A carburetor is a critical component of vehicle engine operation. Serving as a vehicle's fuel induction system, a system responsible for creating an engine's air/fuel mixture, a carburetor helps to regulate optimum vehicle engine performance and fuel economy. Although not as widely used as in the past, carburetors are still in use in many older-model vehicles.
A carburetor is basically a mechanical pump that serves as a vehicle's fuel induction system. For a vehicle engine to operate, a constant supply of fuel must be fed directly to the engine cylinders, where the fuel gets burned and produces engine power. A carburetor supplies a constant, steady flow of engine fuel (gasoline) to a vehicle's engine, a flow that is constantly adjusted by the carburetor in relation to driving conditions and engine speed.
A carburetor, which is powered by engine vacuum pressure created during an engine's power stroke, receives fuel (gasoline) from the vehicle gas tank, pumped via the fuel pump, and rations this incoming fuel supply into appropriate doses by way of small metering valves located inside the carburetor housing. In addition to regulating the flow of fuel into a vehicle's engine, a carburetor also sucks outside air into the engine intake manifold and combines it with fuel to create a vehicle's air/fuel mixture ratio, which is the precise mixture of air and gas that an engine burns to produce power.
A carburetor is bolted directly to the top of the engine intake manifold, which is basically a large, hollow metal tube responsible for directing an engine's air/fuel mixture into the engine combustion chambers, or engine cylinders. Commonly, a carburetor is located inside the engine air filter housing, which normally provides complete enclosure of the carburetor and protects it from outside contamination. Various engine vacuum hoses are attached to the carburetor as well as the vehicle fuel line, which transports engine fuel (gasoline) from the fuel tank and sends it directly to the carburetor.
Although fairly basic in design and easy to install, carburetors normally require frequent adjustment to ensure adequate function. Unlike modern fuel injection systems that are very low maintenance, carburetors must be evaluated on a regular basis to ensure proper air/fuel mixture settings, an evaluation that normally involves an electronic engine diagnosis. Also, carburetors oftentimes must be cleaned (even disassembled periodically) due to their tendency to become dirty and/or plugged up internally, which can inhibit their performance and restrict fuel and air flow into an engine.
For the most part, carburetors do not provide the same level of efficiency as do more modern fuel injection systems. Carburetors are great for producing maximum engine power and offering dependability and long-lasting use, but they lack the sophistication and adaptability of modern fuel injection systems, which normally use various electrical sensor mechanisms as well as engine on-board computer control that fine-tune their operation to such a degree that they offer greater fuel economy and superior overall performance than traditional carburetors.
