Regardless of the Vehicle brand engine misfires can be caused by a number of different factors, each one unique to your specific situation. It may be something as simple as an improperly adjusted fuel pump or ignition system, or more serious issues like faulty spark plugs, or ignition coils. In This article, I am going to share with you the common causes of a car misfiring when accelerating and what to do about it.
What is Engine Misfire?
Misfiring occurs when your engine isn’t getting enough fuel or air at the right time to make complete combustion possible. When this happens, the proper amount of energy isn’t produced and the engine doesn’t perform as well as it should.
You’ll notice this in your car’s performance: acceleration will decrease while cruising speed may increase slightly due to decreased load on the engine during driving conditions where acceleration isn’t required (such as highway driving).
When an engine is misfiring it means the pistons are not moving in sync with the fuel delivery.
What Causes Your Car to Misfire When Accelerating?
There are a number of reasons why your car may be misfiring when accelerating. Some of these include:
1. Bad Ignition Coils:
A bad ignition coil can cause your car to misfire when accelerating. Ignition coils are responsible for providing a high voltage to the spark plugs in order to ignite the fuel in the cylinders. When an ignition coil fails it may cause one or more cylinders not to fire at all, or only partially fire (which will result in a misfire).
2. Clogged Catalytic Converter:
The catalytic converter is a device that is installed on the exhaust system of your vehicle. It helps to remove pollutants from the air before they enter into the atmosphere and cause damage. The converter also helps to reduce harmful emissions from your car by burning them up in the process. If your converter has become clogged with dirt over time, then it will not be able to function properly. This can cause your engine to misfire because there are no more pollutants being removed from your exhaust system as they should be
3. Worn-out Spark Plugs:
Spark plugs are responsible for igniting the fuel in the cylinders, which helps get the engine moving. If your spark plugs are worn, or if there is a bad connection between the wires and plugs then it can cause your car to misfire when accelerating.
4. Clogged Fuel Injectors:
Fuel injectors are responsible for spraying fuel into the cylinders in order to get them moving. If your fuel injectors are clogged or faulty they may not be able to spray enough fuel into the engine, which will result in a misfire when accelerating.
5. Faulty Mass Air Flow Sensor:
The mass air flow sensor is responsible for measuring the amount of air entering the engine. If it malfunctions or is faulty, then it can cause your car to misfire when accelerating.
6. Leaking Valve Cover Gasket:
A leaking valve cover gasket is a common cause of misfires. This leak can cause oil to get into your spark plugs and contaminate them, which will prevent them from firing correctly.
7. Engine Mounts
Engine Mountings are designed to keep your engine in place while you are driving. If they begin to wear out or break down, then they won’t be able to support the engine as they should, since the engine will be moving around inside the engine compartment. This can cause your car to misfire when you are accelerating because of the extra movement of your engine.
8. Bad Timing:
If you have taken your vehicle for timing chain replacement and the mechanic has accidentally installed the timing belt incorrectly, then this can cause your engine to misfire. This is because the timing on your engine will not be set correctly, so it won’t be able to fire properly.
How to Fix a Car that is Misfiring When Accelerating
As you can see there are a lot of reasons why your car might be misfiring when you are accelerating. You can fix this issue by taking your vehicle to a mechanic and having them diagnose the problem, which will allow them to come up with the best solution for fixing it.
I recommend that you start replacing the spark plugs and coils before going to a mechanic, as these are two of the easiest parts to fix.
Robert Anderson is a world class motorhead who rebuilt his first carb at age 10, his first engine at age 15, and completed his first full hotrod build when he was just 18! Previously, he has ran a part warehouse, delivered pizzas, and managed the service department for a $20 million/year revenue dealership. Robert knows cars like few others and he is passionate about sharing his knowledge.
