Help with diagnosis?

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Hello everyone. My friend has bought a dud car and I'm trying to help him work out what is wrong with it. The car is a Kia Sportage 2000. The problem is that it only starts sometimes, other times it tries but never actually starts. When it does start it drives but at low speed the engine stalls and loses all power. When it starts, if you just sit there the engine starts struggling to keep going, even when stationary. The only other info I have that may be relevant is that when he bought it the seller said that the car had been idle for five months.

Can anyone help with this? I'll try to provide extra info if anyone has any questions?

Thanks.
 
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Diesel or petrol, Rob?
Either way, go for a fuelling problem first......replace the filters as necessary - if it's a petrol car you may need fresh fuel too.
Is the engine management lamp on?
John :)
 
Hi John. It's a petrol but the engine management lamp isn't on. When my mate bought it he drove it home 20 miles before the problems started. Would that have been possible if the fuel was no good?
 
Unlikely, I have to admit! I don't know if these cars have a separate fuel filter, or just the one in the tank which is difficult to access but replace the filter if it's separate.
Also have a look at the air filter at the same time, but there could be a throttle body issue here.
John :)
 
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I don't know much about cars but is there any chance it could be the spark plugs?
 
I would doubt it Rob.....if the plugs were faulty the engine would misfire......although it certainly wouldn't hurt to change them!
The Kia does suffer from a MAF sensor issue - one of the several sensors that supply the cars on board computer with information that governs the fuelling. I must say though, the engine management lamp is usually lit here.
Another problem is an exhaust restriction caused by the collapse of the catalytic converter - the exhaust is disconnected and the engine run to check this one.
John :)
 
Can anyone help with this? I'll try to provide extra info if anyone has any questions?

Thanks.
Really the car itself should always be the first port of call if it is reasonably modern!

Take it and get a diagnostic readout of any fault codes, this can save a whole load of expense base on nothing other than pure guesswork.
 
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