Why Does Knocking Engine Occur? Know the Causes and How to Overcome It

Why Does Knocking Engine Happen?

YOGYAKARTA - The term knocking is very familiar among car drivers. The knocking sound from the engine not only disturbs the comfort of driving, but also becomes a sign of a serious problem in the vehicle's engine. Many car owners wonder, why can knocking occur even though the car looks normal?

If it is allowed to continue, knocking can cause expensive engine component damage. Therefore, it is important to understand the main causes of knocking and how to properly deal with it.

What is Knocking on a Car Engine?

Knocking is an abnormal knocking sound that comes from the engine combustion chamber. This phenomenon occurs when the fuel and air mixture is burned incompletely, even before the spark plug is lit. This early combustion produces an uncontrolled explosion accompanied by strong vibrations.

The vibration affects internal components such as pistons, piston rods, and bearings. As a result, the engine loses efficiency, acceleration decreases, and in the long run can cause premature wear and tear to permanent damage.

Why Does Knocking Engine Happen?

Referring to the official Suzuki website, the following are some things that can cause knocking in a car, complete with how to overcome it:

Use of Low-Octane Fuel

One of the most common causes of knocking engines can occur is the use of fuel with too low octane. Every car engine has a certain compression ratio that requires the octane of the fuel according to the manufacturer's recommendations (usually a minimum of 90-92).

Low-octane fuel is flammable itself due to high pressure and temperature in the combustion chamber. Although it initially feels more economical, the cost of repairs later on can be much more expensive.

How to overcome: Always use fuel according to the specifications on the gas tank cap, such as Pertamax or the equivalent.

Carbon Deposition in the Combustion Chamber

Carbon deposits that accumulate over time are also the answer to why knocking can occur. These deposits reduce the volume of the combustion chamber, so that compression increases excessively. Carbon also serves as a "hot spot" that triggers premature combustion.

This problem is often encountered in used cars or vehicles that rarely undergo routine maintenance.

How to overcome: Perform periodic cleaning of the combustion chamber. In a used car, it is best to clean the combustion chamber first before changing the type of fuel.

Fuel that does not meet specifications

A faulty or worn spark plug can cause a weak spark. As a result, combustion is not perfect and carbon deposits are formed faster. This is one of the reasons why knocking engines can occur even though the fuel is appropriate.

How to overcome: Replace the spark plug according to the manufacturer's recommendation. Don't choose cheap spark plugs just to save a small cost, because the impact can be very big.

Unbalanced Fuel and Air Supply

In a carburetor car, improper settings cause the fuel and air mixture to be too rich or too poor. While in an injection car, damage to the MAP (Manifold Air Pressure) sensor is often the main trigger.

When the supply does not meet the standard, the ECU regulates the ignition in an unoptimal way, so that knocking appears.

How to overcome: Do carburetor adjustment at a trusted workshop or replace the damaged MAP sensor.

That's the explanation of why knocking engines can happen. Get other selected news updates by visiting the VOI.id page.