Here's some info on my car first. 2000 Contour SE V6 ATX about 63,500 miles on it. Not a lot of mods to the car. Have an SVT exhaust with the resonator replaced by a glass pack. MAF adapter and a K&N RU-3530 air filter. Optimized throttle body. I used ford racing ignition wires (9mm).
Description of what happened. I was driving at about 35MPH (so I think the ATX was in 3rd), not accelerating. I heard a loud POP noise from low in the engine bay, towards the firewall. An air popping kind of noise. Immediately after that loud pop I could hear a repeated puffing noise. The frequency of puffs is linked to RPM. As I let off the gas and pulled over the puffing slowed down. I noticed that the steering wheel was shaking as well. After I popped the hood I could see the engine shaking more than was normal. I shut the car off, and let it sit for a few minutes while I looked under the car. I couldn't see anything spilling out. Or any debris from something coming off, under or behind the car. I started the car again, and the puffing was there right away. I was about 20 feet from the driveway to where I work, so I pulled in there. There is a slight hill up to the house (about a 40 degree slope). I didn't push down on the accelerator much at all. The car seemed to have just as much power as before. No struggling. I parked and checked the tail pipes. I could feel exhaust coming out both of the pipes. I'm not sure how hard the exhaust should have been coming out though.
My roommate, who is much better with cars than I, is coming to look at it later today. Any help or advice is greatly apprecited.
Last edited by Taynar; 10/21/03 06:36 PM.
