Here’s What Causes Your Car to Bog Down When Accelerating
What causes a car to bog down when accelerating? Usually, an old gas tank is responsible for a vehicle bogging down during acceleration. But this is not the only reason. A few other major and minor factors can affect the car’s engine.
Knowing about the causes can help you get to the root of the problem and solve it properly. But where will you get all the necessary information? In this article right here. Check the entire write-up, and by the end, you won’t have any confusion left.
What Causes a Car to Bog Down When Accelerating: 7 Reasons and Solutions
Check out all the common reasons behind a car bogging down during acceleration. The simple solutions will help you fix the problems as well. Make sure to pay attention to each and every point.
But before getting to the main details, take a quick look at the reasons and their solutions below.
Reason | Solution |
Old and clogged gas tank | Drain the gas tank and clean it thoroughly |
The dirty transfer pump screen | Clean the transfer pump screen with water |
Evaporated emission system | Make sure the fuel pumps are connected in the right way |
Shortage of fuel | Check the gas tank and put the necessary fuel |
Ignition issue | Make sure to dry the entire car properly after every wash |
Dirty air filter | Clean the air filter |
Contaminated fuel | Get a new batch of fuel |
Now let’s get right into the elaborate discussion of the causes and cures.
Reason 1: Old and clogged gas tank hampers proper fuel flow
A dirty or clogged gas tank will prevent a proper flow of gas into the primary system. As a result of inconsistent fuel flow, the car will stall and start with small gaps in between.
Solution: Cleaning the gas tank is the solution to this problem. According to AutoZone, here are the 10 steps to getting a clean gas tank,
Step 1: You have to get to the gas tank and drain it properly.
Step 2: Clean the external area of the gas tank
Step 3: Remove the fuel pump.
Step 4: Use a low-suds soap and water mixture to clean the interior of the tank.
Step 5: Swirl the gas tank and pour out the dirty water along with the debris.
Step 6: Swirl the gas tank again with fresh water once all the dirty water is drained.
Step 7: Use compressed air to dry the inside of the gas tank
Step 8: Refill the tank with fuel
Step 9: Put the gas tank back in its place
Step 10: Turn on the engine and see if everything works properly.
And now your car should run smoothly.
Reason 2: Dirty transfer pump screen doesn’t allow gas to pass properly
The transfer pump, as the name suggests, is a pump that transfers fuels from one tank to another one. A nozzle is used to dispense the gas. If this pump gets dented or clogged, the fluent flow of fuel is disturbed. Due to this condition of the transfer pump, the engine receives inconsistent fuel and fails to run properly.
Solution: Cleaning the transfer pump screen can solve this problem. Here’s how to do it,
Step 1: Take a bucket and fill half of it with water
Step 2: Put the dirty transfer pump in a bucket
Step 3: Wait for a few minutes while the transfer pump is soaking in the water
Step 4: Run down the fuel level of your car
Step 5: Put the transfer pump screen back in its original place
Now everything should work all fine again.
Reason 3: Evaporated emission system causes the engine to hesitate frequently
Sometimes the EES can stop functioning in the mid-way. It can work just fine, but once the system starts to get warm, the whole thing may come to a halt. This can result in a torn intake boot.
As a consequence of this situation, the engine may bog very frequently.
Solution: This problem is a simple one. In such a situation, you must ensure all the fuel pumps are accurately connected to the proper designations.
Your vehicle’s manual should have detailed instructions on it.
Reason 4: Shortage of fuel brings the engine to a complete halt
According to Ken Graham from Quora, a fuel shortage can be a reason your car keeps bogging down while accelerating.
Lack of fuel clearly means your engine won’t function as it should. So this cause is a more or less obvious one.
Solution: Just refill the fuel tank and get your car started. This is all you need to do.
Reason 5: The ignition issue is the reason why the engine fails to start
Your car is useless without any ignition. The ignition is important to get the engine started. However, it doesn’t happen if the environment of the ignitor is damp. This case is common after washing the car. Or if your car has fallen victim to a flood or heavy rain, it may not get any ignition to work with.
Solution:
You need to dry your car thoroughly. No matter what you do, don’t just leave your car under the sun and hope for it to dry out. It won’t happen. Instead, you will get water spots on your car.
So, the best option here is to use drying aids for the car. It can get your car ready in the shortest duration. EDSC suggests the same, too.
Reason 6: Dirty air filter makes the engine slow
An air filter keeps your engine safe from dust and debris. Thanks to this component, your engine remains healthy for a long period of time.
However, as they hold up all the dirt from entering the engine, these filters get dirty quite easily. And once they do, the engine doesn’t function as smoothly as it should. As a result, you notice your car bogging down during acceleration.
Solution: The solution to having a dirty air filter is replacing it. It’s a fairly simple process. You have to,
Step 1: Open the air filter housing
Step 2: Remove the old air filter by slowly pulling it out
Step 3: Put the new air filter in place of the old one
Yes, the process is as simple as this. There is no extra complicated technicality involved here.
Reason 7: Contaminated fuel is as bad as no fuel
If everything else in your car is completely fine, but the engine is still bothering you, then the problem is probably with the fuel. It’s possible that the gasoline is contaminated with water. This mixture of liquid will prevent your car from running properly.
Solution: The solution is pretty simple but a bit costly. Drain out all the oils from the fuel tank and then leave it in a dry place for a while. You can use compressed air to dehydrate the interior part of the tank as well.
Once the tank is completely dry, fill it up with suitable fuel. Now, with the new fuel flowing, your engine should run smoothly without any issues whatsoever.
This Video Wil Help You Too!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
A car struggles to accelerate probably because of clogged fuel injection. Inadequate fuel pressure can also be a reason why the problem with acceleration occurs.
Your car is probably lagging when you step on the gas because of a faulty air-to-fuel ratio.
Your engine bogs down when you give it gas, probably because of a clogged air filter or dirty spark arrestors.
Final Words
If you have read this article thoroughly, currently you know what causes a car to bog down when accelerating. In addition, you have also learned to fix the problem all by yourself.
As you can see, the issue is not difficult to handle. May it be an old oil tank or dirty air filter, nothing should stand in your way now that you know how to take care of them properly. All you got to do now is have patience and get to work right away.
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