Car Dies When Stops; Excudes Burning Smell from Exhaust; Can I drive to on road trip today?
 

I have a 93 Altima that, beginning last night, is often dying when I stop
at a stop light. The RPM needle is low and jumps quite a bit -- it also
excudes an awful burning smell out of the exhaust. Generally, when I'm
accelerating, it's okay -- but a couple occassions today, I noticed the
needle jumping quite a bit when I'm going 30-40 MPH.

Also, the past few weeks I noticed the engine doesn't heat up well --
usually when I turn the heater on, the engine cools off and doesn't blow
out much heat. Don't know if it's related. The oil is a pinkish color --
not light brown. It was changed about a month ago. The distributor and
spark plugs are new -- only a few months old.

I need to drive from Chicago from Milwaukee later today. No mechanics
open on new year's. any tips? advice?

kalexand33 a écrit :
> I have a 93 Altima that, beginning last night, is often dying when I stop
> at a stop light. The RPM needle is low and jumps quite a bit -- it also
> excudes an awful burning smell out of the exhaust. Generally, when I'm
> accelerating, it's okay -- but a couple occassions today, I noticed the
> needle jumping quite a bit when I'm going 30-40 MPH.
>
> Also, the past few weeks I noticed the engine doesn't heat up well --
> usually when I turn the heater on, the engine cools off and doesn't blow
> out much heat. Don't know if it's related. The oil is a pinkish color --
> not light brown. It was changed about a month ago. The distributor and
> spark plugs are new -- only a few months old.
>
> I need to drive from Chicago from Milwaukee later today. No mechanics
> open on new year's. any tips? advice?
>

Man I would not be driving a car with pinkish oil.

Nor one that doesn't idle.

Or smells of "burning".

And why is the engine r/min changing at 30-40 mi/h?

Not good.

I think you may have headgasket problems. Which is not financially
friendly if you take it to a mechanic.

This burning smell, it is sweet, yes?

What is level of coolant? Probably empty by now.

--
----------------------
http://www.saab-900.tk
The Saab Tech Resource
----------------------

kalexand33 a écrit :
> I have a 93 Altima that, beginning last night, is often dying when I stop
> at a stop light. The RPM needle is low and jumps quite a bit -- it also
> excudes an awful burning smell out of the exhaust. Generally, when I'm
> accelerating, it's okay -- but a couple occassions today, I noticed the
> needle jumping quite a bit when I'm going 30-40 MPH.
>
> Also, the past few weeks I noticed the engine doesn't heat up well --
> usually when I turn the heater on, the engine cools off and doesn't blow
> out much heat. Don't know if it's related. The oil is a pinkish color --
> not light brown. It was changed about a month ago. The distributor and
> spark plugs are new -- only a few months old.
>
> I need to drive from Chicago from Milwaukee later today. No mechanics
> open on new year's. any tips? advice?
>

Man I would not be driving a car with pinkish oil.

Nor one that doesn't idle.

Or smells of "burning".

And why is the engine r/min changing at 30-40 mi/h?

Not good.

I think you may have headgasket problems. Which is not financially
friendly if you take it to a mechanic.

This burning smell, it is sweet, yes?

What is level of coolant? Probably empty by now.

--
----------------------
http://www.saab-900.tk
The Saab Tech Resource
----------------------

On Sat, 1 Jan 2005, kalexand33 wrote:

> I have a 93 Altima that, beginning last night, is often dying when I
> stop at a stop light. The RPM needle is low and jumps quite a bit -- it
> also excudes an awful burning smell out of the exhaust. Also, the past
> few weeks I noticed the engine doesn't heat up well -- usually when I
> turn the heater on, the engine cools off and doesn't blow out much heat.
> Don't know if it's related. The oil is a pinkish color -- not light
> brown.

Sounds very much as if your car has blown a head gasket and/or has a
cracked head.

> I need to drive from Chicago from Milwaukee later today. No mechanics
> open on new year's. any tips? advice?

You're likely to cook the car on that trip.

DS

On Sat, 1 Jan 2005, kalexand33 wrote:

> I have a 93 Altima that, beginning last night, is often dying when I
> stop at a stop light. The RPM needle is low and jumps quite a bit -- it
> also excudes an awful burning smell out of the exhaust. Also, the past
> few weeks I noticed the engine doesn't heat up well -- usually when I
> turn the heater on, the engine cools off and doesn't blow out much heat.
> Don't know if it's related. The oil is a pinkish color -- not light
> brown.

