What Causes Flames to Shoot Out of the Exhaust Pipe?
2 Answers
Flames shooting out of the exhaust pipe may occur due to the following reasons: 1. Broken copper wires in the low-voltage wire of the car's distributor: This results in insufficient voltage. 2. Insufficient ignition voltage of the spark plug: When some copper wires in the low-voltage wire are broken, the ignition voltage provided to the spark plug is insufficient, leading to incomplete combustion of gasoline. 3. Combustion of fuel-air mixture encountering sparks in the exhaust: Unburned fuel-air mixture enters the exhaust pipe and combusts upon encountering sparks in the exhaust, causing flames to shoot out of the exhaust pipe. 4. Prompt action required: It is advisable to address this issue as soon as possible, as it may cause certain damage to the cylinder.
I remember when I was young and into cars, I once saw flames shooting out of the exhaust pipe, and it scared me quite a bit that night. The main reason was ignition issues—either the spark plugs were worn out or the ignition timing was off, causing some gasoline to not fully burn in the engine and instead enter the exhaust pipe, where it was ignited by the hot exhaust gases. Another cause could be an overly rich fuel mixture, where the fuel injection system is out of balance, leading to insufficient air ratio and unburned fuel accumulating in the exhaust pipe before igniting. If there are cracks or leaks in the exhaust system, allowing air to seep in, it can also easily cause flames. This problem needs to be fixed promptly; delaying repairs can damage the catalytic converter or even start a fire. My old car was fine after replacing the spark plugs and getting a tune-up. It’s important to regularly check the engine and exhaust components—don’t skimp on small expenses and invite bigger troubles.
