Understanding what can cause misfires in your car’s engine can help you to avoid those issues. Or, if you’re noticing knocks, pings, and misfiring, you’ll at least know what to look for. Here’s what L&D Automotive wants you to know.
A Dirty Fuel Filter
Your car needs a fuel filter because fuel isn’t as clean as it looks. Also, your car’s gas tank tends to have sediment that mixes in with the gas. Most of the sediment gets caught in the fuel filter, but if the filter is clogged or dirty then sediment gets through the filter and into the engine. It’s not supposed to be there, and when the sediment burns up in the combustion process it causes misfires.
Problems with the Fuel Pump
The fuel pump itself can contribute to misfiring, too. If the fuel pump isn’t working properly, it may not pick up the right amount of fuel. That can lead to sputtering when there isn’t enough gas getting into the engine. If the fuel pump is having a lot of trouble, it might fail completely, which is another big problem.
Fuel Injector Issues
Your car needs fuel injectors to spray fuel into the combustion chamber. Clogged, dirty, or malfunctioning fuel injectors can’t do the job. That leads to less fuel than expected making it into the engine, which causes misfires and a host of other issues as well.
Malfunctioning Sensors
Your car’s engine has a range of different sensors in different spots, listening for different data. If any of those sensors aren’t working properly, then the engine control module gets inaccurate information and isn’t controlling functions in the engine the way that it should.
Problems with Spark
Another issue that causes misfires can be issues with spark plugs and the spark they give off. Whether it’s the wiring or the plugs themselves, lack of spark or a mistimed spark means that combustion may not happen fully. When that happens, you’re likely to hear sputtering or other signs of misfiring, like knocks and pings.
If you’re noticing signs of misfires in your car’s engine, you don’t have to just put up with the poor performance. In fact, if you do so, you’re just paving the way for future engine damage. Contact us today at L&D Automotive in Lavon, TX, so that we can diagnose the issue for you. We’ll help you to determine the cause of your car’s engine woes so that you can put the right solution in place.