An engine works when an air/fuel mixture is pulled into a cylinder, compressed, and then ignited. In order for an engine to run smoothly, the mixture of gasoline and air must be exactly 14.7:1. That means that for every gram of fuel, there should be 14.7 grams of air.
If there is too much fuel in the ratio, the engine is said to be running rich. On the other hand, an engine that is running lean has a mixture with too much air.
An engine that runs lean or rich isn’t efficient.
Engines that are running lean may have:
- Clogged fuel injectors
- Clogged fuel filter
- Leaky fuel lines
- Vacuum leak
- Oxygen sensor problems
- Falling fuel pump
Engines that are running rich may have faulty:
- Mass Air Flow (MAF) Sensor
- Manifold Absolute Pressure (MAP) Sensor
- engine coolant temperature sensor
- intake temperature sensor
- fuel pressure regulator
- injectors
Most of the time, your check engine light will alert you that you have an issue. If you have an OBD code reader, it will give you the code that will pinpoint the issue.
Of course you can also bring your vehicle into us, and we’ll help you diagnose the problem, and fix it for you. For richer or leaner – you can count on Norris!