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"The ABC's of Carburetion"
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file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/Tim/Desktop/carburetor-manual-welcome/index.htm[4/25/2009 11:42:20 AM]
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THE CARBURETOR'S JOB
WHAT MUST THE
CARBURETOR DO?
WHY A CARBURETOR?
It is the carburetor's responsibility to
meter, atomize, and distribute the
As a liquid, gasoline is of little or no gasoline throughout the air being drawn
use to an engine. Its energy can be into the engine. It must do these things
released only by combustion, or burning; properly through a wide range of speed,
in order to burn properly it must be in load, and temperature, in answer to the
vapor form, properly mixed with air, and demands of the driver, who controls the
delivered to the cylinder of the engine as amount of fuel flow by his use of the
a combustible mixture, where it is first accelerator.
compressed and then ignited by the Since the modern carburetor must do all
spark plug. its duties automatically with changes in
conditions, it is bound to be an intricate
device and appears very complicated.
However, when reduced to basic
functions and studied one step at a time,
carburetion is more easily understood.
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THE CARBURETOR'S JOB Continued
ATOMIZATION
"Atomization" simply means breaking the liquid fuel up into very small
particles, so that it can more easily vaporize and mix with the air.
With the fuel broken into small particles, there is much more chance for air contact;
the more air contact, the better the vaporization.
METERING
Another "must" for good combustion is a correct mixture ratio between the fuel
and air, commonly called the "air-fuel ratio." To release all possible energy by
combustion, a given amount of fuel must be mixed with a given amount of air. The
metering job of the carburetor is to furnish the proper air-fuel ratio for various
conditions, so that engine operation will be neither too lean for power requirements
nor too rich for economy.
DISTRIBUTION
For good combustion and smooth, even operation, the air and fuel must be
thoroughly and uniformly mixed, delivered in equal quantities to each cylinder and
evenly distributed within the combustion chamber. The carburetor must furnish a
properly distributed mixture to the intake manifold; from that point on, distribution
depends mostly on engine design.
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THE CARBURETOR'S JOB Continued
PERFORMANCE DEMANDS
MAXIMUM POWER
When the throttle is wide open, the
carburetor is supplying all possible air.
Since no further air is available, the only
way to increase power is to make certain
that all the incoming air is used for
combustion.
In spite of the best efforts of designers, FUEL ECONOMY
perfect distribution is never reached; the For operation other than maximum power, it is
average mixture supplied to an engine may desirable to supply an air-fuel mixture for maximum
be completely correct, but some cylinders economy. Economy requires the reverse of
will run slightly rich and others slightly maximum power, in that enough air is added to
lean. So with no more air available through insure the use of all available fuel, so that no fuel
the carburetor, the lean cylinders are the will leave the engine unburned. The majority of
only source of unburned air. The mixture driving conditions allow an economy mixture, but in
supplied to the engine is richened until the some cases economy must take a back seat to power.
lean cylinders become normal and all So the automotive carburetor must be able to supply
possible air is used for combustion. Of either mixture to the engine, according to power
course, the already rich cylinders will be demands.
made slightly richer, but the excess fuel
simply travels out with the exhaust gases.
Now it can be seen that for maximum
power, extra fuel is added to use all
available air and fuel economy becomes
secondary.
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THE CARBURETOR'S JOB Continued
HOT WEATHER OPERATION
COLD WEATHER OPERATION
The problem during hot operation is the occurrence of vapor
within the carburetor. The combination of engine heat and high
The extreme cold weather test of a carburetor is the
outside temperatures often makes the gasoline evaporate with
starting of a cold engine. Cranking draws the normal amount
extreme rapidity; sometimes it actually boils.
of fuel into the engine, but due to low temperature much of it
does not vaporize. Also, some fuel condenses on the cold
manifold, so that the mixture reaching the spark plug may be Good vaporization is fine for distribution, but the carburetor is
too lean to start combustion. To counteract this leanness in a designed to meter only liquid fuel, so vapor within the fuel
cold engine, extra rich mixtures are supplied to the engine passages disrupts the metering of the fuel. Vapor trouble will
by "choking." Air flow is restricted so that more fuel is show up particularly at idle speeds, while metering is being done
drawn into the engine; thus the air-fuel ratio is richened. As through very small holes; vapor bubbles in the idle channels
the engine warms up, vaporization and condensation cause metering to be erratic and the engine runs rough or stalls.
conditions improve and the choke is gradually opened to Insulation and venting are the two general methods for fighting
prevent needless rich mixtures. the vapor problem. Insulation of the carburetor as much as
possible from extreme engine heat helps prevent vapor
formation; if vapor does form, it can be vented to the atmosphere
in such a way that no liquid gasoline is carried along.
