Started car with one spark plug missing
My car has 142000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.
A number of things could have happened by doing this. Depending on how long the car ran without the spark plug in the cylinder, this may have caused a very lean condition inside the motor and may have melted internal parts. This could have also started a fire depending on how much fuel went unburned in that particular cylinder. I would suggest having a professional from YourMechanic come to your location to take a look at your vehicle as there may be many other issues as well as a result.
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Failing spark plugs can cause the car engine to misfire and thus affect its performance. A single spark plug that fails to ignite the fuel-air mixture can cause a halt in the running of the engine. It can result in incomplete combustion and damage to the catalytic converter of the car.
Malfunctioning spark plugs cause engine problems including, misfires, hard starts, reduced gas mileage, rough idling, and lack of acceleration. Driving with a faulty spark plug will be difficult because the engine might fail to function.
Depending on the number of cylinders your engine has will determine how many you need. It`s one-for-one. For example, if you drive a 4-cylinder engine, you need four spark plugs. To go along with engine fit, most spark plugs get made from different types of metal, some being cheaper than others.
The crankshaft position sensor monitors the position and rotational speeds of the crankshaft. Without the crank sensor, the engine control module (ECM) wouldn`t know when to fire the fuel injectors and ignite the spark plugs.
If spark plugs have become clogged or worn down, the car`s engine has to work overtime in order to make up for the overworked plugs. Sometimes the car will not start at all because there is simply not enough spark created to turn the engine over.
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Looks like you’re chasing an electrical gremlin here. First, the brand of spark plug may in some cases cause issues with starting. However, beyond brand is making sure it’s the right model and has the correct gap is more critical. The fact that you’re trying to start the car with throttle cleaner is a red flag. This method used to work really well with older, carburetor fueled systems, but with today’s fuel injected systems that are monitored by ECU’s, that typically causes a huge overload of energy, can fry the sensors and put you back to square one.
My advice here is to contact a certified mechanic and have them diagnose the starting problem you’re having, as by trying to fix it, the problems with the Grand Am may have gotten worse unfortunately.
Most of the time, when it’s extremely cold outside, the problem is with the battery and an inability to have enough cold cranking amps to activate the starter and other ancillary components that allow the vehicle’s ability to start. Although worn out spark plugs tend to impact the vehicle’s ability to start, they are usually not the source of cold starting problems. You might want to either replace your battery, or contact a professional mechanic to complete a car is hard to start inspection first; before you determine why your car is having difficulty starting.
At that point, it will use other methods to determine the fuel rate, such as pre-programmed fuel maps, throttle position, etc. I would suggest replacing the MAP sensor and retesting. If you would like to have it checked first, a certified technician from YourMechanic will be able to scan your vehicle and test components to determine the root cause of your starting issue before making a repair.
A number of things could have happened by doing this. Depending on how long the car ran without the spark plug in the cylinder, this may have caused a very lean condition inside the motor and may have melted internal parts. This could have also started a fire depending on how much fuel went unburned in that particular cylinder. I would suggest having a professional from YourMechanic come to your location to take a look at your vehicle as there may be many other issues as well as a result.
A qualified technician, such as one from YourMechanic, would first test for voltage (as well as voltage drop) at the starter when you actuate the starting circuit. If no voltage, that is if the circuit is open, the break in the starting circuit is simply traced.
If there is power to the starter and yet the starter will not function, the starter is condemned and thence replaced. YourMechanic can perform these tests to properly diagnose your starting issue right at your location.
