For example, the Toyota Land Cruiser 200 SUV is equipped with an eight-cylinder power unit. Depending on the number of problem cylinders, this engine can have “seven” or “six”, and so on. However, they still say that “the engine started to misfire.” The Oka has a two-cylinder engine, which means that in case of problems it will be “alone”, but out of habit they talk about tripling.
Now four-cylinder engines are installed en masse in VAZ and GAZ cars. Everything matches here. When they say that a Gazelle engine is tripping, it means that three out of four cylinders are functioning. It’s the same with Ladas – the name of the fault can be taken literally.
Signs of a problem
When the engine starts to stall, the driver feels it based on a number of signs:
- strong vibration at idle,
- drop in engine power,
- Difficulty starting a cold engine.
If you experience any of these symptoms, there is likely a problem with one of your vehicle's cylinders. Or the problem is general, but in one cylinder it manifests itself clearly. What to do in such cases? Let's figure out why the engine is tripping, then it will become clear how to deal with this malfunction.
Let’s be clear right away - the engine can stall when cold, at idle, or in any operating mode. Why might a cylinder refuse to work? In fact, there are only three options: either there is nothing to burn, or there is nothing to ignite (for gasoline internal combustion engines), or there is not enough oxidizer (low compression). Therefore, when the engine stalls, the reasons must be sought either in the fuel supply, or in the generation of a spark, or in low compression (especially for diesel engines).
If the engine starts to stall, you should immediately troubleshoot the problem. Otherwise, you will get accelerated engine wear, increased fuel consumption and the possibility of a major accident at any time. This is due to the fact that fuel may continue to flow into the idle cylinder. It washes away the oil from the walls of this cylinder and dilutes the oil in the crankcase, which leads to increased wear, scuffing, and in extreme cases, an explosion of fuel vapors can occur.
Reduced compression in cylinders
A drop in compression indicates engine failure or wear. One or more cylinders are partially or completely inoperative, so fuel and air are delivered, but the mixture is not compressed properly. In this case, normal combustion does not occur. A drop in compression occurs due to burnout of pistons or valves, severe wear of piston rings and other defects in the cylinder head, cylinder head or timing elements.
In this case, it is necessary to measure the compression in the engine, after which the unit is disassembled for detailed diagnostics and repairs. In conclusion, I would like to add that operating an engine with a malfunctioning cylinder is prohibited, since driving with such a malfunction leads to a number of additional problems, which significantly complicates and makes subsequent repairs more expensive.
Engine diagnostics
First you need to find the non-functioning cylinder. There is a simple and clear way for gasoline engines. At idle speed, it is necessary to disconnect the high voltage wires one by one, supplying a discharge to the spark plug. When the electrical supply is cut off at the working cylinder, the engine starts to rev harder. If the non-working one is turned off, there will be no changes in the operation of the motor. Care should be taken to avoid receiving a harmless but painful electric shock.
When the VAZ direct injection injector of the engine is damaged, the search for a non-functioning cylinder is simplified. There is no need to climb into the wires and risk getting an electric shock. It is enough to turn off the control of the injectors one by one. You also need to find a cylinder that, when turned off, does not change the behavior of the power unit.
When diagnosing a diesel engine, you need to turn off the fuel supply one by one. For example, you can simply unscrew the fuel line nuts. The goal is the same - to find a cylinder, when turned off, the engine runs without changes.
Idle cylinder detection
A simple and proven way to determine a non-functioning cylinder without using a tool is to disconnect the high-voltage wires from the spark plugs one by one while the engine is running. When the high-voltage wire is disconnected from the spark plug on a working cylinder, the sound of the power unit will change and even greater vibration will appear. If you disconnect the high-voltage wire from the spark plug on an inactive cylinder, nothing will change in the operation of the internal combustion engine.
High-voltage wires are high-risk parts due to possible electric shock, so when performing diagnostics using this method, you should take care of your safety and follow the rules
- hands and clothes are dry;
- When disconnecting the wire, hold the cap.
Finding the reason
Having found out which cylinder is causing the engine of a VAZ or a car of another brand to fail, we proceed to further research. You need to remove the spark plug and inspect it for the presence of gasoline. If the contacts are wet, it means either there is no spark, or the mixture is excessively rich or, on the contrary, lean.
If the candle is to blame
Install a known good spark plug and check the operation of the cylinder. If it starts working, you need to change the spark plug; if it doesn’t work, then the reason why the engine is throbbing is something else. We continue to search.
Problems with wiring or ignition distributor
The next thing to look at when there is no spark is the high voltage wiring. It is necessary to check the condition of the contacts and insulation. Are the terminals intact, free of corrosion, and is the insulation free of cracks? So the problem is elsewhere. Is there any damage? Replace the cable and check the performance of the spark plug again.
