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How Does A Carburetor Work?

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In these days when our cars run with computerized efficiency, people don't have to think too much about how their engines work. But when you do consider what it takes to get you from one place to another, it's pretty fascinating. Take the carburetor, for example. For all our modern technology, nothing does its job better than a good old fashioned carburetor. Here's a little peek under the hood to see how a carburetor works/

The Right Mixture of Fuel and Air Makes Your Engine Run Properly

We think of our car engines as mechanical objects, but there's a certain amount of chemistry involved as well. Combustion is the chemical reaction that creates the energy that moves your vehicle. When you burn fuel in air, you're relying on combustion, whether it's a candle, a campfire or a car. The combustion that your car engine needs to run properly requires just the right mix of fuel and oxygen. Add too much fuel, and your engine can flood or smoke. Use too little fuel, and the engine may not run or could suffer damage. So, a proper mix is key for the car's engine to do what it needs to do.

What Is a Carburetor?

Nowadays, our cars generate combustion using more complex, computerized fuel injection systems. But for generations, the carburetor did the job — and did it efficiently. In the 19th century, the pioneering German inventor Karl Benz (yes, that Benz) developed the carburetor, and his original design didn't change much over the years. The principle Benz devised to mix the fuel and oxygen in the right amount to create combustion has been a reliable bit of technology for automobiles. While fuel injection systems have replaced carburetors in newer vehicles, drivers of older cars and classic car enthusiasts can appreciate the fact that carburetors have worked mostly the same way for decades.

The Basics of Carburetors

Here's a simplified explanation of how carburetors generate the combustion that gets your vehicle moving. Air enters through the opening at the top of the carburetor. This opening, or throttle body, narrows and widens to control air flow. As the air speeds up and moves through the center of the carburetor, which is called the venturi, it pulls gasoline out of the fuel line through a tube called a jet. The fuel and air mixture encounters the throttle plate, which opens and closes to regulate the flow into the engine. When you press the accelerator, you're controlling the throttle plate and allowing the carburetor to do its job.

Carburetors Are More Complex Than You Realize

Although you've just discovered the basics of how a carburetor works, there's so much more to them than you might realize. Karl Benz's first design has evolved into a much more complex mechanism that uses the same principles as the original. Fairly simple, basic carburetors are still the norm in smaller engines like chainsaws and lawn mowers. In cars, a carburetor can have more than one venturi or multiple throttle bodies. Many muscle cars and performance vehicles use four-barrel carburetors to provide more power to the engine when you need it. Carburetors aren't as simple as they were in the early days of the automobile.

Modern Fuel Injection Systems Take the Carburetor to the Next Level

While you can still see carburetors in older vehicles, and classic car enthusiasts swear by them as well, newer cars rely on fuel injection to generate combustion. Fuel injection systems keep harmful emissions low and generally work more efficiently, but the principle is much the same. Injection nozzles shoot fuel into the system in a fine mist with just the right amount of pressure. As air moves through the port and comes in contact with the fuel, the combustion reaction takes place. Your newer car may have one port that handles everything or a more complex system with multiple ports.