CARBURETORS

The process of carburetion means to mix air and fuel. The function of the carburetor is to meter
fuel and to proportion air/fuel mixtures, as intake air enters the engine. Carburetors are very
complex and are made of many parts, few of which can be interchanged with any other carburetor.

BERNOULLI'S PRINCIPLE
Daniel Bernoulli discovered in 1738 that there is a relationship between the speed or velocity of a
fluid - either liquid or gas - and the pressure exerted by that fluid. If fluid flow is constant, pressure
is constant. As speed increases, pressure decreases. This is evident in the effect of air on the wing of
an aircraft, the increased speed of air above the wing creates an area of lower pressure. The pressure
of the slower moving air below the wing is greater, applying lift to the wing. The same principle is
used in the design of a venturi in the carburetor.

VENTURI
The carburetor operates on the principle of the incoming air drawing the fuel into the air stream. The
carburetor is positioned on the intake manifold and all of the air that is drawn in by the downward
motion of the pistons, must pass through the carburetor This air passes through a narrowing of the
carburetor body. This is called a venturi. The air is forced to change flow characteristics as it
passes through the venturi.

VENTURI CONSTRUCTION
Air passing over the wing of an airplane must travel further than the air under the wing, thus
creating a low-pressure area above the wing, giving it lift. As intake air passes through the venturi,
it must accelerate and travel faster than it was travelling in the larger area of the passage. As the
air passes through at the higher rate of speed, a low-pressure area is created, just as above the
wing of an airplane. This low pressure creates a suction on the gasoline that is present in the
carburetor, and it draws it into the air stream through the discharge tube or nozzle (Bernoulli's
Principle).
The venturi is self-regulating. As the volume of air passing through the venturi rises and falls,
the level of suction on the fuel also rises and falls. The higher the volume of air, the higher the
suction is, and the higher the volume of gasoline that is drawn with it. A constant air fuel mixture
can be maintained this way.


THROTTLE PLATE
If an engine were permitted to draw air in freely, it would accelerate and run uncontrolled at very
high speed. Cutting off or throttling the airflow controls engine speed. When the volume of air is
reduced, engine speed falls accordingly. When air volume is unrestricted, the engine will
produce full power.
The airflow or volume is controlled by the throttle plate, which is placed in the base of the carburetor, below the venturi, and is able to
close the airflow almost completely. The throttle plate, or throttle butterfly, as it is sometimes called, is mounted on a shaft. Rotation
of the shah causes the throttle plate to open or close the air passage. The throttle plate is closed by spring force and opened by foot
pressure from the driver.

BASIC CARBURETOR COMPONENTS
The basic carburetor has the following parts:
1) Carburetor body: the main housing(s), which contain all of the systems and circuits.
2) Air horn: the main air passage. Generally used to describe the upper portion of the passage.
3) Throttle valve: to control airflow.
4) Venturi: the narrowed area of the air passage.
5) Main discharge tube: extends from the fuel bowl into the venturi, carrying fuel to mix with
the air steam.
6) Fuel bowl: stores fuel.

CARBURETOR CIRCUITS
The varying demands and operating conditions of an engine require variations in the
air/fuel mixture. While the venturi and main discharge nozzle are designed to maintain
close to a 15:1 ratio, the engine will require ratios ranging from 8:1 to 18:1. These variations are achieved
through circuits that cope with the needed changes in fueling. The basic carburetor has six major circuits: - float - idle - main metering
- full power or enrichment accelerator - choke


FLOAT CIRCUIT
The float circuit serves to maintain a constant fuel level in the fuel bowl. The float is
mounted with a hinge, and a needle valve is positioned so that the float can close the needle
valve.
When fuel level is low, the needle valve is open. Fuel under pressure from the fuel pump
flows past the needle valve and fills the fuel bowl. As the fuel level rises, the float pushes the
needle valve closed and fuel flow stops.
Some carburetors have two fuel bowls and will therefore require two float circuits. Float level
- the level of the fuel in the float bowl - is adjustable, usually by bending tabs on the float or by
bending the hinge portion of the float. Gauges are often provided with carburetor overhaul kits to
allow precise setting of float levels. The float bowl is vented to the air horn and to the charcoal canister.

IDLE CIRCUIT
An idling engine requires a slightly richer mixture. There is not enough air flowing through the
venturi to draw fuel out of the main discharge tube, so an alternate passage is provided.
The throttle plate is blocking the majority of intake air, and a high vacuum is present below the
throttle plate. The vacuum draws fuel from the float bowl through a passage that exits below the
throttle plate. Air is drawn through an air bleed passage and mixes with the fuel, before it is
discharged out of the idle port. An idle adjusting screw is located in the idle passage so that flow
of fuel - and consequently engine idle speed - can be adjusted. On late model carburetors the idle
adjustments are set at the factory and sealed, and no adjustments are possible.
Since only a very small amount of air can pass by the throttle plate, a controlled, enriched
mixture enters the engine. As the throttle plate begins to open and the engine comes off idle,
further discharge ports are exposed to vacuum and more fuel air mixture is drawn through these
passages. These ports are called off-idle ports.
The ports may be connected by a transfer slot, or may be individual holes placed above the
throttle plate. The off idle ports provide a smooth transition as the throttle moves from idle to
part throttle, and the fuel flow moves from the idle circuit to the main metering circuit. Vehicle
manufacturers use many variations of idle circuitry.

