You’re driving along and your engine starts to sputter. It’s been doing this every time you drive your automobile. What causes a sputtering engine? Padron Automotive is going to list the common causes below. Don’t worry. We can fix all of these problems and restore your car, truck, or utility vehicle’s engine performance.
Clogged Air or Fuel Filter
If the air or fuel filter is clogged, your engine will sputter. This is because the clogged filter is preventing air or fuel from getting into the combustion chamber, respectively. If you haven’t changed your air filter and 12,000 miles or your fuel filter in 30,000 miles, this could be the cause of your sputtering engine.
Clogged Catalytic Converter
The catalytic converter can also get clogged, but this usually doesn’t happen until you’ve driven your automobile for 10 years. If you do drive an older automobile, it’s possible that the converter is clogged and pushing exhaust back into the combustion chamber. This makes your engine sputter.
Clogged Fuel Injectors
The fuel injectors can also create a problem if they are not spraying an even stream of fuel into the combustion chamber. This leaves your engine starving for fuel, and, consequently, it will sputter as it tries to run. Professionally cleaning the fuel injectors usually resolves this problem.
Faulty Mass Airflow Sensor
A faulty mass airflow sensor can also make your engine sputter. This sensor tracks the air that flows into the engine. If it is not reporting the correct airflow measurements, your vehicle’s main computer chip may increase the air in the combustion chamber unnecessarily and your engine will sputter.
Faulty Oxygen Sensor
The same is true with the oxygen sensor. This sensor can fail after you’ve driven 90,000 to 100,000 miles. Some oxygen sensors fail sooner than this. Because it measures the oxygen in the exhaust, it, too, can trick the main computer chip to add excess air into the combustion chamber.
Malfunctioning Fuel Pump
Your factory fuel pump will last approximately 100,000 miles. After this mileage duration, you may end up with a malfunctioning pump that is not putting enough fuel into the combustion chamber. When this happens, your engine becomes fuel-starved and it sputters.
Worn Spark Plugs/Wires
Finally, worn spark plugs or plug wires can also make your engine sputter. This is because the bad plugs are misfiring. Depending on the age of your automobile, you need to have the spark plugs changed anywhere from every 30,000 miles to 100,000 miles.
Call Padron Automotive in Topeka, KS, today if your car’s engine is sputtering all the time. We will get to the bottom of the problem and fix it.
