It sputters in its lurid nimbus-gets bronchitis on its own account, tries to cough its tubes clear and fails.
"Somehow Good"
William de Morgan
Between the sputters of light were spaces of darkness; these were; filled in by the faint guarded rustling.
"Ashton-Kirk, Investigator"
John T. McIntyre
Suddenly one cylinder gave a weak kick, and then came a spasmodic succession of sputters, with long waits between.
"Grenfell: Knight-Errant of the North"
Fullerton Waldo