Loud *POP* - WTF???

Treachery

Founding Member
Jun 9, 2002
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17
I was driving to work doing 70mph, minding my own business (no really...), when suddenly i heard a loud *POP* from underneath the car in the passenger side. It came out of nowhere and there were no prior symptoms.

The first thing that came to mind was "*****! Blown head gasket! But how???"

Fortuneately, the head gasket is intact. My 93 GT idles fine, accelerate fine and drives fine. No coolant boil or anything. I checked my exhaust tubing for any ruptures or breaks in the welds. Tested OK. I took the car out and hit the gas.. tested OK.

I can only conclude that the passenger side header gasket has blown though there is no audible evidence to support this. Normally i would go ahead and replace the header gasket but we all know what a pain in the a*s removing the passenger side header can be.

Question: What could have cause this loud pop? What else is there to check? This has happened twice. Both times during normal driving. I did another check and all appears to be ok.

???
 
when was your last tune up..sometimes plugs and or wires, dist. caps ect.go bad thus not producing a spark or a premature or delayed spark in the combustion chamber the fuel and air vapor is expelled into the exhaust pipe where the hot exhaust system ignites the vapor causing the pop you hear...and this is just one of many possibilities but a more likely one....
 
What kinda pop? Any chances you're hitting a light bump, etc and have a motor mount on the outs (which is talkin to you)?

Good luck.
 
Id start simple like was said and check for any exhaust leaks that might be causing and "afterfire". I know all about those lovely little popping noises. Especially if youre upshifitng or coming to a stop in gear and the throttle plates closed, the car will be running rich and my IAC isnt compensating enough.
 
um check your timing, it culd be a pop from your intake wich is a result of running a little rich, i had my car at 10degress from the factory, im runnin an f303cam on stock heads haha and other bolts ons and my car was a sled until like 3000rpm, i advanced it to 12degress and what a ****in differnce, plus, good bye wierd popping.