A stolen Kia Soul that had been beaten up and left at an auction seemed like a cheap project for YouTuber Samcrac. At just $1,400, the car was rough, but he figured it might be worth saving. What he didn’t expect was an engine problem that nearly ruined the deal.
In an August 9, 2026, video, Samcrac shows what happened after he bought the theft recovery. The steering column had been torn apart, the ignition was damaged, and the outside was covered in dents and scratches. Even the driver’s side mirror was broken.
The Kia had also fallen victim to the type of theft made famous by the Kia Boyz trend. Certain older Kia and Hyundai vehicles lacked engine immobilizers, making them targets for thieves who learned about the weakness through social media.
Still, the car had about 162,000 miles on its odometer, and Samcrac wanted to see whether it could run again. Getting it started was only the beginning. Soon, he was chasing an electrical problem that had apparently been troubling the car long before he bought it.
A Rough Start
Embedded media follows; please allow a moment to load.
After getting the Kia started, Samcrac found that its engine was running badly. A check engine light was on, and the car struggled to accelerate. Under the hood, he discovered that someone had cut the electrical connector from one of the ignition coils.
He bought a replacement connector at a nearby parts store and made a temporary repair. Although the engine sounded better, the trouble was far from over. During the drive home, the Kia suddenly lost power and stalled near a highway ramp.
A blown fuse was partly to blame. After replacing it, they managed to get the car home, but the engine was still misfiring. Samcrac even wondered whether the Kia would need a replacement engine.
One Bad Wire
The following day, the team removed the ignition coils to check for engine damage. One coil had become so hot that its plastic housing melted, leaving part of it stuck inside the engine.
After freeing the damaged piece, Samcrac checked the engine’s compression. The results were encouraging, with all four cylinders showing readings above 180 psi.
He installed replacement ignition parts and a new valve cover, but the second cylinder still would not fire correctly. Further testing showed that its ignition coil was receiving a constant electrical signal instead of the pulses needed to operate properly.
At first, Samcrac suspected the engine computer. However, tests showed that the coil’s control wire had an unwanted connection to ground, even with the computer disconnected.
Rather than tear apart the entire wiring harness to find the damaged section, he ran a replacement wire around it. The result was immediate. Cylinder two began working again, and the engine finally ran smoothly.
Cleaning Up
With the engine problem solved, Samcrac turned his attention to the rest of the Kia. Three replacement engine mounts cost about $50, while a new driver’s side mirror added another $50 to the repair bill.
The steering column needed much more attention. A replacement ignition assembly and used parts helped restore the damaged controls, while a trip to a salvage yard provided trim pieces and a better front bumper section.
Inside, years of dirt and a foul smell made cleaning difficult. The team found roaches, debris, and grime while working through the cabin. Steam cleaning and odor treatments eventually made the interior much more pleasant.
By the end of the project, Samcrac estimated that he had roughly $2,000 invested in the Kia, including its purchase price. The car still had dents and scratches, but its engine ran properly, the damaged ignition had been replaced, and the team had fitted new brakes.