About Me

Understanding Car Issues

When I began thinking more seriously about car issues, it occurred to me that there were a few things I needed to do if I wanted to make things easier for myself in the long run. For starters, I began taking my car in for regular auto service, which really helped out. It was really interesting to see how many different things had to be fixed every time I went in, but when my car didn't have as many problems, I could tell that it was really paying off. This website is all about understanding and preventing car problems by making better choices.

Search

Categories

Latest Posts

Understanding Car Issues

Why Your Car Is Losing Power When Accelerating

by Micheal Barrett

The acceleration power of a car is one of its most useful strengths; it determines how fast you can overtake other road users, which means it's important for your safety on the road. This is why you need to be concerned when your car's accelerating power is on the decline. Here are some of the reasons a car may lose its accelerating power:

Clogged Filters

Fuel for diesel and petrol engines tends to contain impurities that can damage the engine or reduce its efficiency. That's why the fuel filter is there; it traps the impurities and ensures only clean fuel enters the engine. The fuel filter, which is located between the fuel injector (which sprays fuel into the combustion chamber) and the fuel pump (which pumps fuel from the tank), can get clogged with these impurities after some time. If this happens, the amount of fuel entering the engine is reduced, and the engine can't power up as usual, leading to poor acceleration. The same thing can happen if the air filter is clogged and the engine can't get the air it requires to mix with the fuel.

Sensor Malfunctions

There are a number of sensors whose malfunctions can also result in reduced acceleration power; here are some of those sensors:

Camshaft Position Sensor

The sensor detects the camshaft speed of the vehicle and sends it to the main electronic control module. The module uses the information to determine the best timing for the injection and ignition so that the desired speed is reached. This means the engine's power will be reduced if the sensor is malfunctioning and causes incorrect fuel injection and ignition timing.

Oxygen Sensor

The oxygen sensor measures the volume of gases leaving the exhaust system; the measure gives an indication of the air-to-fuel ratio (real-time information). The engine, through the main electronic board unit, uses the information to tinker with the ratio to achieve the desired engine power. Therefore, if the sensor malfunctions and gives the wrong feedback, the ratio can get messed up and cause the engine to lose power.

Fuel Injector Malfunction

The fuel injector, which is a feature of petrol and diesel engines, sprays the relevant fuel inside the engine. The amount of fuel injected and the interval of the injection are some of the factors that determine the power of the engine, which also determines the acceleration. Therefore, a malfunctioning fuel injector may inject less fuel at sporadic intervals, leading to reduced engine power and compromised acceleration.

Contact an auto repair shop to learn more.

Share