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THE CARBURETOR'S JOB Continued
FLEXIBILITY
Changes in engine and air temperatures, altitude and manifold vacuum all affect the weight and
volume of the fuel and air. These factors and others may affect the mixture and distribution to such
an extent that combustion is erratic or does not occur at all. The carburetor must be able to anticipate
and allow for such changes so that a combustible mixture reaches the cylinder.
MANEUVERABILITY
The carburetor must satisfy the demands of a critical automobile operator, who desires smooth
acceleration, quick response to rapid throttle maneuvers, quick starts and stops, proper operation on
steep inclines, in all kinds of weather.
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ACCELERATION
For acceleration, additional fuel is needed momentarily for the transfer to a higher
speed. The principal reason for the need for more fuel is the difference in weight of the fuel and air.
When the throttle is opened, acceleration of the air stream is nearly instantaneous. The fuel,
however, is many times heavier than air and cannot accelerate as rapidly, so until the fuel flow
"catches up" with the air flow, the mixture is excessively lean. The accelerator pump supplies
extra fuel to offset this momentary leanness; without the extra squirt of fuel at the right time, the
engine sputters or hesitates.
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THE CARBURETOR'S JOB Continued
SPARK TIMING
There is one more job the carburetor does, though somewhat indirectly. In most modern cars, the
carburetor bore just above the throttle valve is the location of a vacuum port leading to the automatic
spark advance on the distributor. This automatic advance is calibrated to regulate the spark timing
correctly for satisfactory operation under various loads. Manifold vacuum is the factor most
sensitive to loads; the vacuum port in the carburetor is the means by which timing is made to vary
with manifold vacuum and thus engine loads.
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SIMPLIFIED PRINCIPLES OF CARBURETION
BASIC IDEAS
Pressure is the factor which does all the heavy work in carburetion. "Vacuum" is simply a term for a pressure lower than the
atmosphere. Any fluid will tend to flow from a higher pressure to a lower pressure. (Consider a garden hose, with city water pressure on
one end and atmospheric on the other end.) The amount and speed of flow depends on the size of the pressure difference (more water will
flow faster at 80 lb. pressure than at 60 lb. pressure). In the case of the carburetor, atmospheric pressure is the "higher pressure" which
"pushes" air and fuel toward the "vacuum" or "lower pressure" in the venturi and manifold.
It may be said that the piston moving downward on the intake stroke "draws" air and fuel into the cylinder, but strictly speaking it is
simply lowering the pressure to allow atmospheric pressure to "push" air and fuel into the cylinder.
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SIMPLIFIED PRINCIPLES OF CARBURETION Continued
VENTURI PRINCIPLE
To form a combustible mixture of air and gasoline, certain proportions of each are needed. But
the pressure differences needed for the right flow of each are vastly different.
As an example, suppose that a 2-pound pressure difference will supply the right air flow for a
given condition.
But the gasoline is many times heavier and needs a pressure difference of 3 pounds before it will
flow.
In order to get both fuel and air to flow in the right proportions, there must be some way to
increase the pressure difference for the gasoline without making any more air flow.
This is accomplished with a "venturi," which may be pictured as a pipe line contain-ing a
restriction with rounded corners for smooth flow.
Air flowing in the pipe will be forced to speed up through the small section to keep up with the
flow in the large section (consider water going slowly through a hose and very fast through the small
hole in the nozzle). The smaller the restriction, the faster the flow.
Air going through the restriction can't change in total energy, but more energy is used for speed
and less for pressure. One way we might think of it is that the faster the air particles move, the less
time they have to sit around and exert pressure.
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Now we have just what we need: the right air flow and a reduced pressure in one area to allow
gasoline to flow. To refer back to the example we used before, we would still have a 2-pound
difference for the air flow, and the venturi restriction supplies the 3-pound vacuum needed for
gasoline flow.
If we wish to lower the pressure even more, we can even put a second venturi within the first;
using various sizes and combinations of venturi, we can regulate the flow of gasoline and air to any
desired ratio. (Exception: for idle conditions, there is very little air flow and fuel is supplied by
another method to be described later).
Venturi size is determined according to engine requirements. Air flow is controlled by the driver
as he opens and closes the throttle; the venturi is designed to lower the pressure enough to maintain
the required pressure difference for fuel flow.
