Hey guys, in my area its starting to get cold. So in the mornings when i turn on my car, it turns on fine but then it starts to want to die. I starts going below 500 rpms. when it goes below, i can hear like a popping sound under my car. like a big popcorn popping. it freaks me out so i need to know what it is so i can fix that problem. oh also when it makes that noise, it kinda smells like something is burning afterwards.

 

can someone help me out?? kinda wanna fix this issue :/

 

Hi John ~

Yeah, no one seems to want to jump on this one quite yet. I believe you're going to have to give them a bit more info to help you out here.

1. How cold is cold?
2. Does this only happen when the engine is cold?
3. Does this condition (or any other) appear when the car is warmed up, too?
4. Do you have any drivabilty issues (loss of power, stuttering, uneven idle, dying at stop signs, going into Limp Mode, etc) ?
5. Can you narrow down where the "popping" sounds are coming from? (front engine bay, under the passenger compartment, out the tailpipes) ?
6. Can you narrow down where the "burning smell" is coming from? (front engine bay, under the passenger compartment, out the tailpipes) ?
7. About how loud is the noise? Is it constant, or only after you turn it off?
8. How intense is the odor? Is it constant, or only after you turn it off?
9. Do you see any smoke or excess vapor coming out of the tailpipes? When warm or when cold?
10. Have you had any work done to the car recently?
11. Have you added any fuel or oil additives recently?
12. Did this condition just suddenly appear, or did it develop over time?
13. Is the Check Engine Light (CEL) on?
14. If "Yes", the CEL is on - have you had the Codes read? What are they, if any?
15. What size engine, a 2.5 or 3.0?
16. What kind of mileage?
17. What kind of fuel are you using? (Premium? Gas/Alcohol Mix?)
18. Did this start happening after a Fill-Up?

There are probably some other questions that other forum members might wish to ask in order to help you, but this is a pretty good start.

Where the "popping" sound is coming from might be one of the most important. Using a length of hose, hold one end to your ear and use the other end to attempt to locate the source.

The fine folks here will be able to help you, they just need a bit more info!

Best of Luck!

(My vote, with the little info you gave us, would be water in the gas from using Gasohol. The alcohol in the gas will suck near it's own weight in water right out of the atmosphere)

~Bruce