The fuel in the engine burns in waves that are timed to the cycle of the engine. However, it causes explosions and interferes with the engine’s cycles when it is ignited improperly, causing knocking sound in the engine. Various types of engine knocking causes are there, and the sounds of knocking differ from each other based on the source of the cause.
Three Common Engine Knocking Causes
Engine knock detection is necessary for solving the engine knock problems. Either it’s a deep throbbing sound or a little bang, you can address the problem by detecting the root of the noise.
Check out the three most common causes of engine knock:
Using Low-Quality Fuel
Sub-par gasoline can increase the cylinder pressure and chamber temperature. The octane rating of fuel represents the level of compression it can tolerate. A fuel with a higher rating can resist the combustion better.
So, using low-quality gasoline in the engine causes engine knock by being burnt earlier than it should. Low engine compression causes the fuel to burn incompletely. As a result, remaining fuel components and compounds create debris that sticks to the inside of the chamber. This buildup causes engine knock in the cylinder.
Debris Formation on the Cylinder Walls
We’ve already discussed that how using sub-par gasoline creates debris in the engine cylinder. Once the debris starts to build, they don’t stop.
The engine needs to mix up air and fuel to function normally. But, the debris formation takes up valuable engine space, creating an obstruction for the engine to work properly. The bigger the debris deposit, the higher the compression will be in the cylinder, which will eventually cause knocking if the compression is not on a par with the engine’s temperature ranges or the quality of the fuel.
Using Wrong Spark Plugs
The experts identify it as one of the most common engine knocking causes. Spark plugs help to control the internal environment of an engine. As they function under precise conditions, you have to use the ones exactly what the manufacturer has recommended.
Many people often buy the wrong ones for they either misread the user manual or try to save on a cheaper alternative. So, using the wrong plugs will cause debris formation in the combustion chamber and improper engine temperature. These two conditions, as we already know, are the two leading causes of engine knock.
Other engine knocking causes are also related to these three primary reasons for engine knocking problems. Engine knock can also occur for high engine temperature, worn rings and valve seals, bad knock sensor, greasy injectors, and more.
