What Causes the Engine to Shake Briefly and Then Overheat?
3 Answers
There are many reasons for a car's water temperature to become too high, mostly caused by water pipe leakage and insufficient coolant. Common causes include: fan belt breakage, radiator or water pipe leakage, thermostat failure, and oil leakage. Definition of Engine: An engine (Engine) is a machine capable of converting other forms of energy into mechanical energy, including internal combustion engines (reciprocating piston engines), external combustion engines (Stirling engines, steam engines, etc.), jet engines, electric motors, etc. Introduction to External Combustion Engines: An external combustion engine refers to an engine where the fuel burns outside the engine. Invented in 1816 by R. Stirling of Scotland, it is also known as the Stirling engine. The engine converts the thermal energy generated by this combustion into kinetic energy. The steam engine improved by Watt is a typical example of an external combustion engine. When a large amount of coal burns to produce heat, which heats water into a large amount of steam, high pressure is generated. This high pressure then drives mechanical work, completing the conversion of thermal energy into kinetic energy.
I had the same issue with my car last time. While driving on the highway, the engine suddenly jerked twice like it was hiccuping, and then the temperature gauge shot up to red! I was so scared that I immediately pulled over. The mechanic at the repair shop took a look and found out that the head gasket had aged, causing coolant to leak into the cylinder. The incomplete combustion of the air-fuel mixture led to the jerking, and the lack of coolant naturally caused the temperature to skyrocket. He said this situation could be minor or serious, and if not handled properly, it could lead to cylinder scoring, so the head gasket needed to be replaced immediately. Usually, you should check if there are any oil droplets floating in the coolant reservoir, as that’s an early sign of head gasket leakage. Now that the weather is hot, it’s best to feel the radiator hose before driving. If the hose is rock hard when the engine is cold, it indicates pressure in the cooling system, which could be a precursor to head gasket issues.
Don't push your luck when encountering engine shaking and overheating. Last time, our team's Old Zhang ignored similar symptoms, assuming it was just hot weather—only to break down midway. Inspection revealed cracked ignition coils causing cylinder misfire, which then snapped the water pump belt! Misfire makes individual cylinders stop working, creating uneven engine load and vibration; with the water pump stalled, coolant stops circulating, and the temperature gauge can max out in three minutes. Such chain reactions are common—immediately shut off and call a tow truck. For quick checks: if only some cylinder heads feel scorching, it's likely misfire; if hoses are hot but the radiator cold, cooling circulation has probably failed.
