# 2006 Pontiac torrent Rough Start & Popping Noise **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** pontiac, torrent\ **Created:** [May 15, 2020, 1:17am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2006-pontiac-torrent-rough-start-popping-noise/164324 "2020-05-15T01:17:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ben-Zaleschuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8dc957/32.png) [@Ben-Zaleschuk](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Ben-Zaleschuk)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2020, 1:17am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2006-pontiac-torrent-rough-start-popping-noise/164324/1 "2020-05-15T01:17:53Z")
Hi all, I have a 2006 Pontiac torrent that has been occasionally having a very rough start. It sounds like an explosion in the engine and then after starting I typically hear a couple popping noises. Due to this I had changed out the spark plugs and wires, as I thought it might be a spark plug not firing as they were fairly rusted and looked original to the car that had 130,000 km on it. After changing over it seemed to be fine for a bit and running a lot smoother, but now I am having the same rough start and popping noises every now and then( I should mention that I have also cleaned out the MAF recently as well and replaced the air filter).It hasn’t activated a check engine light, so I am not sure if it’s just a fuel injection issue or not. If you guys have any ideas on it, I would be really grateful! Cheers! ---
**Author:** ![davepsinbox\_157004](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@davepsinbox\_157004](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davepsinbox_157004)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2020, 1:26am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2006-pontiac-torrent-rough-start-popping-noise/164324/2 "2020-05-15T01:26:28Z")
It sounds like the timing is off. Is the check engine light on? ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2020, 1:27am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2006-pontiac-torrent-rough-start-popping-noise/164324/3 "2020-05-15T01:27:54Z")
> [@Ben-Zaleschuk](#): > > .It hasn’t activated a check engine light, No. Tester ---
**Author:** ![Ben-Zaleschuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8dc957/32.png) [@Ben-Zaleschuk](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Ben-Zaleschuk)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2020, 1:30am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2006-pontiac-torrent-rough-start-popping-noise/164324/4 "2020-05-15T01:30:03Z")
No check engine light. I believe the last one was for the EGR and I had replaced it. ---
**Author:** ![Ben-Zaleschuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8dc957/32.png) [@Ben-Zaleschuk](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Ben-Zaleschuk)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2020, 1:33am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2006-pontiac-torrent-rough-start-popping-noise/164324/5 "2020-05-15T01:33:46Z")
Should also mention that I was having flooding issues prior to changing the plugs. Had to typically give it some gas to start periodically, but the issue has gone away since changing the plugs and wires ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2020, 1:45am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2006-pontiac-torrent-rough-start-popping-noise/164324/6 "2020-05-15T01:45:49Z")
Remove the oil dip stick and sniff if the oil is contaminated with gas. Tester ---
**Author:** ![Ben-Zaleschuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8dc957/32.png) [@Ben-Zaleschuk](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Ben-Zaleschuk)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2020, 1:50am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2006-pontiac-torrent-rough-start-popping-noise/164324/7 "2020-05-15T01:50:53Z")
I tried that as well. The oil seems fine. No real smell of gas. That’s why I’m pretty stumped on this one. ---
**Author:** ![Ben-Zaleschuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8dc957/32.png) [@Ben-Zaleschuk](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Ben-Zaleschuk)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2020, 1:52am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2006-pontiac-torrent-rough-start-popping-noise/164324/8 "2020-05-15T01:52:22Z")
I only run synthetic, so it’s usually that sweet oil smell. Also just changed it about 1k km ago though ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2020, 2:16am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2006-pontiac-torrent-rough-start-popping-noise/164324/9 "2020-05-15T02:16:31Z")
06 torrent has 3400 v6. They have plastic ribbed intake plenum gaskets that fail due to heat cycles. Maybe you have changed them? A failure can cause vacuum leaks and burning coolant which could cause a rough idle. Next is bad headgaskets which fail in a slow gradual decline in motor performance. ---
**Author:** ![Ben-Zaleschuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8dc957/32.png) [@Ben-Zaleschuk](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Ben-Zaleschuk)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2020, 2:47am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2006-pontiac-torrent-rough-start-popping-noise/164324/10 "2020-05-15T02:47:49Z")
It could be the head gasket actually. The last mechanic I took it to about 15k ago said it had a really slow leak. Haven’t noticed a huge reduction in oil at changes though. Coolant level has also been consistent for the last year, so that isn’t a concern to me. I haven’t smelled the burning coolant smell either, so I don’t think that’s the issue. ---
**Author:** ![Ben-Zaleschuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8dc957/32.png) [@Ben-Zaleschuk](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Ben-Zaleschuk)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2020, 11:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2006-pontiac-torrent-rough-start-popping-noise/164324/11 "2020-05-20T23:02:54Z")
So just an update. Took it into a mechanic and they still weren’t able to diagnose the issue. They tested the fuel pressure, spark, cleaned the MAF. They did a Terraclean fuel service to Decarbonize the system, so hoping that solves the issue. ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2020, 12:46am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2006-pontiac-torrent-rough-start-popping-noise/164324/12 "2020-05-21T00:46:30Z")
Hmm, describe “give it some gas”? You don’t have a carb. Pumping the gas pedal with the ignition off does nothing. Computer does not know you are pumping pedal. You crank motor, it starts. Holding the pedal at 1/2 depressed supposedly richens the mixture. Holding pedal to floor is supposed to lessen gas flow and remedy flooded conditions. If you have leaky injectors, you may have a rich condition at a warm start. Does it start the same when it sits overnight vs restarting after you go to store and motor is warm? ---
**Author:** ![Ben-Zaleschuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8dc957/32.png) [@Ben-Zaleschuk](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Ben-Zaleschuk)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2020, 5:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2006-pontiac-torrent-rough-start-popping-noise/164324/13 "2020-05-21T17:38:08Z")
What I mean by give it some gas is that it struggles to start so I have to push the pedal while turning it over in order for it to start. I have noticed that it typically happens on colder mornings and usually only if the car has been sitting for a bit. If I was to start after it just ran, I typically have no issues. ---
**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2020, 5:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2006-pontiac-torrent-rough-start-popping-noise/164324/14 "2020-05-21T17:52:40Z")
Colder mornings with dew? I would be looking at plug wires and distributor cap, distributor gasket and rotor if applicable. ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2020, 10:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2006-pontiac-torrent-rough-start-popping-noise/164324/15 "2020-05-21T22:51:20Z")
It has single coil pack. Like gm has used for 20+ yrs. no distributor. The rear bank plugs are a major pita to change. But OP says they were just done with new wires. Maybe wires were misrouted? I would manually clean the throttle bore. An induction cleaning service is not effective at that. The throttle is drive by wire so care should be taken to prevent the stepper motor from getting out of whack. Crud in the bore can affect starting performance. ---
**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2020, 12:36am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2006-pontiac-torrent-rough-start-popping-noise/164324/16 "2020-05-22T00:36:45Z")
I looked at parts available, listed was rotor distributor cap and wires, guess that happens on the internet.