Irregular engine work - find out about the most common causes of uneven work of the heart of the car! What to do if the car jerks at idle?

The engine runs unevenly - is it a cause for concern?

The drive is the heart of the car. Therefore, any unusual symptoms should not be underestimated. Uneven engine performance is no doubt a cause for concern. This may be a sign of various problems in the machine. Usually such uneven operation of the engine occurs in parallel with jerks. The reasons for this may be different, depending on whether it is a gasoline, diesel or gas engine.

Most often, uneven engine idling or idling is the result of interruptions in the operating cycle of the drive unit. One or more cylinders may be affected. It happens that such a problem will be temporary or will be repeated. It is especially alarming when the engine runs intermittently for a long time. Ignoring this state of affairs will not eliminate the defect. Sometimes the elimination of such a malfunction can be trivial when it comes to replacing spark plugs, for example.

The main causes of uneven operation of a gasoline and gas engine

The reasons for failure can be very different and will depend on the type of power supply. Some of them will be common to all drive types. The cause of uneven engine operation may be a clogged fuel filter or faulty injectors. The situation is different with cars running on liquefied gas. If you have such a setting, please note that the interruption occurs only when the car is switched to gas or also when driving on gasoline.

Worn spark plugs are the main cause of uneven engine operation on gasoline.

Worn spark plugs can be a major cause of engine instability. It turns out that only a small gap on the electrodes of used spark plugs, which can be even 1 mm, is enough to make it difficult to create a spark in the combustion chamber. This, in turn, can lead to misfiring. Install new spark plugs prophylactically every 30 km. Remember that iridium or platinum spark plugs can last up to 100 km. With regard to these components, the situation is slightly different with the uneven operation of the diesel engine, because. glow plugsnot ignition.

Old ignition wires and uneven engine operation

It happens that the engine runs unevenly due to a broken ignition wire. If they are faulty, they may not have power. This, in turn, will cause them to fall out along with the ignition. The damage present there makes it difficult for the spark to jump over. Cables should be replaced regularly every 4 years.

Ignition coils must be replaced

Ignition coils fail in almost every car. The reason for this phenomenon is laying a hot head on the spark plugs. This problem will most likely occur in cars that the manufacturer has equipped with separate coils.

Worn fuel pump and clogged fuel filter

Irregular operation of the engine on gasoline, and therefore jerks will occur in the event of a fuel system malfunction. A clogged fuel filter could be the culprit. Most often, such a malfunction occurs with high mileage, when this element has not changed for a long time. A worn out fuel pump will cause the engine to run rough when accelerating hard. It just won't be as effective.

Worn injectors and uneven engine operation at low speeds

Sometimes worn injectors are the source of the problem. In this situation, you will notice that the engine runs rough at low RPMs. Incorrect sensor readings or a dirty throttle body can also be a problem. Under these conditions, unstable idling may occur.

Leaky washers under the injectors cause uneven engine operation 

Uneven diesel engine idling can occur in your car if even a small leak appears. This may be enough for the power unit to lose compression and start to work erratically. The cause of pressure loss in common rail engines may be leaking washers under the injectors. However, in such a situation, it is not enough to simply replace these elements. You will need to align the slots in the head with the correct cutter. 

Injector diagnostics should be carried out by professionals. Then the specialists will check the translations: make corrections and connect the tester. If they find leaks, you will know that this was the cause of the engine idling intermittently.

Irregular operation of a diesel engine in a car

If the problem concerns uneven engine operation after starting a diesel engine, then the reason is much more often than in the case of gasoline engines, this is a faulty fuel system. Diesel fuel is less uniform in composition than gasoline. This fuel with the worst detergent properties. Therefore, there is a tendency to precipitation of solid phases and a decrease in temperature.

The reasons for the uneven operation of a diesel engine may lie in the fact that the fuel filter is faced with a difficult task. It needs to be checked frequently because it will clog more than in gasoline engines. It can also happen that the diesel fuel is contaminated. Then the electric pump in the tank will suffer. It will lose performance and the car will stall at high speeds.

Unstable operation of the engine should immediately alert you. The sooner you find a problem, the easier it will be to fix it. Many factors affect the performance of a drive. Sometimes only a mechanic can accurately determine the cause of a breakdown.