1.   Our military machine is sputtering like a worn-out tank.

2.   Suddenly, a nearby breathing machine for infants sputtered to a halt.

3.   The Conner machine was sputtering by the first mark and seemed unable to get into the passing lane anywhere along the way.

4.   Fujimori political machine sputters in Peru.

5.   Their one-time precision machine has sputtered too often of late.