

Checking them in the dark will sometimes reveal errant spark tracking, as will spraying them with a fine water mist. As with older vehicles, a look at the wires and spark plugs is a good idea. It was part of the push toward cleaner exhaust emissions.Ī code reader will tell you which cylinder is to blame, but it may not say whether it is a problem relating to the injector serving that cylinder or the systems delivering the ignition spark. government introduced the rules for OBD-II (on-board diagnostics, second generation). In fact, checking for efficient combustion was the primary reason the U.S. In modern cars, misfiring will invariably be accompanied by a Check Engine light. The next step would be checking the wiring to that plug for cracks and deterioration, and replace as necessary. If needed, the spark plug can be replaced. The guilty plug will most likely be grayer than the others, which should tend toward brown coloring. The first thing the mechanic will do is determine which cylinder or cylinders is misfiring, and the spark plug color is probably the best way to tell. A vacuum leak or a faulty fuel pump can also cause this symptom as well. On older, carbureted vehicles, the culprit will almost certainly be in the ignition system as older vehicles lack many of the sophisticated sensors that can cause a misfire. Not all misfires occur across the operating spectrum.


It can be tricky for to track down the problem if the misfire only occurs under certain circumstances, for example, under load. It is accompanied by a loss of power in direct proportion to the severity of the misfire. When an engines misfires, it’s usually readily apparent to the driver from the stuttering and jerking produced by the engine when one or more cylinders fails to fire properly, either because of ignition- or fuel-related issues.
