engine popping noise, mostly at idle

[hueyhoolihan]

i'm experiencing a lot of popping noises from the engine when at idle. even from a cold start. at first i thought it was coming from misfires, but recently i'm suspecting they are not misfires.

my thoughts are that i've got a leak in my exhaust system and the popping is simply unburnt fuel in the exhaust gases meeting up with oxygen being brought into the exhaust system by the leak.



any thoughts on popping and it's sources?