I have a 96 Infiniti I30 that's a manual transmission. The car's been working great. The day or two after it dropped steadily to about 20-30 degrees max, the car engine began sounding very loud. At first it I thought the car just needed to warm up. The engine performs perfectly and there is no difference in driving.
When I drive, its now a booming loud sound (not a bad one, just the normal one louder) when I put my foot at the gas. If I take it off the gas, or push in the clutch (or in neutral), the car is silent like it normally is.
After a little bit, I can keep my foot on the gas to stay at the current speed and the car is back to normal. However if I try to speed up that's when it gets loud again. So when I get in and try to get to 30mph, it's real loud. After 5-10 minutes, staying at 30mph it becomes normal sounding. If i speed up to 40-50 it gets loud, but then equals out.
I'm not sure if it's because of the cold weather or coincidentally something is wrong (muffler?)
2007-01-22 08:48:18 · 4 answers · asked by navgs400 1 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
From a physics standpoint, most things contract or shrink when they get colder--except for water...anyway...
Sounds like some sort of seal, maybe the between the manifold and exhaust pipe is getting old and worn and shrinks enough to allow sound out before being muffled. When you run the car and it heats up a bit, what is left of the gasket expands and seals a little better. Or maybe even some of the metal parts involved.
Don't take my answer as definitive though, I normally work inside computers not cars. You may be able to get away with calling the Infiniti service dept and talking with a mechanic who will give you an actual answer other than "You should bring it in and let us check" [which means bring it to us and let us charge you money to tell you how much more money you're going to pay to actually fix the problem]. Good luck.
Or just wait for Saturday morning and call the "Click and Clack Brothers" of NPR's Car Talk Show.
2007-01-22 09:07:37 · answer #1 · answered by quntmphys238 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think you answered your own question, definitely sounds like the exhaust. It's worst when cold and under load, taking off or climbing a hill. You're at the early stage, a small leak maybe even just the tailpipe itself. I once lost the tailpipe and since the muffler was tucked under the car it was exhausting under the car not behind.
2007-01-22 17:16:06 · answer #2 · answered by wheeler 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
get the exhaust system checked out, a pipe or muffler has probably rusted through and probably has been ready to go but just a coicidence that it now went in the colder weather.
2007-01-22 21:21:24 · answer #3 · answered by mister ss 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sounds like an exhaust leak. Take it to any muffler shop, and they should be able to help you out.
2007-01-22 17:10:35 · answer #4 · answered by Doug K 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