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Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Exploring Different Types Of Sporadic Engine Problems

By Everette Jamison

If a component fails, it's relatively simple to locate the problem and fix or replace the part. If the problem happens sporadically, it's far more difficult to do so. Sometimes, the issue only happens under specific driving conditions, and even then, it may not occur every time those conditions are met. In other cases, the issue may be completely unpredictable. It can happen at any instant regardless of the circumstances under which you're driving. That makes resolving the issue problematic.

When your car's engine suffers intermittent glitches, it's frustrating for both you and your mechanic. Without being able to duplicate the glitch, it's hard to know how to fix it. Below, we'll take a closer look at the types of sporadic engine problems that can be difficult to resolve.

Temperature: Too Hot Or Cold

In some cases, your engine might only experience trouble when it's too hot or cold. For example, you might notice that you have trouble turning it over after it has been sitting overnight, but you can do so easily if it has only been sitting for an hour. On the other hand, trouble might emerge only when you're moving at cruising speed. That is, a "normal" temperature while driving is somehow triggering the snag.

Usually, when a glitch happens due to temperature, it can be isolated to one or more circuits. Heat and cold can play havoc with the connections. Connectors can lose contact due to expansion; a solenoid might short out; a circuit board can develop tiny cracks. Each of these things (as well as plenty of others) can cause an unpredictable engine problem.

When In Motion

Some glitches only happen when you're driving. For example, you might experience trouble whenever you hit a specific speed. Or, running over rough terrain might cause your vehicle to stall. When this happens, the snag is usually due to something that has become loose. Even a single loose connector can lead to stalling. In some cases, the root cause might create a ripple effect; for example, the computer might misinterpret feedback from the chassis or exhaust system.

Moisture And Electrical Shorts

These types of issues are relatively easy to identify. Your engine might stall after you drive over a large puddle. Or, it may refuse to turn over if your vehicle has been sitting in heavy rain overnight. The issue is typically due to a short; something is shorting out due to the conducting nature of the water around it. The problem is that if the moisture hits the powertrain control module, it can do a lot of damage. If that happens, you'll probably need to have it replaced.

Diagnosing intermittent problems with your car's engine can be enormously frustrating. Normally, mechanics will rely partly on the circumstances under which a glitch happens in order to resolve it. If they don't have that information, a lot of the initial testing will be based on guesswork. And that can quickly add up to a hefty repair bill. - 21392

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