What Causes Misfire in One Cylinder?
2 Answers
The reasons for misfire in one cylinder include: 1. Aging or leaking electrical wiring, causing intermittent ignition failure; 2. Faulty ignition coil or spark plug, resulting in poor ignition or conduction; 3. Loose or damaged wiring causing grounding; 4. Human error during maintenance, such as carelessness or mistakes leading to loose connectors and subsequent faults. Under normal circumstances, an engine's working cycle consists of four strokes: intake, compression, power, and exhaust. The engine's power performance typically shows deceleration followed by acceleration. When a misfire occurs, the pushing force during the power stroke decreases, leading to significant fluctuations in engine speed. To prevent misfires, the engine control unit (ECU) uses the camshaft position sensor to identify the misfiring cylinder.
My car once experienced a misfire in one cylinder, and I always felt the engine shaking while driving. Later, I found out it was due to aging ignition coils, and replacing them made a big difference. Common causes could also include spark plugs being fouled with too much carbon buildup, or fuel injectors being clogged and unable to deliver fuel, causing that cylinder to fail to ignite. Other issues like insufficient engine compression, poor valve sealing leading to air leaks, or small cracks in vacuum tubes sucking in air can all cause abnormal air-fuel mixture. Problems with the ECU misjudging ignition timing can also lead to misfires. I recommend using a diagnostic tool to check for trouble codes early to avoid delaying trips and damaging the engine. Regularly cleaning or replacing spark plugs during maintenance can prevent most of these issues.