There is an express way to check high-voltage wires. It is necessary to start the engine, which has started to stall, in the dark - at night or in a windowless box with the lights off. Under such conditions, all breakdowns will be clearly visible in the form of sparks. With such a malfunction, the voltage simply does not reach the spark plug, so it does not spark.
If the wiring is OK, inspect the distributor cap. Due to a malfunction of this device, different cylinders work intermittently in turn. Cracks on the cover are a clear sign that one of the contacts in the ignition distributor has burnt out, so the engine began to stall.
Air intake from outside
If the spark plug is working properly and the discharge is supplied to it as normal, then the problem is in the air-fuel mixture. Sometimes the intake of air from outside dilutes the injection of gasoline to a concentration at which the mixture does not ignite.
The reasons for air getting into the cylinder can be very different: from damage to the intake manifold pipe to depressurization of the cylinder head seals. This is manifested by the fact that the engine stalls at speed and stalls when the load increases.
To fix the problem, you need to replace the damaged duct or seals. It is possible that air is leaking through the cylinder head gasket. You can replace the gasket yourself or contact a specialist.
Insufficient compression
Sometimes compression in the combustion chamber does not reach the desired value due to loss of tightness. If the mixture is not compressed to the desired level, the concentration of gasoline vapor is insufficient to ignite. Often the cause is stuck piston rings.
Due to accumulated deposits, the rings “stick” to the piston grooves and do not provide proper tightness. During the compression stroke, the air-fuel mixture seeps through the gaps of the piston-cylinder pair. Compression drops, fuel does not ignite.
In diesel engines, fuel spontaneously ignites due to high temperature when air is compressed. And if the compression is insufficient, then there will be no ignition. The quality of fuel atomization is also important here. If the high pressure fuel pump or injectors do not meet the specified parameters, then the fuel will not be evenly distributed in the combustion chamber in thin droplets, but will be “poured” or injected in large droplets. Such a spray of fuel, even with good compression, can lead to cylinder failure.
If the air duct is in good condition, but signs of malfunction have recently appeared, use Suprotec Active Plus tribological compound. It is added to motor oil. In terms of its mode of action, it is an engine additive; it does not change the composition of the lubricant and does not react with its components.
Engine oil additive "Suprotek Active Plus"
Restores compression, reduces fuel consumption and oil waste, reduces wear rate and extends the life of internal combustion engines of any type. Facilitates cold starts and protects against overheating in traffic jams.
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The Suprotek Active Plus product improves the operation of valves and the oil pump by removing contaminants from friction pairs. The product also restores worn parts of the cylinder-piston group at a microscopic level. The tribo composition is capable of decoking stuck piston rings if the case is not completely advanced.
This set of factors helps restore compression in the combustion chamber to nominal values. The gaps in the friction pairs are normalized, and a thicker film of lubricant is retained on the parts. The cylinder operation returns to normal.
Of course, in advanced cases, when there is already wear on the inner surface of the cylinder, the additive will not help. This problem can only be solved by overhauling the engine with boring the cylinder and installing oversize pistons or lining.
To maintain in good condition and restore the characteristics of the fuel equipment of a diesel engine, it is recommended to use the Suprotek TNVD fuel additive.
Fuel additive "Suprotek TNVD"
Additive for high-pressure fuel pumps of diesel engines of any design (in-line, distribution, main in Common rail systems)
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Suprotek MAX injection pump additive for trucks
For injection pumps of diesel internal combustion engines of trucks and special equipment: in-line, distribution, main fuel pumps, COMMON RAIL systems, PUMP-NOZZLE systems.
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2. Incorrect operation of the exhaust system
The photo shows mounting foam in the exhaust pipe.
You can conduct a simple experiment: cover the exhaust pipe with a rag and start the engine. After about ten seconds it will stall, and if you remove the rag and start it again, it will stall again. This happens because the gases resulting from combustion are not exhausted through the exhaust system, but are mixed with the air entering the engine. If there is insufficient air mixture, the engine simply cannot burn fuel normally and stalls.
In the photo there is ice in the exhaust pipe
There can be two reasons for this phenomenon: clogging of the muffler itself or water getting into it. It happens that the water freezes. Of course, this rarely happens, but this possibility should not be completely ruled out. Also, some “prankster” may stick a plastic bag or stone into the exhaust pipe. In a situation where the engine cylinder head gasket is worn out, when antifreeze disappears, water may enter the muffler.
The first step is to get rid of the water in the muffler, and then look for the cause of its appearance.
