Interesting and entertaining suggestions....
An older couple owned my car before me. He died, she still lives. Perhaps he is haunting the car....maybe he was a gambler....
The engine flutters on a cold start....never particularly paid attention or noticed it on warm starts. It reminds me of a valve opening and closing repeatedly. Perhaps this is better than the card analogy.....I doubt it's the fan....belt.....etc....it seems specific to the engine.....It's probably fine....I just never noticed it on the '98 Escort. This car, a '99 SE, starts much rougher....and some of it may be IAC related since it seems to have failed for good...