You may not be very alert to notice the car engine shaking because the shaking may not be too intense. There are some instances when the car shakes as you’re driving. This is usually a warning sign that something is wrong with the car’s systems. Ignoring the warning sign could cost you a lot of money in repairs.
There are a lot of things that you can observe to find out if the car engine is shaking because of faulty engine components. For example if the engine misfires. Sometimes the car engine is shaking as the car is idle. In such a case, the shaking could be a normal thing. Alternatively it could be coming from parts of the engine that are not functioning normally. There are faults that you can correct without undertaking replacement. For example, disconnected hoses can be reconnected. On the other hand there are faults that will require replacement.
Car engine is shaking when idle.
If you observe that the car shakes when it’s idle, there is a chance that this is being caused by the engine. In some cases, the shaking could be accompanied by a funny noise that comes from the engine area. Other times there will be a loud explosive like noise coming from the exhaust. At this point make sure you pay close attention to the following areas.
- Spark plug.
- Timing belt.
- Engine mounts.
- Faulty fuel injectors.
- Disconnected or Faulty hoses.
1. Spark plug.
Most of the times a car fails to start, the drivers assume that it’s because of a faulty car battery. In some cases, this is true and you will require a jump start. But sometimes the spark plug is the issue. The spark plug is responsible for starting the engine by igniting the fuel and air mixture in the combustion chamber. When it is faulty, listen to how the engine makes sounds when its idling. If the engine makes a rattling sound or knock like sounds, the spark plug is the cause.
2. Timing belt.
A faulty timing belt creates engine vibrations. We say that the timing belt is faulty if its worn out or its loose. You will notice that when the timing belt is faulty, there will be a lot of whistling or rattling noise that comes from the engine. This noise becomes more intense if you start driving the vehicle.
3. Engine Mounts.
These are made of plastic and metallic material and their function is to hold the engine in place within the engine area. The mounts also help to absorb the engine movement that comes from the road terrain as you’re driving. If the engine mounts are faulty, you will notice vigorous vibrations as you accelerate and when the car is idling.
4. Faulty fuel injectors.
They are responsible for injecting fuel from the fuel tank into the combustion chamber in order to provide the power required by the car. Sometimes they become clogged and this prevents them from functioning properly. Further, the fuel injectors could malfunction because of normal wear and tear. If they’re faulty, the engine will struggle to get the power it requires and this will lead to intense shaking.
5. Disconnected or worn out hoses.
Hoses are a very important part of the car engine as they help in the transportation of fluids through out the engine. If any of the hoses is disconnected or worn out then the engine fluids may not get to their area of use. This will create engine problems and it could also make the engine to start shaking.
