Does your car’s engine make a pinging or knocking sound while driving? This issue is known as engine knock, and if you don’t address it at the earliest, it can damage your car’s engine. A little know-how can help you understand the issue better and can help resolve it at the earliest. That’s why in this post, we’re letting you know what engine knocking is and what causes it.
What is engine knocking?
When the air and fuel in your car’s cylinders are in an equal proportion, each pocket will burn properly and ignite the next pocket at a regular interval. Engine knocking occurs when the fuel in your engine’s cylinders burns unevenly, and this causes knocking or a pinging sound. It usually happens when the engine’s running, but sometimes you can hear the sound while it is idle or revving up.
What causes engine knocking?
Here are the possible reasons for engine knocking:
Faulty spark plugs
Spark plugs play a vital role in keeping your engine up and running. An engine’s spark plug sparks and ignites the cylinder’s fuel/air mixture. Like any other part of your vehicle, you need to change the spark plugs according to your car maintenance schedule to stop the knocking sound. Also, use sparks plugs as the manufacturer recommended; improper spark plugs can cause engine knocking.
Low octane fuel
Gas comes in different octane ratings, and fuels with higher octane ratings can withstand more compression before igniting. Using a fuel with an octane rating lower than the recommended level can cause engine knocking. Filing your vehicle with a low octane fuel can help save you a few bucks, but remember, it can negatively affect your car’s engine and performance. Therefore, find out the right octane level for your vehicle and use it to avoid knocking issues.
Carbon deposits
All fuels for vehicles must have a carbon cleaning agent to prevent clogging up the cylinder. However, despite this, some carbon does get formed. The carbon can clog up the spark plugs, valves, and other components part of the combustion process. This can cause a knocking sound in your car’s engine.
Uneven fuel-to-air mixture
Like we mentioned earlier, an uneven mix of fuel and air can cause the knocking sound. The main reason for this is a bad fuel injector that affects the mix of fuel and air entering the cylinder. This disproportion can increase the temperature in the combustion chamber and can create prematurely.
What are the damages caused by engine knocking?
Most of the components that can be damaged by knocking play an important role in the car’s performance. The knocking can, over time, damage the cylinder walls, bearings, pistons, and other parts in the combustion system. Therefore, never ignore the knocking sound. The earlier you detect and repair it, the fewer expenses will be.
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