A service light came on on my dashboard and I had a Honda mechanic tell me that my pistons are all misfiring and a rodent ate through the wires on my Knock Sensor, does this sound right?
Quite possible, rodents chewing on wires is not uncommon.
Strictly speaking, your cylinders are misfiring. Pistons are what go up and down (or back and forth in a Subaru or Porsche) in the cylinders. Have the wires replaced and stash some mothballs in an out of the way place. Rodents don’t like the smell.
Has anyone had luck using fox urine granules sprinkled around the engine area?
I’ve had very good luck with it keeping rodents away from the house.
I have not had it repaired yet and have been driving it, is that going to cause any damage to anything? I am trying to find someone trustworthy to repair it.
What does the Honda mechanic you mention have to say about this question ? And why not use him for repair before there is another problem because of the damaged wires . As for a shop the online reviews can help you choose a shop if you don’t want this mechanic doing the work .
Dave is not a mechanic , just a forum member like a lot of us are . There are quite a few real excellent mechanics that post here but I doubt if any of them would say yes or no to the damage that might occur if you keep driving the vehicle .
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My suspicion is driving it in this condition will cause damage.
Have the wire harness repaired/replaced and be done with it.
Yes, there is potential for damage. A cylinder that isn’t firing correctly is sending unburned gas to the catalytic converter, which will ruin it if not addressed. And some of that unburned gas can get past the piston rings and interfere with proper lubrication of the cylinder walls. Even beyond that, the knock sensor helps keep your ignition timing correct and if it’s not working your car isn’t running efficiently. Go back to the “Honda mechanic,” check on Yelp, talk to friends, neighbors, coworkers, just Google “mechanics near me” and pick one, but don’t keep driving your car as is.
Thank you for the information, I will get it repaired right away.
| davepsinbox_157004
October 11 |
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Yes, there is potential for damage. A cylinder that isn’t firing correctly is sending unburned gas to the catalytic converter, which will ruin it if not addressed. And some of that unburned gas can get past the piston rings and interfere with proper lubrication of the cylinder walls. Even beyond that, the knock sensor helps keep your ignition timing correct and if it’s not working your car isn’t running efficiently. Go back to the “Honda mechanic,” check on Yelp, talk to friends, neighbors, coworkers, just Google “mechanics near me” and pick one, but don’t keep driving your car as is.
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