Ok it has been a few months since I updated this issue.

Final notes.

Timing - The Timing belt was installed wrong, the belt was the wrong one and it was 3 teeth off on the pulleys.

Radiator - Had been "rebuilt" at a charge of $125 the radiator had issues, some kind of film coating the tubes coolant could flow but did not transfer heat... Not sure what the coating was but I believe it was do to significant electrolysis. Added engine grounds, replace Radiator.

Thermostat - Ford sold and installed the wrong one 3 times. I finally got the correct one $45 2 weeks special order (Ford is the Kia dealer in town)

Fan clutch - Toasty.... Replaced although it seams to work I replaced it and its better.

Grounding issues - I noticed funky readings on the instruments in on the dash, I had the electrical check out and they said everything was Fine. But I added 2 grounds one form the engine block to the battery and one from the Intake manifold to the battery.. These issues also went away.


Thank you all for the advice. My Kia runs like new. Also I found that most of the parts problems were the cause of the fact that this was the first month production of this car in the US. A factory fire in Korea caused them to switch vendors and most of the electrical wiring and some mechanical parts were hastily outsourced. Lead to shoddy splicing and no documentation. Lucky ME! Explains why I have blue wires spliced to orange and browns to pink. All in the factory sheathing.

Thanks for the information <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />
$45 bucks for a thermostat <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/barf.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" />
I thought $12 was high. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/ignore.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/angry.gif" alt="" />
Was it the wrong timing belt or water pump? They were 3 teeth off on both cams or just 1?
Hope that they didn't charge you to fix their screw-ups!
Everet <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/patriot.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />

The work was dun by the dealership in Bend OR like 2 1/2 years ago. It was the wrong belt, and I also diden't mention that the tentioner spring was not even hooked up right. On this SOHC 2.0 there are no markings on the belt. You just match the marks on the top pully and the bottom pully to the housing mark and toss the belt on tension and pray. When I ran the top pully to the mark, the bottom pully was off buy 3 teeth. I diden't mention I also replaced the Water Pump at the same time. And the one from Autozone I installed was made a little different than the one previously installed. I found that the old one was a remanufactured off brand. This was quite the ordeal. I would do a few things, and it would seam better for a few days then it would start to overheat again. It was only last weekend that I decited to give it one last shot. I just can't believe all the bad work preformed on this car by all these shops over the previous 3 years. Basicly everything she paid to fix was either dun wrong or not dun at all. But I tell you.... now that this is running good I am realy happy. The only reason I put the money into this final stuff was that I have a friend that owns a Napa store and he took good care of me. Just goes to show... you want it dun right do it yourself. I just wish that I had met my Wifey 3 years ago. The car is just one of the few things broken by her ex. I can't begine to thank all of you who have posted advice on this project. You have all been really great. Kia on the otherhand..... The closest thing to a manual I could find is so full of bad gramer and typos I can prettymuch understand why no mechanics could get it right. I am still peved over the $1,500 a local shop charged to change the clutch slave cylender. I am still considering a lawsuit on that one. That is just WRONG.