A car engine misfires when one or more cylinders fail to produce power. An engine misfiring can cause a range of serious issues, from increased gas mileage and stalling to a surge in exhaust emissions and severe engine damage. Take your vehicle to your Mitsubishi dealer for repairs to avoid significant damage and high repair costs.
What Is a Misfire?
The heart of the internal combustion engine is its cylinders, each housing a piston that moves up and down, orchestrating four vital cycles. It all begins with the intake of a mixture of air and fuel into the combustion chamber. Next, the compressed mixture is ignited by a spark plug.
This ignition then triggers a powerful combustion that drives the piston downward, powering the crankshaft. A car misfires when one or more cylinders fail to generate power, often stemming from an inadequate spark or a lack of compression or fuel.
Why Does a Car Misfire?
Ignition Problems
The ignition coil powers the spark plugs; if it’s faulty, the spark plugs won’t receive enough electric current. If a spark plug generates a weak spark or fails to spark, the cylinder will not fire and fail to produce power.
Issues With the Air and Fuel Ratio
The fuel pump delivers gas to the engine. If the pump malfunctions, not enough fuel will reach the combustion chambers. A faulty or clogged injector, congested with residue and tiny carbon particles, will limit the amount of fuel available for combustion. Initially, misfires may occur infrequently, but as the residue accumulates and the injectors become more clogged, the misfires become more frequent.
A clogged fuel filter will obstruct fuel flow, and a leaking manifold gasket will cause the cylinders to draw in excess air, both of which will disrupt the air and fuel balance, creating a lean environment that could cause misfires.
Mechanical Failures
The piston rings act as a barrier, sealing the combustion chamber from the other parts of the engine. Piston rings allow vacuum and pressure buildup during the combustion process. Damaged piston rings could cause misfires. Intake and exhaust valves facilitate the entry of air and fuel into the combustion chamber and the exit of exhaust gases.
If you notice your Mitsubishi is losing power, shaking, vibrating, stalling, consuming more gas, or is difficult to start, head over to DELLA Mitsubishi in Plattsburgh, NY, today.
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