Old cars used to have a purely mechanical device called a carburetor to draw fuel into the engine for combustion. (Modern cars accomplish this with electronic fuel injection systems.) To prepare for this discussion, do some online research about how carburetors function.

1. How does the Bernoulli Effect allow the carburetor to function?

2. What advantages and disadvantages do you see with only using a carburetor?

3. Why do you think modern cars use electronic fuel injection systems instead of carburetors?

Question

Engineering

Nora Callahan

11 June, 11:25

Old cars used to have a purely mechanical device called a carburetor to draw fuel into the engine for combustion. (Modern cars accomplish this with electronic fuel injection systems.) To prepare for this discussion, do some online research about how carburetors function.

1. How does the Bernoulli Effect allow the carburetor to function?

2. What advantages and disadvantages do you see with only using a carburetor?

3. Why do you think modern cars use electronic fuel injection systems instead of carburetors?

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Answers (1)

Know the Answer?

Trevon Donaldson · Answer 1

1. Air flows into the top of the carburetor from the car's air intake, passing through a filter that cleans it of debris ... When the throttle is open, more air and fuel flows to the cylinders so the engine produces more power and the car goes faster. The mixture of air and fuel flows down into the cylinders

2. Advantages:

Carburetor parts are not expensive as that of fuel injectors, especially EFI, which would give you large savings.

With the use of carburetor you get more air and fuel mixture.

In terms of road test, carburetors have more power and precision.

Carburetors are not restricted by the amount of gas pumped from the fuel tank which means that cylinders may pull more fuel through the carburetor that would lead to denser mixture in the chamber and greater power as well.

Disadvantages:

At a very low speed, the mixture supplied by a carburetor is so weak that it will not ignite properly and for its enrichment, at such conditions some arrangement in the carburetor is required.

The working of carburetor is affected by changes of atmospheric pressure.

It gives the proper mixture at only one engine speed and load, therefore, suitable only for engines running at constant speed increase or decrease.

More fuels are consumed since carburetors are heavier than fuel injectors.

More air emissions than fuel injectors.

Maintenance costs of carburetor is higher than with fuel injection system.

3. The electronics used in the system will calculate this information and constantly adjust. This type of controlled fuel injection results in a higher power output, greater fuel efficiency and much lower emissions. One of the main issues is that these systems are sophisticated and will cost much more than a carburetor