exhaust backfire

Rus

RustyRatRod said

So to the OP, have you done anything yet or are all we are doing battin it around on a forum? you started this on the 28th. It's the 1st. Just wondering what progress you've made?

Or let me guess. You haven't had time. Somebody stole the car. The dog ate it. You lost it. The car's not where you are.

I'm just bein funny, but that's what we get all the time. Try to help somebody and suddenly the problem they thought was so critical has a two week waiting period.

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Rusty-I love this! A little good-natured ball busting really makes me feel like I belong. Seriously, I am really impressed by the enthusiasm of this group. I apologize that my posts have been brief and infrequent over the last several days. I have been working way too much but hope to make some progress this weekend.
I fired up the car 2 days ago for the first time this year. Problem persists, but it was backfiring out the driver side!!!???
Did I hallucinate that it was the passenger side all last summer? The backfires were much less frequent though. Maybe 1 every 5 minutes or so. I think because it was cold out? So it was tough to say if it was ONLY the driver’s side. So now I am not worried about that slight header leak.
Another thing (and this is an important detail I forgot to mention to you.). It always is worse when the car is idling low. If I have my foot on the gas and keep it at 11 or 1200 RPMs, it backfires less. With the car in gear and the rpm dipping between six and 800, it backfires more. My brilliant buddy asked if maybe my voltage is dropping, and the ignition box can’t do it’s job if the voltage gets too low. I think he may be on to something. Alternator looks ancient. Maybe at idle the alternator just can’t get it done...? I thank you all again for your knowledge, patience, and humor. I will be looking into this tomorrow. This is a great group!!!
-Jay