Ignition coils don’t attract as much attention from many drivers as spark plugs do. A coil is just as important as a spark plug, as it enhances the power of its connected spark plug and allows it to do its job. As your Chevrolet dealer, we’d like you to know some signs you may need to visit us to get a faulty ignition coil replaced.
Misfiring
A misfire occurs when the contents of an engine cylinder don’t ignite correctly There are several possible causes for this, but one of the most common reasons is a damaged coil. A spark plug produces 12 volts of power, and its connected ignition coil boosts this to 30,000 volts, which is more than sufficient to ignite the fuel-air mixture in a cylinder.
A worn or damaged ignition coil might not supply enough power to its spark plug to ignite the cylinder contents. In this case, the fuel-air mixture doesn’t burn steadily but irregularly or not at all. Poor combustion in a chamber will produce a noticeable sound when you’re driving. Repeated misfires can damage engine components. We’ll test your coils and replace any damaged ones.
Backfiring
A backfire is also a loud noise, but in this case, it comes from the exhaust pipe. Once combustion has been completed in a cylinder, the cylinder opens, and the residue is dumped into the exhaust system. Most of the contents will have burnt up, and the remainder passes into the catalytic converter, where harmful combustion byproducts are converted before being expelled through the tailpipe.
A failing ignition coil will prevent most of the cylinder’s contents from combusting. When the cylinder opens, a large quantity of hot, unburnt fuel is dumped into the exhaust system. The catalytic converter won’t be able to convert so much unburnt fuel, and some of it will enter the exhaust. Backfiring occurs when unburnt fuel molecules touch the hot tailpipe and explode.
Reduced Performance
A failing ignition coil will negatively affect your car’s performance. We’ve seen how misfiring and backfiring occur. In both cases, large quantities of fuel are wasted. Your engine will try to maintain performance by using more fuel to compensate. This increases your costs as you have to make more frequent trips to the pump.
Ignition coil problems will also affect many other systems in your engine. You’ll also notice that the check engine light will illuminate. This light automatically comes on when sensors in the engine detect any unusual behavior by one or more components. When we replace the damaged coils, your engine performance will return to normal again.
Replacing failing coils is an inexpensive way to protect your engine from harm and improve performance. Call our service department today at Blue Ribbon Chevrolet.
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