Stall (engine)
Encyclopedia
A stall is the slowing or stopping of a process, and in the case of an engine
, refers to a sudden stopping of the engine turning, usually brought about accidentally.
It is commonly applied to the phenomenon whereby an engine
abruptly ceases operating and stops turning. It might be due to not getting enough air, fuel
, or electric spark
, mechanical failure, or in response to a sudden increase in engine load. This increase in engine load is common with manual transmission
when the clutch
is released too suddenly.
The ways in which a car can stall is usually down to the driver, especially on manual transmission. For instance if a driver takes their foot off the clutch too quickly while stationary then the car will stall; taking the foot off slowly will stop this happening. Stalling also happens when the driver forgets to depress the clutch and/or change to neutral while coming to a stop. Stalling can be dangerous especially in heavy traffic.
A car fitted with an automatic transmission
could also have its engine stalled when the vehicle is travelling in the opposite direction to the selected gear. For example, if the selector is in the 'D' position and the car is moving backwards, (on a steep enough hill to overcome the torque from the torque converter
) the engine will stall. This is because, hypothetically, if the car is rolling backward fast enough, the force from the rotating wheels will be transmitted backward through the transmission and act as a sudden load on the engine.
Digital electronic fuel injection
and ECU
ignition system
s have greatly reduced stalling in modern engine
s.
Engine
An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert energy into useful mechanical motion. Heat engines, including internal combustion engines and external combustion engines burn a fuel to create heat which is then used to create motion...
, refers to a sudden stopping of the engine turning, usually brought about accidentally.
It is commonly applied to the phenomenon whereby an engine
Engine
An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert energy into useful mechanical motion. Heat engines, including internal combustion engines and external combustion engines burn a fuel to create heat which is then used to create motion...
abruptly ceases operating and stops turning. It might be due to not getting enough air, fuel
Fuel
Fuel is any material that stores energy that can later be extracted to perform mechanical work in a controlled manner. Most fuels used by humans undergo combustion, a redox reaction in which a combustible substance releases energy after it ignites and reacts with the oxygen in the air...
, or electric spark
Electric spark
An electric spark is a type of electrostatic discharge that occurs when an electric field creates an ionized electrically conductive channel in air producing a brief emission of light and sound. A spark is formed when the electric field strength exceeds the dielectric field strength of air...
, mechanical failure, or in response to a sudden increase in engine load. This increase in engine load is common with manual transmission
Manual transmission
A manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
when the clutch
Clutch
A clutch is a mechanical device which provides for the transmission of power from one component to another...
is released too suddenly.
The ways in which a car can stall is usually down to the driver, especially on manual transmission. For instance if a driver takes their foot off the clutch too quickly while stationary then the car will stall; taking the foot off slowly will stop this happening. Stalling also happens when the driver forgets to depress the clutch and/or change to neutral while coming to a stop. Stalling can be dangerous especially in heavy traffic.
A car fitted with an automatic transmission
Automatic transmission
An automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...
could also have its engine stalled when the vehicle is travelling in the opposite direction to the selected gear. For example, if the selector is in the 'D' position and the car is moving backwards, (on a steep enough hill to overcome the torque from the torque converter
Torque converter
In modern usage, a torque converter is generally a type of hydrodynamic fluid coupling that is used to transfer rotating power from a prime mover, such as an internal combustion engine or electric motor, to a rotating driven load...
) the engine will stall. This is because, hypothetically, if the car is rolling backward fast enough, the force from the rotating wheels will be transmitted backward through the transmission and act as a sudden load on the engine.
Digital electronic fuel injection
Fuel injection
Fuel injection is a system for admitting fuel into an internal combustion engine. It has become the primary fuel delivery system used in automotive petrol engines, having almost completely replaced carburetors in the late 1980s....
and ECU
Engine control unit
An engine control unit is a type of electronic control unit that determines the amount of fuel, ignition timing and other parameters an internal combustion engine needs to keep running...
ignition system
Ignition system
An ignition system is a system for igniting a fuel-air mixture. Ignition systems are well known in the field of internal combustion engines such as those used in petrol engines used to power the majority of motor vehicles, but they are also used in many other applications such as in oil-fired and...
s have greatly reduced stalling in modern engine
Engine
An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert energy into useful mechanical motion. Heat engines, including internal combustion engines and external combustion engines burn a fuel to create heat which is then used to create motion...
s.