The engine will keep running with less power when cylinders begin to misfire. How long could you drive with a misfiring cylinder? Driving a vehicle in this condition is technically possible, but it is not recommended.
Even while an engine misfire isn’t serious enough to require an instant stop and towing assistance, you shouldn’t leave it neglected for days. In most cases, it is safe to ride home or straight to a technician to get the problem fixed.
In this article, we’ll talk about how long you can keep driving with a faulty/misfiring cylinder & how to correct it.
How Long Can I Drive With a Misfiring Cylinder?
It is not recommended to drive a vehicle with a misfiring cylinder for longer than a few minutes. Driving with a misfiring cylinder can cause additional damage to the engine and increase emissions. If the misfiring cylinder is not addressed, it may cause permanent engine damage.
Theoretically, the misfiring cylinder in the majority of vehicles might be operated for thousands of kilometers. The engine’s other cylinders will keep producing power. The car will therefore continue to operate even though one may tremble and delay along its wall (and not experience much in its way of acceleration or speed ).
Nevertheless, you shouldn’t go any more than necessary in an automobile that has a misfiring cylinder.
When a misfire’s detected, many contemporary cars may enter “limp mode,” reducing their top speeds and making them uncomfortable to drive. As a result, you can continue to drive when a cylinder is misfiring.
The ideal response is to take it as much as a repair shop or a secure location to stop to make any necessary repairs before continuing.
Also Read: How Long Does It Take To Fix an Evap Leak?
How Do Auto Cylinders Function?
An automobile engine includes a lot of moving parts, & each one is crucial to the engine’s effective operation.
The auto cylinders are arguably the most significant component of your engine because they support the vehicle pistons that transform the energy from its expanding combustion gases into mechanical energy that could be used for propelling the vehicle.
An engine’s cylinders are essentially chambers that house pistons. When a piston goes up and down inside a cylinder, it rotates a crankshaft attached to the crankshaft by the connecting rod. Your crankshaft propels the vehicle’s wheels as it revolves.
The combustion gases expand & push against the piston as a result of the piston’s motion. The expanding gases force the piston downward, and the downward motion turns the crankshaft.
An engine’s cylinders are normally organized in a conduit or line form, with valves connecting each cylinder to the one after it. The valves enable the entry of fuel and air into the cylinder and the departure of exhaust gases.
Depending on the kind of engine, an engine’s cylinder’s precise design will vary; however, all cylinders have a few fundamental characteristics. The piston, a cylindrical component that firmly fits inside the cylinder, is the most significant component.
The connecting rod connects the piston to the crankshaft, and it’s through the connection that the piston may transmit energy to its crankshaft. So at one end, the vehicle connecting rods connected to its piston, and at the other, to its crankshaft.
The crankshaft is turned as its piston oscillates inside the cylinder. The car moves as a result of the crankshaft transferring this energy toward the wheels.
What are the Consequences of Driving a Misfiring Cylinder?
The impacts that the misfiring cylinder might have should be your next focus once you are aware of what makes a cylinder misfire. Is it safe to drive with a cylinder misfire? Not! But what’s the reason continuing to drive while a cylinder is misfiring is so dangerous? The damage that it does to your car is what matters.
The consequences for the vehicle are a direct representation of what occurs when the cylinder misfires. Let’s get a sense of the many consequences your car might experience:
1. Reduced Vehicle Performance
Operating with the misfiring cylinder would have several effects, but the primary one is a decrease in performance. When one of a car’s cylinders isn’t firing properly, the remaining cylinders have to work harder to pull the vehicle, which severely reduces the car’s performance.
There may be a good risk that the increased load will also harm the other functional cylinders.
2. Less Effective Fuel Use
A car’s performance will suffer if its fuel efficiency is decreased. This is because it will require more gasoline to operate and work, which means that fuel replacements will be necessary more frequently. Additionally, as a result, your car’s average speed will drop to approximately half of its previous speed.
3. Noise
How is it possible to forget the agonizing noises that occur when a cylinder is misfiring while you’re driving? These sounds from your vehicle are a sign that something isn’t right and that you should pay attention to it.
If these sounds/noises are not controlled, they will worsen over time and eventually cause damage to the vehicle. Therefore, it is preferable to listen carefully to these noises before they cause irreparable harm to the vehicle.
4. Engine Damage
Lastly, a misfiring cylinder would impair the performance of the car’s engine and cause it to decline. Additionally, the car’s engine won’t produce what is anticipated. Of course, you don’t need to describe how long I can drive with the misfiring cylinder.
What Causes an Engine to Misfire?
Let’s say your vehicle engine starts misfiring. The issue’s cause is being questioned. Sadly, there are numerous possible explanations; therefore, it’s not always simple to provide an answer. It’s preferable to let an expert diagnose the cause of a misfire if your automobile is experiencing one.
1. Issues with the ignition system
Most people think of weak and worn-out spark plugs when they hear the term “misfire.” However, they are unaware that the vehicle’s ignition system’s spark plugs are merely one component.
The coil packs, spark plugs, crankshaft position sensor, and wiring are just a few of the parts that make up a typical modern ignition system. Engine misfires might happen if any of these components are having problems.
