SOT: problems running...

[smithma7 at yahoo.com (Mike Smith)]

OK, this concerns the Celica, but I think it would actually be a problem that could happen to any car.  On to the meat!
 
The car ran fine all last year.  I parked it for the winter.  Now, there's a sound like there's something rattling around in the engine (more on that in a moment), it seems to have no power, and  when I take it out of gear, it dies instantly.  On a side note, when I last started my pontiac, it ran like crap.  I took off the air filter cover (old school: big round one on top of carb) and the area was filled with accorns.  Damn squirrels!  If a squirrel had gotten in the exhaust of the celica, would it cause problems like this?  Especially if the exhaust is clogged?  As far as the rattle sound, the exhaust manifold comess off the front end of the engine and goes down between it and the radiator and on back.  The rattle is coming from the top of this area and to be honest sounds like something the size and density OF A F'ING ACCORN!  Need I say more?
 
Am I correct in thinking that some stupid squirrel or chipmunk stuffed the exhaust full of nest or accorns and this is what's causing all my running problems?
 
Mike
'86 red 16v


word (wûrd) 
interj. Slang. Used to express approval or an affirmative response to something. Sometimes used with up. Source
		
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