HELP with diagnosis please! (popping noise from engine, white smok

[Chris_in_NH]

i posted this over at PPBB, but i figured i should post it here too.

i've been having some issues with my 97 lately (88K miles).

-for the past few months, i've been getting dramatic hesitation upon acceleration when cold. never rev past 3500 rpms when cold. when car warms up, it's fine.

-have had 1123/1125 and 1128/1130 codes in the past.

-i've cleaned the MAF a few times which seemed to resolve the hesitation briefly, but it always returned. it is the original MAF.

-symptoms worsened over the last 3 days.

*first day, lots of white smoke upon startup.

*second day, lots of white smoke at startup and idle all over the place.

*third day (today), lots of white smoke at startup, idle all over the place, stalling, and upon moving the car, a muffled 'popping' noise similar to popcorn popped in a pan with the lid on, when driving the car up the driveway. (i pressed the gas, and it made a few pops, i pressed the gas harder and the engine revved OK with no popping noises, i let out the clutch, got to top of driveway and car stalled. have not started it since.)

i am planning on replacing the Air Oil Separator on Sunday. i'm also ordering a new MAF, which will be installed Sunday. i am really afraid to start the car again, and want to know if anyone has an idea of what is going on.

does this sound like a failed A/OS? failed MAF? anything else i should be looking at/considering? i read an archives post at PPBB that said the popping could be due to a dirty throttle body. i believe the heavy white smoke is most likely the A/OS, but i'm not sure at all and figured i would ask the experts!

thanks!

[vfxbox]

i posted this over at PPBB, but i figured i should post it here too.

i've been having some issues with my 97 lately (88K miles).

-for the past few months, i've been getting dramatic hesitation upon acceleration when cold. never rev past 3500 rpms when cold. when car warms up, it's fine.

-have had 1123/1125 and 1128/1130 codes in the past.

-i've cleaned the MAF a few times which seemed to resolve the hesitation briefly, but it always returned. it is the original MAF.

-symptoms worsened over the last 3 days.

*first day, lots of white smoke upon startup.

*second day, lots of white smoke at startup and idle all over the place.

*third day (today), lots of white smoke at startup, idle all over the place, stalling, and upon moving the car, a muffled 'popping' noise similar to popcorn popped in a pan with the lid on, when driving the car up the driveway. (i pressed the gas, and it made a few pops, i pressed the gas harder and the engine revved OK with no popping noises, i let out the clutch, got to top of driveway and car stalled. have not started it since.)

i am planning on replacing the Air Oil Separator on Sunday. i'm also ordering a new MAF, which will be installed Sunday. i am really afraid to start the car again, and want to know if anyone has an idea of what is going on.

does this sound like a failed A/OS? failed MAF? anything else i should be looking at/considering? i read an archives post at PPBB that said the popping could be due to a dirty throttle body. i believe the heavy white smoke is most likely the A/OS, but i'm not sure at all and figured i would ask the experts!

thanks!

Bring your car to repair shop and replace oil seperator.

[Chris_in_NH]

Bring your car to repair shop and replace oil seperator.

i'm going to do it myself with a friend's help. that's what you think it is, then? has this happened to you or someone you know?

thanks.

[986Jim]

Poping from the exhaust means your ignition timing is seriously retarded, if your maf is toast thats why it's doing that and not when your stepping on it as timing will dip then advance normally as you approach redline at WOT. Your car ignores most of the ECU signals and runs closed loop at WOT and the MAF is reading mass volumes of air. Generally a maf never fails reading at wot it's part throttle where they always have trouble.

[adsach]

Chris - try a search on this forum for MAF DISCONNECT

There have been many posts on unplugging your MAF and driving (as a diagnostic test.)