What is Engine Detonation? Here Is Why It Affects Your Car

There are some problems that can make more harm to both the health and the performance of the engine. Such problems are even more serious than the regular engine and transmission problems and hence it can lead to more harm to the vehicle if it is not addressed in correct time. But still, many people including many car owners do not know about such issue to happen in cars and hence they are not careful about it. But the car owners who have faced this problem know how dangerous it is and even some of them get very much worried about it when they talk about it. If you own or use a car then you have to know about such problem in the car known as engine detonation.

The engine detonation and its effects on car

The engine detonation is a sign of a serious issue in the engine and vehicle assembly. The engine detonation is high pitched pinging sound and usually raspy which comes from the engine and this occurs when you press the gas pedal and begin to accelerate the car. The detonation is also called as the pre ignition. When this noise occurs, then it is a warning that you have to take your foot of the gas pedal. Failing to do this prove to a worst thing for you. The detonation can result in both mechanical and electrical issues in engine. Here are some common bad effects of detonation.

l Melted spark plugs electrodes - If there is detonation and it is not stopped, then there would be so much heat in the cylinders which can melt the spark plugs and even their electrodes.

l The pistons got cracked or melted - The high pressure can damage the piston severely like it damages the spark plug.

l The piston rings are damaged - The rings are there to prevent the oil into the combustion chamber and also prevent the combustion byproducts and fuel out of the cylinders during compression. The high pressure can damage the rings.

l Head gaskets are blown - The heat produced would be sufficient to damage the head gaskets which is an important component.

l Hammered rod bearings - It would lead to severe damage to the rod bearings due to which the rods would not function at all because it would be unable to move.

These are all very essential components in engine. If the detonation occurs and result in the harms of these components as mentioned then it would lead to a very catastrophic damage to the whole engine compartment and lead to a very costly repair. The detonation can destroy the cylinders and you would not be able to use the engine as it could not use fuel to run more.

What causes the engine detonation?

The detonation is caused by the faults in the components that take part in the ignition process. Mostly the faults at the piston, spark plugs firing, combustion chamber cause the detonation. Due to these faults, there results in the unwanted heat production which leads to more pressure in the combustion chamber due to this high temperature and the pressure it easily damages the parts of the engine and easily lead to an overheated engine.

Here are some top causes-

l Poor designed combustion chamber

l Low fuel octane

l Lean air fuel ratio

l Intake and the exhaust lobe overlap

l High static compression

Conclusion

Whenever detonation occurs, you have to take off your foot from the gas pedal and wait till the engine temperature doesn't come down. You have to contact your dealer to find a solution for the problem.

Louden motorcars have been providing car service and repair only to the owners of BMW, MINI, Mercedes and Porsche for the last 40 years in and around Dallas. We are rated among the top 10 shops in the U.S.