The sudden guest appearance of the notification light of a low oil will make your heart jump out of your chest as there are many complications that low oil in your engine will cause. One of those complications is “misfires of the engine”. However, if you find yourself in such a misfire caused by a low-oil engine, you are in great danger. Can low oil cause misfires? Misfires caused by low oil are rarely found in society; nevertheless, if this is your current situation, you must rush to a technician without causing much damage and severe accidents.
What is a Misfire in a Car Engine?
A misfire in a car engine is a severe complication that will affect the car and the driver in the same serious way. The engine of your car fires its cylinder depending on three main elements. They are,
- Fuel
- Oxygen
- Spark
The engine must have these elements to succeed. Thus if the ignition responses do not perform well and if the cylinders in the engine are unfired, there can be a misfire in your engine. A misfire could occur in your engine’s startup and idle moments. A misfire will cause your engine to stumble like a boy who stumbles in front of his crush.
How does Oil Affect Engine Performance and Combustion?
Engine Oil holds a very special place in the system of your car. Thus the oil affects the engine performance and the ignition process and so and so. Thus choosing the correct oil for your vehicle and how this chosen “engine oil” affects the engine performance is crucial. The oil that sweeps through the engine helps with many areas in the engine. They are,
- Lubrication – engine oil’s main purpose is to lubricate the engine’s parts.
- Process of cooling – lubrication also supports the cooling procedure.
- Cleaning power.
- Protect the vehicle and the engine from corrosion.
- Act as an engine sealer.
With all these different suits of engine oil, it performs and helps the engine and the vehicle in various processes.
- Engine oil reduces friction
- Provide extreme weather protection
- Helps to gain smooth startups
- Improves the stability of fuel economy.
All these features and processes help increase the engine performance and the combustion procedure.
Can Low Oil Levels Contribute to Engine Misfires?
As we mentioned earlier, the sudden appearance of the warning light of low oil is one of the most dreaded nightmares of a driver. Thus, unfortunately, we must inform you of one more fact that will bring you nightmares filled with oily demons. Low oil levels can cause engine misfires. These misfires can cause serious damage, and there are three main ways how low oil could cause misfires in your engine. They are,
- If you notice signs of reduced oil flows, or irregular valve timing, a faulty oil filter might cause misfires.
- The worn-out engine parts you noticed while the regular check might indicate decreased oil flow, leading to a misfire.
- Your engine running out of oil, causing the huge drop of RPMS, is the other way that could cause a misfire.
Thus, a low oil level in your engine is a major cause of the effect: misfire.
What are the Common Causes of Engine Misfires?
Prevention and precautions become linear options when we can diagnose the disease with the precise causes or symptoms. Thus, acknowledging such causes is vital for the well-being of the vehicle and the driver. Such causes can be identified as follows,
- Spark Plugs
The main way of detecting the success of the ignition process is by investigating the spark plugs. The absence of a spark will be the main cause of misfires.
- Fuel Injectors – the clogged, dirty and brimming fuel injectors are another cause of misfires.
- Leaking Head Basket – if you have ever blown a basket, you know this feeling. Faulty cylinders transfer one cylinder to the other, causing misfires.
- Lean Misfire – if you have acquired an imbalanced air-to-fuel ratio, this is an earlier cause for misfires.
- Worn Piston Rings – piston rings are the components that regulate the oil pressure inside the engine. Thus worn piston rings can cause piston misplacements and spark in incorrect locations leading to misfires.
- Chattering Sounds – the misfire you are facing might not be in your engine. They might be an overriding error and an error of a chattering clutch.
All of the above causes that affect the misfires must be reduced.
How does Low Oil Level Impact Engine Performance?
Low oil can impact the engine performance greatly and heavily as the whole engine depends on the engine oil flow. Therefore the dipstick highlighting a low oil mark will not be a mark of fortune to the driver, as low oil can cause,
- Sudden appearances of the oil pressure warning light.
- Having to smell burning oil odour.
- Frequent hearing of clunking sounds due to lack of lubrication,
- Less efficiency in drawing and the functions of the features as well.
These issues will directly impact the vehicle’s overall performance due to the lack of lubrication, cooling, cleaning, protection and sealing produced by correct and precise engine oil engagement within the interior parts of your vehicle. Thus, the issues must be addressed quickly and logically to bring out solutions and cure these deadly diseases caused by low oil, as the ultimate result will be the topic of our article: misfire.
What should you Do If you Experience Engine Misfires?
Nightmares are inevitable. Subsequently, vehicle nightmares are inescapable. Therefore, finding cures and precautions to avoid being scared of those nightmares is the best and final step you can take. Therefore as a helping hand, we present you a guide to fix misfires.
However, there are no manual fixing procedures to fix misfires. If you are facing such a situation, your only option is to take the vehicle to the nearest technician. While on this ride, make sure to recall when this occurred. At what temperature? On what state of vehicle ide or moving? These recalls will make the mechanic more comfortable and equipped to treat the situation.
Furthermore, to make sure that you have recalled everything that the technician will be wondering in his session, you can,
- Check faulty cables
- Investigate spark plugs and coils.
- Inspect the vacuum leaks.
- Check fuel pressure and compression.
Upon this session, you, as the driver, will be able to discuss the matter with the mechanic easily and with the insurance company.
Moreover, when you feel a misfire between the vehicle and the engine, you can slowly park the car and immediately check the engine and the surrounding of the vehicle, searching for any leaks.
You May Also Like