Engine knocks are definitely annoying. If you’re hearing them more often lately or they’re louder than they used to be, that’s a sign that you need to pay attention to. The Auto Shop of Chapin has some information that can help you to narrow down what might be causing you to hear engine knocks coming from your car’s engine.
Malfunctioning Sensors
Your car’s engine relies on sensors to gather information to help reduce engine knocks. If any of those sensors aren’t working the way that they’re supposed to work, then the information that they’re supposed to gather doesn’t get transmitted. And when you’re talking about engine knocks, that can mean that knock sensors aren’t letting your car’s computer know that the fuel to air ratio is off, for instance.
Spark Problems
One of the issues that might contribute to engine knocks could be problems with your spark plugs or with the spark plug wiring. Problems with spark cause misfires, which you hear as engine knocks. Eventually those engine knocks turn into engine damage, which is something that you need to avoid as much as possible. Correcting the spark issues ultimately corrects the misfires, assuming there’s nothing else going on.
Fuel Issues
Another potential contributing factor to engine knocks and misfires is any sort of issue with your fuel or the fuel system. If your car’s fuel injectors are not working properly, for example, that means that your car’s engine is not going to get the right amount of fuel into the engine. Other issues, like a dodgy fuel pump or even choosing the wrong octane level of gas, can also create problems.
Air Problems
Keeping your air filter clean and ready to go matters more than you might realize. That’s because your car’s engine needs air in order to keep running. A dirty air filter reduces the amount of clean air that gets to the engine, and that causes misfires. Checking your air filter every few months or so can help you to spot when it’s getting too clogged and dirty to do its job properly.
Let The Auto Shop of Chapin in Chapin, SC, help you with any of your auto service needs, including anything to do with engine knocks. Give us a call today to set up an appointment. We’ll go through your car’s engine to accurately diagnose the issues causing the engine knocks and find the right answer. And we’ll help you to set up a maintenance schedule afterward that keeps your car running perfectly.