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ROCHESTER
Models B and BC
CARBURETOR SYSTEMS
The six general systems in a Rochester Carburetor are Float, Idle, Part Throttle, Power, Acceleration
and Choke.
Without getting too technical, here briefly is what each one of the six systems does:
FLOAT SYSTEM
The Float System keeps the fuel at the right level in the bowl.
Gasoline coming in through the fuel inlet rises in the bowl and lifts
the float until it closes the needle valve. As gasoline is used, the
surface is lowered and the float drops to allow the needle valve to re-
open, and so on.
IDLE SYSTEM
At Idle speeds, the throttle valve is nearly closed and there is so
little air flow that even the venturi won't lift the fuel from the bowl.
So to get fuel to flow, manifold vacuum is applied directly to the
fuel in the bowl, from a point below the throttle valve. Now there is
atmospheric pressure on the fuel surface and manifold vacuum (very
low pressure) applied to the idle passages, so that fuel will be forced
through the idle passages where air is picked up through small holes,
or air bleeds, and the mixture is eventually fed to the carburetor bore
below the throttle valve. The Idle Mixture Adjusting Screw regulates
the amount of mixture through this idle discharge hole, to combine
properly with the small amount of air still passing the nearly closed
throttle valve.
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CARBURETOR SYSTEMS Continued
PART
THROTTLE
SYSTEM
During Part Throttle
operation, the lowest
pressure point is in the
venturi, and fuel flows
into the carburetor bore
through the main
metering system. The
idle passages are now
really idle, since they are
no longer exposed to the
highest vacuum. This is
the real economy range,
where the venturi theory
is in full swing and the
carburetor can give the
engine the best mixture it
can handle.
ACCELERATOR
PUMP SYSTEM
The Accelerator
Pump supplies that extra
squirt of fuel needed to
prevent hesitation dur-
ing the change to a wider
throttle opening or
higher speed. Most pump
plungers are spring-
connected, so that when
the throttle is opened
quickly the spring takes
up the quick motion and
moves the plunger more
gradually, so that the
change in speed can be
made more smoothly.
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CARBURETOR SYSTEMS Continued
CHOKE SYSTEM
The Choke System supplies the rich mixtures we saw were needed for the starting and warm-up
of a cold engine. The choke valve when closed simply cuts down the air supply and raises the
vacuum applied to the fuel outlets, so that more than usual fuel may be drawn into the cold engine.
The manual choke is, of course, controlled by the driver; he can simply set it where the engine runs
best as it starts and warms up.
Automatic chokes are becoming more and more the accepted choking mechanism; in general,
here's how they work: An automatic choke contains two opposing forces: thermostatic coil tension
acts to close the choke valve and vacuum pull on the choke piston acts to open it. A cold coil will
hold the choke closed against the vacuum pull. Warm air is brought to the choke coil through a heat
tube open to fresh air near the exhaust manifold. As the coil is heated, it "relaxes" and allows the
vacuum pull on the piston to open the choke valve and hold it there. By careful design and calibra-
tion, automatic chokes are made to furnish the correct choke action during the start and warm-up
period.
SUMMARY
The upshot of it all is that the carburetor has to be an all-around star performer at the beck call of
the automobile driver. With today's engine and fuels, the modern
carburetor is a far cry from its ancestors of just a few years back, but reduced to its basic functions,
it still follows the fundamental principles of carburetion.
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TROUBLE SHOOTING TIPS
It must be remembered that carburetion depends on the rest of the engine, such as ignition,
compression, timing, etc. If, after everything else has been checked, trouble remains which might be
the carburetor, check the following points:
GENERAL CHECK POINTS
1. Is the engine manifold heat valve free? (rough hot idle, stalling)
2. Are there any vacuum leaks in the manifold or carburetor? (rough idle, hard starting)
3. Do gaskets indicate a good seal? (air or fuel leaks)
4. Are all screws and mounting nuts tightened evenly? (distortion, leaks)
5. Are shaft holes excessively worn? (poor operation, leaks, sticking)
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TROUBLE SHOOTING TIPS Continued
FLOAT SYSTEM
(Hooding, rough idle, surge) PART THROTTLE SYSTEM
(poor economy, surge)
1. Check seat for tightness in casting.
2. Is the needle smooth both on the point and the
1. Check size and approach angle of metering jets.
top?
2. Are the jets and fuel passages free of dirt or
3. Does the needle valve seat properly to prevent
obstruction?
flooding?