2. Issues with fuel and air delivery
Air and gasoline combine inside the vehicle engine, and its spark plug ignites the resulting mixture. The explosion sets the engine in motion, producing the rotational power required to move your car forward. A misfire can be brought on by any problem that alters the fuel/air mixture, from a vacuum leak to a broken fuel injector
3. Emissions Components issues
Modern vehicles come equipped with a variety of emissions controls that help reduce the amount of pollution emitted into the atmosphere. The positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) system and the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system are two examples. However, in some circumstances, problems with emissions equipment might change the engine’s air/fuel ratio to the point where a misfire results.
4. Mechanical issues with engines
Additionally, a lot of individuals are unaware that an engine mechanical issue might result in a misfire. To ensure complete combustion, the fuel/air mixture must be compressed within each engine’s cylinders. In order to generate sufficient compression, the cylinder should remain entirely shut off while the piston is traveling upward.
Internal engine issues might make it difficult for the cylinder to properly seal, resulting in compression failure and the engine misfire misfiring.
5. Issues with sensors and modules
The PCM uses a large number of the sensors used in modern vehicles to manage important processes like fuel delivery & spark timing. Such sensor issues can very easily cause an engine to misfire. Despite being uncommon, a misfire can also be brought on by a fault with the PCM.
6. Circuit control issues
Electrical circuits are used to connect all of the input & output engine management components (such as ignition coil packs, sensors, etc.) when necessary. Therefore, an engine misfire can be brought about by issues with these circuits, like faulty wiring or slack connection.
Also Read: 5.7L Hemi Reliability (Is The 5.7 Hemi A Good Engine?)
Fixing Cylinder Misfires
The first step in fixing an issue is to locate its source. The simplest course of action is typically to visit a mechanic. Having said that, if you’re a DIYer & want to try this out, here’s how to fix a misfire:
Step 1
Look for diagnostic fault codes that I’ve been set off by misfires using an OBD2 scan tool. This may direct your diagnosis. Both codes that aren’t about misfires, such as those pertaining to the gasoline delivery system, Oxygen sensors, or MAF sensor, which are caused by the same problems as the misfire, can occasionally be helpful.
Step 2
Find and fix leaks/cracks in the fuel system’s vacuum lines. Any of the main reasons for a poor fuel/air ratio, which is a common reason for misfires, is air leakage.
Step 3
Check for damage to the spark plugs. Replace them if they’re worn out or oil-soiled.
Step 4
Use the fuel pressure gauging system to test your fuel system. You possibly need to change the gasoline filter or its fuel pump if the reading is low or inconsistent.
Step 5
Use a multimeter to check the spark plugs’ coil pack. The spark plug wires’ resistance ought to be uniform. A coil needs replacing if it’s not.
Misfires might have various possible reasons, making a diagnosis and fixing the issue challenging. This is part of the reason seeing a technician is frequently preferable unless you’re an expert do-it-yourselfer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a cylinder that is misfiring be driven?
Although it is still possible to drive a vehicle that’s misfiring, it is not recommended. A misfire can indicate a number of various engine problems. In addition, the damage to the engine could get worse over time if you keep driving without addressing the problem that initially led to the misfire.
What occurs if you continue to drive after a protracted misfire?
A cylinder misfire can seriously harm an engine if not attended properly. Worse, if you have a serious misfire when driving, it might cause an accident. Engine misfires must therefore be addressed immediately after they are discovered for this reason.
Can a misfiring cylinder correct itself?
After a misfire, your engine could return to normal RPMs, but it’s unlikely that the issue will go away. You must take your engine to a professional to diagnose and fix it if it is misfiring. Your automobile may sustain damage from the misfiring engine, so it’s critical to address the issue right away.
Is the cost of repairing the misfiring cylinder high?
Nevertheless, it’s risky to operate with a damaged cylinder, so get your car checked out and fixed before getting back on course. Depending on what caused the misfire, the price for repair & replacement could be anywhere from $100 – $1000.
What sound does a misfire make?
Now describe the sound of a misfire. During a misfire, your engine will suddenly emit a noise that sounds like sneezing, popping, or backfiring. This is because unburned gasoline that left the cylinder during its exhaust stroke & is later ignited by its spark from the successive cylinder causes backfiring.
Can low oil cause a misfire?
Low oil pressure can result in a misfire, & it is extremely likely that this is what caused the misfire in your car. The oil filter’s broken, limiting oil flow, producing poor valve timing & leading to a misfire are the three typical reasons low oil can result in a misfire.
Can a change of oil solve a misfire?
Nay, the oil change won’t make a misfire go away. One must identify the misfiring cylinder(s) to correct a misfire. Once that is established, the problem can be resolved by switching out the ignition coil or spark plug.
How can engine misfiring be stopped?
The recommended periodic maintenance in the manual is the best approach to prevent the engine misfiring issue. First, maintain factory-specified engine tuning for your car.
Additionally, an annual trouble-code scan by a shop with the right tools will find any potential issues before they develop into significant flaws.
Final Thoughts
Even though you can drive a very long distance operating on a misfiring cylinder, it’s best to fix the issue immediately.
The issue is typically brought on by a bad spark plug easily fixed at home. However, it’s best to visit a specialist for a precise diagnosis and prompt repair for more significant issues.