97 Sunfire...engine/several other issues?

Phillip, sounds like 2 different things. First, the idling problem is a vac leak. Probably a bad EGR valve. I usually just unplug the vac line going to it and plug the vac line with a screw. The car will immediatly run properly if this is the problem. Otherwise, I'd look at all of the vac lines. It takes about 10 years, but fumes from unleaded gasoline tend to dry-rot the rubber in the vac lines. They are probably hard and brittle. I'd start replacing them one at a time. Don't feel frustrated, I have to do the same thing to my 96 Subaru sometime soon....mine are shot too. It's common. Now, the pop...it's coming from one of the half-shafts. I would recommend replacing both. Make sure that you take a punch and mark the location of the struts and bolts so you don't have to re-align the front end. Good luck.