Car sizzles when I shut it off...

Smeech

Member

Feb 28, 2004

148

1

16

Fremont, Ca

Jul 8, 2005

#1

• Jul 8, 2005

• #1

I noticed this once before but a lot today. For a few minutes after turning off my car, I hear a sizzling noise. The A/C or defrost isn't on, so it isn't condensation... and its 70 degrees out. It sounds like its coming from inside the cats on my Mac H-pipe! Do cats tend to sizzle...? Water will come out from my tailpipes on a cold morning, but that's it... the stang's running fine... just kind of tripping me out...

EDIT: its not consistently sizzling, just sizzles here and there...

 

streetstang03

unModerator

Dec 27, 2003

0

1

0

the dark side of the moon/home of the 1999, 2003,

Jul 8, 2005

#2

• Jul 8, 2005

• #2

its the condensation from the A/C lines dripping onto the cats. dont worry..its normal

 

Smeech

Member

Feb 28, 2004

148

1

16

Fremont, Ca

Jul 8, 2005

#3

• Jul 8, 2005

• #3

Even if the A/C hasn't been used for a few days?

 

02LaserRed2V

New Member

Jul 30, 2004

379

1

0

Augusta, GA

Jul 8, 2005

#4

• Jul 8, 2005

• #4

Yeah, it freaked me out the first time. I even made a thread panicking over it lol

 

Mossberg

Active Member

Jul 21, 2003

0

1

36

ATL, Shawty

Jul 8, 2005

#5

• Jul 8, 2005

• #5

It must be normal since mine does it too.

 

timeless2

Vi Veri Veni Versum Vicus Vici

Admin Dude

Nov 29, 1999

1,366

202

154

the Shadow Gallery

Jul 8, 2005

#6

• Jul 8, 2005

• #6

Sometimes what you hear is coolant still trying to flow because of heat convection. When you shut your car off, it ceases to pass coolant through normal cooling routes and the motor's heat causes pockets of coolant to rise in temp. This rise in temp varies with other coolant (which is probably close in temp to where your thermostat is configured) and tries to rise/escape. This causes a swirling or turbulent effect inside coolant lines and housings (heater core, radiator, etc). What you hear is that movement.

Don't believe me? Go SCUBA diving on a reef where there is geothermal activity and underwater geysers. You'll actually see movement and feel water movement. Pretty neat stuff.

Sorry for the long post and I am assuming you haven't hit puddles, ran the A/C, power washed the engine bay, or dumped Mountain Dew down your defroster ducts.

 

csledd

Official Ovary Punching Member

Founding Member

Aug 18, 2001

1,115

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0

Paducah, KY

Jul 8, 2005

#7

• Jul 8, 2005

• #7

Just ignore the sizzle.

After I drive my car and get out and shut the door if theres been dew or rain it splashes up against my headers and sizzles. It's pretty loud too lol. It also scared me the first time, not its kinda cool sounding lol.

 

hauoli63

New Member

Feb 28, 2004

178

0

0

Northern Virginia

Jul 8, 2005

#8

• Jul 8, 2005

• #8

Yeah, I have the same thing. Scared me so bad, I made my husband look under the car while I shut the door a few times ... he thought it was funny!

 

T

tjm73

Founding Member

Aug 3, 2000

2,418

2

48

Rush, NY

Jul 8, 2005

#9

• Jul 8, 2005

• #9

There's a rubber flap that can cause this sound as cabin air pressure is equalized through it when you clsoe the door. My '98 does it all the time. Nothing to worry about.

 

hauoli63

New Member

Feb 28, 2004

178

0

0

Northern Virginia

Jul 8, 2005

#10

• Jul 8, 2005

• #10

Mine was condensation dripping on the exhaust ... had the top down and the ac running because it was hot!

 

SonicBlueBabe

New Member

Sep 20, 2003

289

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0

Boca Raton, FL

Jul 8, 2005

#11

• Jul 8, 2005

• #11

02LaserRed2V said:

Yeah, it freaked me out the first time. I even made a thread panicking over it lol

Click to expand...

LOL, I freaked out at first too, now me and my friends call it the snake under the car. Kinda sounds like a snake

 

todd4566

Founding Member

May 24, 2000

1,075

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36

California

Jul 8, 2005

#12

• Jul 8, 2005

• #12

I love these kind of posts. It reminds me of just how many different sounds my car makes. I have squeeks over some bumps, the occasional sizzle when i close the door, a particular squeek when i turn right after backing up in the morning, and a rare air conditioning related "pssssssht" sound if I turn the AC on immediately after I start driving on a hot day.

 

lgndracer

New Member

Feb 21, 2004

393

0

0

Sumner, WA

Jul 9, 2005

#13

• Jul 9, 2005

• #13

Mine does it too. I especially notice it when I park it in the garage, get out of it, and close the door. Then I get the "sizzle".