4. Check float adjustment.
POWER SYSTEM
(surge, low top speed, hesitation)
IDLE SYSTEM
(rough idle, stalling)
1. Check float adjustment, engine idle speed
adjustment.
2. Check for vacuum leaks.
1. Are the vacuum channels and power restriction
free of carbon, dirt, or obstruction?
3. Are the idle channels and throttle bore free of
carbon and dirt?
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2. Is the power piston worn or damaged?
4. Are the idle needles free of burrs?
3. Is the actuating spring distorted?
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TROUBLE SHOOTING TIPS
Continued
4. Are the pump channels free of dirt or
obstruction?
4. Do the ball checks or valves leak?
CHOKE SYSTEM
(hard starting, rough idle,
stalling)
5. Does the power piston move freely?
1. Check fast idle adjustment.
2. Check vacuum and heat connections.
PUMP SYSTEM 3. Check choke cover indexing setting.
(hesitation)
4. Is the choke valve free?
1. Is the purnp leather hardened or distorted?
2. Do the inlet or outlet valves leak?
5. Is the choke piston free of dirt or
carbon?
3. Does the plunger vent ball seat properly?
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IMPORTANT ADJUSTMENTS
It is the purpose of this section to explain the importance of the various recommended carburetor adjustments. For specific dimensions
and recommended gauges, see the Adjustment Bulletin for the particular carburetor being serviced.
ON THE BENCH
If any one carburetor adjustment is more
important than the others, it is the float setting. The float drop setting insures sufficient fuel for
This setting determines the relationship between sustained high speed driving. On carburetors
fuel level and the height to which fuel must rise using a float balance spring, this setting has a
to reach the discharge nozzle This adjustment has definite effect on normal fuel level, making its
a great effect on both performance and economy. accuracy essential. IT MUST BE CORRECT.
IT MUST BE CORRECT.
The unloader adjustment is made to prevent
The Choke Rod Setting plays an important part loading up on a wide open throttle acceleration
in proper fast idle speed during engine warm-up. during the warm-up period. This is accomplished
When properly adjusted, it helps determine by the throttle movement mechanically forcing
correct relations between choke valve opening the choke valve partially open to admit more air.
and minimum throttle valve opening. If If improperly adjusted, excessive richness and
improperly adjusted, it can cause hard cold loading may result. IT MUST BE CORRECT.
starting, rough idling, stalling and loading up. IT
MUST BE CORRECT.
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IMPORTANT ADJUSTMENTS Continued
ON THE ENGINE
SLOW IDLE - The slow idle setting is an important factor in smooth idling and stalling after engine
warm-up. Therefore, it should be adjusted carefully according to factory specifications with the use
of a tachometer and vacuum gauge.
AUTOMATIC CHOKE STOVE - Rochester Automatic choke carburetors for Chevrolet
application require the use of a choke stove assembly and heat pipe. For proper choke operation, this
stove must be properly installed. Install on forward side of exhaust manifold. Do not insulate steel
heat pipe. The recommended installation gives best results with factory calibrated parts.
FAST IDLE - The final fast idle adjustment should always be made on the engine with the use of a
tachometer. Adjust according to factory specifications. If improperly adjusted, it may result in hard
starting when cold, stalling or loading up.
TOOLS AND SPECIFICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH UNITED
MOTORS SERVICE
Since service adjustments on all models of Rochester Carburetors have been kept to a minimum,
the number of special tools and gauges required for field service adjustments are comparatively few.
The necessary tools and gauges are available through the facilities of United Motors Service
Distributors everywhere.
CAUTIONS
1. The practice of indiscriminately installing lean main metering jets to improve economy is without
basis. Lean jets are intended for high altitude use only and will not improve mileage at average or
sea level altitudes. Excessively lean jets may result in burned engine valves.
2. Mileage complaints should always be verified with a gas-per-mile gauge with the owner driving.
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Many factors, other than carburetion, affect mileage.
3. As mentioned before, CARBURETION SHOULD ALWAYS BE CHECKED LAST IN
ENGINE TUNE-UP.
4. Do not remove throttle valves or shafts from Rochester Carburetors. All idle drillings are made
with relation to a proper fitting valve. Since removing and replacing the valve will change this
relationship, rough or erratic idling may be the result.
Be certain all carburetor adjustments are made in proper sequence according to factory
specifications.
Always remember-DIRT IS A CARBURETOR'S WORST ENEMY. A good cleaning job will
often result in a satisfied customer. Always remove gum deposits with a good gum solvent. In many
instances it may be advisable to install a fuel filter to minimize dirt deposits.
