jwalker1970

I have a 2001 Sportage 2.0, automatic 4x4, 60,000miles.

I have no power. It is difficult to acheive 50 mph, and will drop to 40 mph up a hill. Transmission is shifiting into all gears.

Bought it as a repo with bad ignition switch, and bad transmission. (no upper gears).

I test drove the vehicle prior to trans replacement, and didn't NOTICE any power loss problem, however I did have a bad trans, and no upper gears. But... I wasn't specifically looking for power loss problem either.

Transmission replacement went smoothly (34,000 used trans). All wire connections were marked and re-hooked properly. Kick-down cable was properly installed and set to original settings at the throttle plate.

I did at first suspect the kick-down setting. I adjusted it both ways, but it made no improvement, and lost performance.

I tried removing upper o2 sensor and test drive (to diagnose plugged catalytic converter), but it made no improvement.

It starts perfectly, runs smoothly, NO check engine light. It had a MAF code one time, after I removed the air trap in the air intake to re-adjust the kick-down linkage (while running). Otherwise, NO Codes Present.

Note: the o2 reading pegs out at about .875 volts when I'm under a load (during power loss). Otherwise it cycles between .100 volts and .875 volts under normal non-load driving.

I will continue on this problem until it's solved, and post my findings.

Please help with any suggestions you may have.

I'm off to check fuel pressure next.

jwalker1970

Just finished a fuel pump pressure/ volume test.

70 psi before the fuel filter
70 psi after the fuel filter

installed discharge tube into a container, cranked engine for 5 seconds,
got 3 oz of gas. Considering that would be 3 1/2 minutes to deliver a gallon, I'm thinking that's enough volume.

jwalker1970

This morning I verified that the timing belt installed properly. Both cam shafts allign with the marks on the backing plate, and the crank is at TDC.

This thing is really stumping me.

Please offer up any thoughts.

jwalker1970

Just finished compression test.

Kia specs call for 114 to 164 psi of compression with variance no more than 26 psi between cylinders.

My compression was 150 to 160 across the board.

I did have a small amount of oil on the outside of plug #4. I cleaned out the passage way with brake clean, and an air hose before installing new plugs.

I re-pulled the 4th plug after 15 minute test drive, and no oil what so ever.

There is not and hasn't been any cylinder miss. Still no DTC's.

I removed & checked all intake air cowling and filter to verify free flow of intake air.

Still I have no power.

jwalker1970

Back to this again......

I was told by a tech at Kia dealership that the set key on the crankshaft timing gear was known for problems which would throw your timing off because the gear would rotate on the crank.

No such problem here. my key is fully in tact, and my crankshaft timing gear is in proper position.