It’s frustrating when your car’s engine starts to sputter. You might not even be sure that’s what it is at first since a sputtering engine can seem as if you just don’t have enough gas. Allman’s Automotive cautions, though, that ignoring a sputtering engine can lead to some pretty bad engine damage. Here’s what might be going on.
Faulty Fuel Pump
Your fuel pump’s job is to siphon fuel from the tank and send it along to the fuel injectors. If the fuel pump isn’t running well, fuel pressure drops because it’s not pulling the right amount of fuel into the fuel lines. Not enough fuel for the engine means sputtering.
Clogged Fuel Filter
The fuel filter makes sure that the gas that travels from the tank to your car’s engine is as free of gunk as possible. When the filter is clogged, the fuel pressure drops significantly. That leads to engine sputtering.
Malfunctioning Oxygen Sensor or Mass Airflow Sensor
The oxygen sensor and the mass airflow sensor work together to make sure that the right amount of oxygen is in the engine and ready to mix with fuel and spark. If either or both of these sensors aren’t working properly, your engine is starved for oxygen. That causes sputtering and other issues.
Dirty Fuel Injectors
Fuel injectors are responsible for spraying fuel into the different combustion chambers in the engine cylinders. The sprayed fuel mixes with air and then that combination is hit with a spark that causes combustion. The tiny injectors can get clogged eventually, leading to sputtering when there’s not the right mix of fuel.
Malfunctioning Spark Plugs
Spark plugs are the critical third step in the air, fuel, spark mix that makes combustion engines work. When they’re not firing properly or at all, there’s no “boom,” or the boom is mistimed. That can cause engine sputtering.
Failing Catalytic Converter
The catalytic converter is a crucial piece in the exhaust system. Over time, it too can get clogged and there are also parts that eventually fail as the part ages. If the catalytic converter isn’t properly filtering harmful gases out of the exhaust, those fumes back up into the engine and cause sputtering.
Experiencing engine sputtering, misfiring, or other issues? Give us a call at Allman’s Automotive in Groveland, MA. We can diagnose exactly what’s causing the problem in your engine and put together a repair solution for you.