin like a bad starter not engaging. I don't know why when you turn the key back to the off possition and try it again sometimes it works other times it won't.

Have someone look under the hood while you hit the starter. If it goes "zing" and the engine doesn't spin then you have a bad starter drive. It's possible that when you try it several times it will finally engage. And then the next time it won't work until you try it several times again. That's typical for a starter drive that's crapping out. Eventually it will leave you stranded so I'd check it out soon.

just a thought............ my Sportage made that same sorta "zing" when my timing belt died.

dave <img border="0" alt="[Satan]" title="" src="graemlins/satan.gif" />

ohh, and it also wouldn't start.

dave <img border="0" alt="[Satan]" title="" src="graemlins/satan.gif" />

The neighbor came over and he thought maybe it is a timing belt.
When it goes zing the motor does not turn over.
I tried spraying some starter fuid in it and I can't get it to start with that. I acts like it about goes but just won't start.

If it is the timing belt is that something I could do myself?????
It does have 98,000 on it.

thanks everyone for all the help so far.

If it starts once in a while then it ain't the timing belt. Once the belt breaks you're done....ain't gonna start no matter what you do.

So...if it "zings" and then later on starts it's the starter drive. If it's "zinging" continuously it could still be the starter and maybe it's given up the ghost completely. But if you suspect that the timing belt broke then remove the screws on the upper timing cover on the head and carefully pry the cover back and shine a flashlight in there and see if the belt goes up over the cam gears. If it does it ain't broke. If there's no belt, it's broke. I have the replacement procedure in PDF format if you need it. Let me know.

I will check it out tomorrow. I wouldn't think the timing belt is bad since we drove it yesterday then today it won't go, but if it's that easy to check it out I can do that.

I think the starter is also bad but before the Kia would start right a way so it is good enough to do that, but not to turn it over for a long period of time.

Looks like I have some more investigating to do.
Axe man, if it is the belt I will diffenatly be getting a hold of you. I checked a while back on what the local dealer charges for labor and they get $110.00 an hour so I can spend some time working on it myself for that kind of money.