MAIN METERING CIRCUIT
The main metering circuit provides the fuel metering throughout most of the engine operation.
After the throttle is opened past the off idle ports, there is sufficient airflow to draw fuel through
the main discharge tube. The main metering circuit can maintain normal air/fuel mixture through
all rpm ranges, depending on engine load.
The main discharge nozzle is connected via passages to the fuel float bowl. A metering jet is
placed in this passage to precisely control fuel flow. J ets of various sizes can be interchanged to
affect engine performance.
The passage includes an air bleed that allows air to mix with the fuel as it enters the discharge
tube. A well may be situated in the passage that allows progressively more air to mix with the
fuel and prevent the mixture from becoming too rich as engine speed and air volume increase.

FULL POWER OR ENRICHMENT CIRCUIT
To produce full power, the engine needs a slightly richer
mixture. Since the main metering system tends to provide a
constant air/fuel ratio, an additional circuit is provided to enrich the mixture under full power
operation. There are several designs of circuits for this purpose; the common ones are the metering
rod type, and the power valve.
The metering rod design utilizes mechanical linkage or vacuum to actuate a metering rod that is
placed in the main jets. When full throttle operation is called for, the metering rod lifts out of the
main jet, increasing the area of the opening and subsequently the amount of fuel that can flow.
The power valve design utilizes vacuum or linkage to open an additional metering jet that
permits the flow of additional fuel through the discharge tube.

ACCELERATOR PUMP CIRCUIT
When the engine is accelerated slowly from idle there is a transfer from the idle circuit to the main metering circuit, as discussed
earlier. However if an engine is accelerated quickly, a momentary hesitation will occur. As soon as the throttle plate is opened, air will
flow quickly into the manifold. The flow of gasoline will be slightly delayed however, and that first rush of air/fuel mixture will be
very lean, causing the engine to hesitate or even stall.
The accelerator pump circuit provides a positive charge of fuel that is sufficient to compensate for the amount of air that is drawn in,
before the main metering system begins fuel flow.
The accelerator circuit consists of mechanical linkage connected to a diaphragm
or plunger type pump, and nozzles located in the air horn. Fuel enters the pump
chamber through a one way check valve, and is discharged through a second
check valve, in a manner similar to the fuel pump. As the throttle opens, the
pump is actuated and fuel is discharged from the nozzle(s). The linkage is
generally adjustable, to increase or decrease the amount of fuel that is pumped
into the engine. Hesitation on quick acceleration, is often an indicator of a faulty
accelerator pump.

CHOKE CIRCUIT
Starting a cold engine requires a very rich mixture. To allow the carburetor to deliver this
rich mixture requires the addition of another plate similar to the throttle plate. The choke
plate is capable of closing the airflow into the air horn; this is described as choking the
engine by cutting off its airflow. When the choke plate is closed, the entire carburetor is
subject to the high manifold vacuum. This high vacuum draws large volumes of fuel
through the various passages.
Originally, chokes were manually operated. The driver opened and closed the choke to keep
the engine running at a satisfactory speed and smoothness. To eliminate the inefficiency of a
driver operating the choke, automatic chokes have been used for years. A temperature
sensitive bimetallic spring is connected by linkage to the choke plate. When the engine is
cold, the spring closes the plate, and as the engine heats the bi-metal spring opens the plate.
Many additional devices have been added to automatic chokes to modify the transition from
full choke during engine cranking, to no choke, at normal operating temperature. The choke
plate is offset on its shaft, so that air velocity pulls it partially open as soon as the engine
starts. Intake manifold vacuum is also used to actuate the opening of the choke. As the
engine heats, exhaust gas is directed toward
the bi-metal spring, causing it to respond
more rapidly, and an electric heater may also
be installed to heat up the bi-metal coil.
When an engine is cold and running under
choke, it generally needs to operate with the
throttle plate slightly further open, than at a hot idle.
Idle speed is generally also increased slightly to allow
the engine to run smoothly and avoid the tendency to
stall.
A fast idle device that is incorporated into the choke
linkage accomplishes this. Usually a screw on the
throttle linkage contacts a multi-step cam. When the
choke shaft rotates closed, the throttle opens in
steps, by the actuation of the cam. To engage this feature, the throttle linkage must be depressed
during cranking. In fact, in many cases the choke will not be
closed unless the throttle is depressed before or during
cranking.
A choke break or vacuum break is used to open the choke plate slightly once the engine starts
so that it can breathe. When engine vacuum builds after the engine starts it acts on the break
diaphragm to pull the choke plate open. This amount of opening must be very precise or the
engine will stall. Some manufacturers call for the adjustment to be made using an angle gauge
and others use a specific demension.