10 Most Potential Problems With Car Engines

Jul 14, 2023

Here are potential car engine problems you can help prevent through regular maintenance and inspections

Internal combustion engines are essential components of modern vehicles that provide the power to propel a car. That's all about to change once electrified vehicles take over. We are still a few years away from this, and ICE engines still run most of the automotive industry, and they might actually never go away. And, as they have proven over the years, car engines are complex and intricate machines that can experience a wide range of problems over time, from minor issues to significant failures.

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An engine has many moving parts that can develop problems and is one aspect of the car you can't compromise on. Understanding why engines develop issues can help car owners take proactive steps to maintain their vehicles and avoid potential issues like engine overheating, which can cause permanent damage to the engine if left unaddressed. Other signs of a problematic car engine may include low oil pressure, strange noises, and decreased performance. Here are potential car engine problems you can help prevent through regular maintenance and inspections.

Engines generate a lot of heat and require a cooling mechanism. We've had several awesome air-cooled engine-powered cars, like the classic Porsche 911 Turbos. But, most modern vehicles come with liquid cooling, which is more efficient than air cooling in terms of cooling performance. The radiator removes heat from the engine coolant and dissipates it into the surrounding air.

Old engine coolant not kept clean over time can fill your engine's radiators with unwanted sediment and deposits. Furthermore, over time, debris such as dirt, leaves, and insects can accumulate on the radiator fins, reducing the airflow and causing the engine to overheat.

Coolant leakage is another common issue engines face in the cooling department, besides blocked radiators. The coolant circulates the engine and absorbs heat before being transferred to the radiator, where it gets cooled and repeats the loop.

If the engine coolant leaks, it can cause several problems, like engine overheating, resulting in engine damage if not addressed promptly. It is one of the most straightforward problems to diagnose, and if it is constantly low, it's a clear signal that there's a fault with the cooling system.

An engine misfire happens when one or more cylinders fail to ignite the air-fuel mixture properly, and the engine suddenly loses power. Some notable symptoms include rough idling or reduced engine performance, slower acceleration, jerks or vibrations, or engine stalls.

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Other symptoms might include black smoke from the exhaust or a flashing check engine light. It might indicate a faulty ignition system with an issue emanating from the crankshaft position sensor, ignition coil packs, spark plug boot, control circuit, emission equipment problems, or spark plug.

Fuel injectors play a crucial role in fuel delivery to the engine. They atomize the fuel and spray it into the combustion chamber, igniting it to power the engine, but they can become clogged with dirt, debris, and other contaminants.

Some common symptoms of clogged fuel injectors include reduced engine performance, poor fuel economy, bumpy idling, or a misfiring engine. You should have your fuel injectors cleaned every 30,000 miles.​​​​​​

Lubrication is one of the most critical aspects of an engine, with many moving parts that rub against each other. The engine needs enough lubrication between these parts to minimize unnecessary friction inside the engine to avoid overheating and excessive wear and tear.

While regular oil changes are essential, you also need to look out for oil pump failure, which can be a fatal problem that impacts the lifespan of any engine. Broken oil pumps will starve the engine of necessary lubrication.

The car engine runs in extreme conditions and intense heat, which can get a little out of hand sometimes and blow things up. One of the most common culprits is the head gasket, which cushions pistons and cylinders from the cylinder head holding valves, spark plugs and camshafts.

The head gasket seals the cylinder's firing pressure and prevents coolant and engine oil from leaking into the cylinders and outside. Common symptoms of a blown head gasket include overheating, loss of engine power, white smoke from the exhaust, milky oil, and engine misfires.

Over time, the combustion parts in the combustion chamber — where air and fuel mix to power the engine — such as the pistons, cylinders, piston rings, valves, and spark plugs, can wear out, leading to a range of problems.

Piston rings are common culprits for wearing out in the combustion chamber. They are small and uncomplicated, but crucial parts that play a significant role in the indispensable precision of the engine's function. They help seal the chamber, lubricate the cylinder walls and allow heat transfer. Symptoms include rough engine operation, blue smoke from the exhaust, engine oil disappearing, and reduced efficiency.

The engine needs fuel and air compression to generate power, and poor compression is a recipe for disaster, since the engine works entirely on the principle of compression. A car with low or no compression in all cylinders won't start, or it might misfire and perform poorly when some cylinders face this issue. The most common causes include blown head gaskets, worn-out pistons, broken timing belts, or faulty valves.

Modern cars have many sensors that provide essential data to the engine control unit to ensure the engine operates at peak efficiency. Some of the most common and crucial sensors include the oxygen sensor, mass airflow sensor, throttle position sensor, engine coolant temperature sensor, knock sensor, speed sensor and more.

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A faulty oxygen sensor upsets the air-to-fuel mixture resulting in increased fuel usage, rough idling, poor acceleration, engine misfires, or an illuminated check engine light.

Excess combustion pressure is a common engine problem that occurs when the air/fuel mixture in the engine cylinder ignites too soon or too late, causing the combustion pressure to increase beyond the safe limit. Carbon build-up can cause clogging of the exhaust system, which reduces available space for the air/fuel mixture, thus increasing combustion pressure.

Furthermore, using the incorrect fuel type can cause premature ignition, while timing issues or improper engine tuning can cause combustion at the wrong time, causing excess pressure and damage to the engine. Symptoms include knocking or pinging sounds, overheating, or reduced performance.

Sources: MotorTrend, Hagerty

Bryan is a content marketer who works as a staff writer for HotCars.com where he covers a variety of topics, from the first Motorwagen to the latest Electric vehicles. A writer by day and a programmer by night. When he is not writing about cars, catch him tinkering with his old motorcycle.