There are several reasons why engines knock, and we are going to discuss all of them below. The important thing is to bring your automobile into the Boulevard Auto Repair as soon as possible if the engine is knocking. Unfortunately, one of the causes of engine knock can damage your engine severely. Let’s talk about the reasons why engines knock below.
A Fuel Mixture Heavy With Air
Air and fuel are detonated in the cylinders by the spark plugs. This creates a tiny fireball in each cylinder to generate combustion. If there is too much air in each cylinder because the fuel mixture is lean, instead of just one fireball, you will get numerous fireballs. This is what makes the engine knock.
A Malfunctioning Knock Sensor
Your vehicle has a sensor in the engine that was manufactured to detect if there is knocking in the combustion chamber. If this sensor goes bad, it will be unable to alert the main computer chip that the combustion chamber needs adjustments to the air and fuel to prevent the engine from knocking.
Fuel With a Low Octane Rating
Another thing that will cause multiple fireballs in the cylinders is fuel that has an octane rating that is lower than what is recommended for your engine. For example, you cannot use 87-octane fuel in a high-performance engine that requires fuel with an octane rating of 91.
Spark Plugs That Are Misfiring
Sometimes, worn spark plugs or a faulty main computer chip can make your engine knock. This is because the spark plugs are firing out of sequence and too many times. Consequently, you end up with multiple fireballs in the cylinders. A faulty computer chip can fire the spark plugs incorrectly.
Rod Bearings That Are Worn Out
As we mentioned above, one cause of engine knock can cause serious engine damage. This cause is worn rod bearings. If the bearings in your automobile have worn out, the rods are unable to move the pistons up and down inside the cylinders smoothly. Consequently, the pistons will damage the cylinder walls.
A Loose Engine Accessory Belt
Finally, your engine may not be knocking at all. If your accessory belt is loose, the knocking sound that you hear could be the belt flapping instead of rotating smoothly. Replacing the belt or tightening the pulley can solve the problem.
Boulevard Auto Repair is the best auto service shop in Sherman Oaks, CA, so call us today if your engine is making knocking sounds.
