What type of malfunction occurs if a gasoline engine's ignition firing order is incorrect?

When a gasoline engine's ignition firing order is incorrect, a common symptom is that the engine backfires through the carburetor. This occurs because the timing of the spark plugs igniting the fuel-air mixture becomes misaligned. As a result, the engine may attempt to ignite fuel in a cylinder when it is not in the proper cycle, leading to combustion occurring at the wrong time. This misfire can force the unburned mixture back through the carburetor, causing a backfire.

This phenomenon is particularly indicative of a firing order issue, as the sequence in which the spark plugs fire is critical for maintaining engine efficiency and proper combustion timing. When the firing order is altered, it disrupts the normal operation of the engine, which can lead to backfiring as the combustion process is improperly synchronized within the engine cycle.

While the other options represent possible issues related to engine performance, they do not specifically describe the direct outcome of an incorrect firing order in the same manner as backfiring through the carburetor does.