Whether you are commuting to work or embarking on a cross-country journey, when you drive your car, you expect to hear only good noises under the hood. If your car’s normally serene purr has turned into a sinister growl, complete with the occasional misfire, you need to find the problem fast.
Issues with misfiring and other engine problems will only get worse over time, and the longer you wait, the more severe the damage will be. You can start by learning about why engines misfire in the first place, and once you know the cause, you can work on fixing it once and for all.
A Number of Causes
As with so many automotive problems, engine misfires can be caused by a number of things. If your engine has recently started misfiring, it is best to work through each possible cause one by one.
Eliminating the possible causes in a systematic manner will make the diagnostic repair process easier for you and your mechanic. Here are some of the most likely causes of a misfiring engine.
Faulty Spark Plugs
Faulty spark plugs are common in engine misfires, and that should be the first thing you check. If you recently changed the spark plugs in your car and now your engine is misfiring, you most likely have your answer right there.
It is possible that only one of the spark plugs is faulty, so replace each one and test the engine performance. Once the misfiring goes away, you will have found your problem.
Cracked Spark Plug Wires
The wires that hold the spark plugs in place can also cause your engine to misfire. If your spark plugs test out good but the engine misfires continue, you should check your spark plug wires for cracks or other visible damage.
It is not always easy to spot cracks in a spark plug wire, so run your hands over them and feel for any imperfections. If the spark plug wires appear to be good, try swapping them out one by one to see if the misfiring goes away. The spark plug wire could be faulty even if it looks fine visually.
The Fuel Delivery System
Engine misfires are caused by two things – spark and fuel. If the spark plugs and wires are fine, the problem must lie with the fuel delivery system.
It may take the diagnostic capabilities of your mechanic to find the source of the fuel system problem, so it is best to let the experts take it from here. Just let your mechanic know you have already tested the spark plugs and wires, so the technician can focus on other possible sources of the engine misfire.