Sounds very much as if your car has blown a head gasket and/or has a
cracked head.

> I need to drive from Chicago from Milwaukee later today. No mechanics
> open on new year's. any tips? advice?

You're likely to cook the car on that trip.

DS

"kalexand33" wrote:
> I have a 93 Altima that, beginning last night, is often dying when I stop
> at a stop light. The RPM needle is low and jumps quite a bit -- it also
> exudes an awful burning smell out of the exhaust. Generally, when I'm
> accelerating, it's okay -- but a couple occasions today, I noticed the
> needle jumping quite a bit when I'm going 30-40 MPH.
>
> Also, the past few weeks I noticed the engine doesn't heat up well --
> usually when I turn the heater on, the engine cools off and doesn't blow
> out much heat. Don't know if it's related. The oil is a pinkish color --
> not light brown. It was changed about a month ago. The distributor and
> spark plugs are new -- only a few months old.
>
> I need to drive from Chicago from Milwaukee later today. No mechanics
> open on new year's. any tips? advice?
>
I wouldn't chance it. When it finally gives up the ghost in the middle of nowhere, you will be
stuck with the smell.

"kalexand33" wrote:
> I have a 93 Altima that, beginning last night, is often dying when I stop
> at a stop light. The RPM needle is low and jumps quite a bit -- it also
> exudes an awful burning smell out of the exhaust. Generally, when I'm
> accelerating, it's okay -- but a couple occasions today, I noticed the
> needle jumping quite a bit when I'm going 30-40 MPH.
>
> Also, the past few weeks I noticed the engine doesn't heat up well --
> usually when I turn the heater on, the engine cools off and doesn't blow
> out much heat. Don't know if it's related. The oil is a pinkish color --
> not light brown. It was changed about a month ago. The distributor and
> spark plugs are new -- only a few months old.
>
> I need to drive from Chicago from Milwaukee later today. No mechanics
> open on new year's. any tips? advice?
>
I wouldn't chance it. When it finally gives up the ghost in the middle of nowhere, you will be
stuck with the smell.

kalexand33 wrote:
> I have a 93 Altima that, beginning last night, is often dying when I stop
> at a stop light. The RPM needle is low and jumps quite a bit -- it also
> excudes an awful burning smell out of the exhaust. Generally, when I'm
> accelerating, it's okay -- but a couple occassions today, I noticed the
> needle jumping quite a bit when I'm going 30-40 MPH.
>
> Also, the past few weeks I noticed the engine doesn't heat up well --
> usually when I turn the heater on, the engine cools off and doesn't blow
> out much heat. Don't know if it's related. The oil is a pinkish color --
> not light brown. It was changed about a month ago. The distributor and
> spark plugs are new -- only a few months old.
>
> I need to drive from Chicago from Milwaukee later today. No mechanics
> open on new year's. any tips? advice?

Pinkish oil is a symptom that you have coolant water leaking into your oil
system. Don't drive that car another foot until you have it towed in and
fixed. If you do, you may very well turn a $300 problem into a $5,000
problem.

(Added crosspost to rec.autos.tech, which is where this question belongs.)

kalexand33 wrote:
> I have a 93 Altima that, beginning last night, is often dying when I stop
> at a stop light. The RPM needle is low and jumps quite a bit -- it also
> excudes an awful burning smell out of the exhaust. Generally, when I'm
> accelerating, it's okay -- but a couple occassions today, I noticed the
> needle jumping quite a bit when I'm going 30-40 MPH.
>
> Also, the past few weeks I noticed the engine doesn't heat up well --
> usually when I turn the heater on, the engine cools off and doesn't blow
> out much heat. Don't know if it's related. The oil is a pinkish color --
> not light brown. It was changed about a month ago. The distributor and
> spark plugs are new -- only a few months old.
>
> I need to drive from Chicago from Milwaukee later today. No mechanics
> open on new year's. any tips? advice?

Pinkish oil is a symptom that you have coolant water leaking into your oil
system. Don't drive that car another foot until you have it towed in and
fixed. If you do, you may very well turn a $300 problem into a $5,000
problem.

(Added crosspost to rec.autos.tech, which is where this question belongs.)