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Why is my engine backfiring at a high RPM?

My car’s engine idles fine and drives smoothly at lower speeds, but I’m getting some backfiring when I accelerate to higher speeds. Why is my engine backfiring at a high RPM?

avatar
Melanie Mergen · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
There are a few common causes that cause engines to backfire: damaged valves, bad ignition timing, or an air/fuel mixture that’s not quite right.
Engine
backfires happen when your vehicle’s air/fuel mixture combusts outside its designated spot in the engine’s cylinders.
When your exhaust valves are bent or damaged, they can’t properly route air and fuel to and from the engine for combustion. When the ignition timing is off, combustion could be happening too early or too late. For the
air/fuel mixture
to burn properly at all, the ratio has to be right—if it’s not, this could be related to a number of issues, from bad fuel injectors to an air filter that needs replacing.
Of course, there could be other culprits in addition to these. A mechanic will be able to help you take a closer look and get to the bottom of what’s causing the issue.
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