Car CPR

March 9, 2008 6:16 PM

So after cleaning my car out of a snowbank and driving it about 100 yards the car just dies. It eventually restarts but a big BOOM seemed to come out of the exhaust as I start moving again. Did I break my car?

So we had a big snowstorm this weekend, and I spent the afternoon shovelling my car out of a snowbank. I did a pretty thorough job, even cleaning what I could under the body.

This evening I needed to move the car, and as I was driving down the street, the car just died as I was hitting the brakes. For what it is worth, I was driving pretty slow but I didn't really "warm up" the car although I did spend at least 45 seconds manuvering out of my parking space.

The car would not start for a few minutes. Then finally after turning the key and holding it in the "starting" position for about 15 seconds, the engine finally started. As I started off, a big BOOM came out - it sounded like it was coming from the exhaust (although I can't be too sure), and while I drove back, it seemed like the car sounded louder but weaker than normal.

It is very possible that there still was some snow stuck under the car. Could this have had the reported effect? Did I kill my car? What was that boom? Is it safe to drive?

A few facts:

- Daewoo Lanos 2000
- Parked since Friday night (it is Sunday night now)
- Current temperature is about 15 degrees F
- I did a complete job clearing out the snow. The "exit path" from where I parked to the street was clear of snow. There were no piles of snow to drive through. I cleared everything.
- The car has never been affected by cold weather. It has always started even at temperatures way lower than this
- The only time the car "stalled" was during a flood, where I think some water might have touched the wiring, but it was OK a few minutes later.

posted by bitteroldman to travel & transportation (13 comments total)

I think your exhaust pipe was severely blocked.
posted by sourwookie at 6:18 PM on March 9, 2008

hmm... on further thought, could it be that there was snow stuck in the exhaust?
posted by bitteroldman at 6:19 PM on March 9, 2008

we think alike sourwookie!
posted by bitteroldman at 6:20 PM on March 9, 2008

What you're describing is how a car acts if you pull the old prank of cramming a potato into the exhaust pipe, so I think that the above posters are right.
posted by Class Goat at 6:30 PM on March 9, 2008

ya, snow in the tailpipe - should be fine now
posted by Salvatorparadise at 6:56 PM on March 9, 2008

When digging the car out of the snowbank, you want to make sure the tailpipe is clear before starting the ignition -- especially if you have the car running while you're clearing it.

In this study carbon monoxide levels inside a car running while in a snowbank reached lethal levels in two and a half minutes.
posted by winston at 7:35 PM on March 9, 2008

Nthing snow in the tailpipe. A somewhat popular prank during my young adulthood in northern MN.

First time it happened to me was with my moms car a couple weeks after I had my license. That was a panic stricken phone call home from a pay phone. My dad chiselled out the snow with a screwdriver, and gave me no end of shit about it.

Ahh, life in a northern town.
posted by Pogo_Fuzzybutt at 7:43 PM on March 9, 2008

If the car sounds louder than normal now, the BOOM might also have broken your tailpipe, muffler, etc., or just pushed a pipe joint apart when pressure built up in the blocked tailpipe. It's worth having the exhaust system checked out when you have a chance. (Actually, I wonder if such a leak would be likely to leak CO into the passenger compartment — I don't think so, but if it did, it could be distinctly fatal. If you start getting headaches and drowsiness while driving, that's a bad sign.)
posted by hattifattener at 7:45 PM on March 9, 2008

Yes, that's exactly what could happen. You need to get your exhaust checked ASAP. Those Daewoo exhausts are teh suk anyway.
posted by Doohickie at 8:09 PM on March 9, 2008

lucky it didn't blow the car apart
posted by Salvatorparadise at 8:47 PM on March 9, 2008

The engine runs by combining oxygen with fuel. When the exhaust is blocked, it can't get out and so fresh oxygen-bearing air can't get in. This is why the car stopped. After you blew out (part) of the obstruction, the engine was able to run again.

To check if your exhaust pipes are leaking, start the engine and leave it in idle. Block the tail pipe (taking care not to breathe any exhaust in). If there is no leak, the exhaust will once again back up and stop the engine. If the engine does not stop, you have a leak in the exhaust pipes.
posted by orthogonality at 11:22 PM on March 9, 2008

Everybody wins! It was the tailpipe. I did blow something though. The motor is a lot lower sounding - going to the garage tomorrow. Driving with the window open. Thanks to all for your help!
posted by bitteroldman at 4:50 PM on March 10, 2008

Driving with the window open

I don't know of any reason to believe that there's still a risk of carbon monoxide in the car (not that I'm an expert), but if you are concerned about CO in the car, you should not drive it at all. In the study I linked above, it took 7.5 minutes for the CO levels in the car to reach lethal levels when the windows were open.
posted by winston at 1:07 PM on March 11, 2008