I suggest you carefully check the cam timming. If the cam timming is off it can seriously effect compression. Re-check both cams, cam pullies, and timming belt, your compression is just too low. Also try sqirting some motor oil in the cylinders so that they are not dry when you do your compression test.

Something just sounds off.

Like I said, Iv'e rechecked the timeing belt and gears 3 times. I don't know why the compresion is so low, I took my compresions tester to check one of my boys probes that he has not started for a while to see if maybe my guage was bad and I got in the 120s. The Kia is parked for the winter and I will start colecting parts for the rebuild.

Dennis

? when you put on the head did you use new head bolts ?

No, I did not replace them but as far as I know they are not touque to yield bolts. I will get new bolts when I rebuild the engine though. I was haveing a hard time giving up on this so after we got the Probe on the road I tore the Kia apart again to check things again. I did not miss anything I think the bottom end is just toast. It didn't have the best compression before (low 90s) but it ran good and had good power. I will start colecting parts for the stroker motor as soon as I get the Vet bill paied off, My Lab pup ate a rag that got lodged in his stomach and it was over $800.00 to have it removed. If not for bad luck I'd have no luck at all.

Dennis

I would also check the block surface with a machinist straight rule and use feeler gages and recheck the head with it also. has anyone ever had a kia block cylinders sleved before ? this might help after a block has been rebuilt over and over , over sized rings can only do so much. I had to helicoil a spark plug hole on mine the guy before must have not use anti-seze on it. glad it was #1 hole and not #4. John