When an injection engine fails
It is much more difficult to determine the cause of the malfunction if the engine with an injector is malfunctioning. Power units of this type are equipped with electronic systems that the uninitiated should not meddle with. The maximum that can be done is to check the condition of the spark plugs and injectors.
We have already covered how to check the ignition. With injectors the algorithm is approximately the same. We replace the nozzle of the non-working cylinder with a known good one. If it works, great.
For example, often due to this malfunction, the Kalina engine, a generally unpretentious power unit, fails. Replacing the injectors helps solve the problem. However, it is better not to bring the engine to this state. At the first sign of leakage, add SGA flush from Suprotec to the gas tank.
Detergent additive for gasoline "SGA (SGA)"
Cleans and lubricates fuel pumps and injectors, extends their service life. Improves injection, which reduces fuel consumption and increases dynamics. Suitable for any petrol systems, including TFSI, TSI, GDI, MDI.
more reviews
This mild additive flushes the injectors and protects them from corrosion and wear. The product also improves the operation of the fuel pump, valves and other moving parts of the fuel supply system. When used systematically, flushing "Suprotek SGA" significantly increases engine life.
If even after washing the check light is on, the engine is running, and no improvements are noticeable, then the nozzle already requires replacement. No additive will help, you need to change the nozzle. This is more expensive and takes more time than pouring an additive into the gas tank, so we recommend systematically engaging in prevention.
Fuel system malfunction
In addition to a clogged grid, there are other options for malfunctioning of the fuel system, which affect the starting and operation of the engine. The driver can fix all of the following operational problems on his own or by contacting a service center:
- The fuel pump burned out - the engine started and immediately died.
- The injectors became clogged, which led to an insufficient amount of fuel and lubricants.
- Fuel lines are clogged due to low-quality gasoline.
- There was a malfunction in the on-board computer, which turned off the fuel pump.
Drivers of regularly maintained vehicles rarely encounter the listed fuel system malfunctions. If the car does not start well and stalls, then the problem should be diagnosed by checking the fuel system.
If the engine stalls when cold
It happens that the engine stalls when cold only in wet weather. Having warmed up to normal temperature, the engine begins to operate normally. This is a clear sign that the insulation of one of the high-voltage wires is damaged. Due to dampness, electricity breaks through to the ground, the candle cannot produce a spark. When the engine warms up and dries, the leak bridge disappears and the engine runs normally. There is only one solution - change the high voltage wires. How to determine which of them is damaged was discussed above.
Characteristic signs of engine tripping
There are several signs of engine trouble, some of which indicate other problems with the car.
A sure sign of engine trouble is a change in the sound of its operation and the appearance of vibration. At the same time, fuel consumption increases, engine power decreases (especially when accelerating), unstable idle speeds are observed, the car jerks when driving, and carbon deposits or soot form on the spark plug.
If the engine stalls at idle
Are there any special reasons when the engine idles at idle? More likely no than yes. At idle, the engine may stall for any of the reasons discussed in this article. It makes no difference whether the problem is with a Peugeot, Kalina or a car of another brand. The algorithm for finding the causes of the malfunction is the same. If the engine revs only at low speeds, then a slight burnout of the valve is possible. At high speeds, the mixture or air does not have time to pass through the burnout, compression rises and the cylinder begins to work. This diagnosis is verified by examining the exhaust pipe. If oil flies out of it, then the valve is definitely burned out.
What to do first if the engine seizes up
Summarizing all of the above, we can draw up small instructions on what to do if symptoms of a throbbing engine appear.
First of all, it is necessary to note when it starts to trip: at startup, while cold or after warming up, at low or high speeds, during acceleration or without load. It is important to take into account in which cases the malfunction is more pronounced and only then begin to search for the cause.
If the engine shakes more when starting or when cold, you need to start your search by checking the spark plugs and high-voltage wires. If the problem becomes more pronounced after warming up or under load, it is better to first check the condition of the air filter.
It is better to check other possible reasons as the work becomes more complex.
What else is worth reading
Ignition system switch
Causes of engine overheating
Causes of carbon deposits on spark plugs
Malfunctions of the brake system of the VAZ 2110
Distributor
Explanation of the term breakdown
Most beginners are wary of engine tripping, and for good reason. It is worth understanding the concept itself, which arose several decades ago. It usually applies to 4 cylinder engines when one of them is not working while the others are functioning. Sometimes several cylinders can fail
To put it simply, a breakdown in the “glass” is expressed by the fact that the air-fuel mixture in it no longer ignites. All unburned residues accumulate on the cylinder walls and settle into the engine crankcase.
Power units that run not only on gasoline, but also on diesel fuel are susceptible to friction.
As a result, this not only leads to rapid wear of parts, but the properties of the engine oil also deteriorate. In addition, compression decreases, which cannot but reflect for the worse.
