Diagnosing Different Types Of Engine Problems
Engine problems are always disconcerting. It’s all but impossible to tell at first glance what the issue is and how much it will cost to fix. If your water pump fails, you’ll have a good idea regarding the cost of a replacement. Same with a timing belt, alternator, and battery. Your engine is a completely different matter. Problems can cost very little (for example, a single failing spark plug might cause a misfire) or a lot (as is the case with a complete overhaul).
Even though there are hundreds of factors that can cause the assembly to perform poorly, the major issues can be categorized into three groups. In this article, I’ll explain how the air-fuel mixture, poor compression, and a lack of sufficient spark can impact the performance of your engine.
The Air-Fuel Mixture
The 4-stroke combustion process requires a certain air-fuel mixture in order to perform well. While your engine is constantly sucking in air, your car’s computer is instructing your fuel injectors to deliver a specific amount of gas. The air and gas are sent to the combustion chamber where the mixture is compressed and ignited.
There are a number of things that can go wrong. For example, you may run out of gas which starves the combustion chamber of fuel. Or, the air intake valve may fail, preventing air from entering the chamber. The injectors may be clogged, which prevents enough fuel from being delivered. Or, the gas may be contaminated. Each of these circumstances can influence your engine’s ability to operate.
Compression Problems
The air-fuel mixture enters the combustion chamber through the intake valve. Then, the valve closes, thereby sealing the chamber. A piston begins to rise, compressing the mix. Once the piston has risen most of the way, a spark plug ignites the compressed mix, and exhaust is allowed to escape through the exhaust valve.
A few things can impact the level of compression within the chamber. The intake and exhaust valves may fail to close. If that happens, the chamber won’t be completely sealed and the air-fuel mix cannot be compressed properly. The piston rings can be severely worn which can potentially allow the blend to leak from the chamber. A hole somewhere in the cylinder can also reduce the compression.
Igniting The Mix
As noted, a spark plug is necessary to generate the spark which ignites the compressed air-fuel mixture within the combustion chamber. If the spark plug fails, the mix cannot be ignited. If ignition is not achieved, vapor cannot be generated to push the piston downward and rotate the crankshaft. The turning of the crankshaft is necessary to produce propulsion for your vehicle.
Many other circumstances can affect whether your engine is able to perform efficiently. For example, a dead battery, worn bearings, and a lack of oil can leave you stranded just as effectively as the three problems described above. That said, issues related to the air-fuel mix, compression, and spark are usually the culprit.
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