Our Houston auto repair experts are frequently asked one question,”Carburetor or Fuel Injection”. Carburetors have been around for a long time, and for a while Carburetors were the only option for fuel delivery in vehicles until 1988. In 1988, some wonderful people invented EFI (electronic fuel injection). Ever since 1988, auto makers have been using EFI for fuel delivery.
Carburetor: How it Works
Carburetors are very good at metering the proper air/fuel ratio based on engine speed and throttle position. Where they have problems is with changes in atmospheric conditions. A carb is not able to change how it mixes fuel at -30 or 100 degrees, it doesn’t know the difference. That is why all new vehicles now have fuel injection, it can adapt to those conditions for better fuel economy and emissions. As long as a carburetor is operating within the range it is tuned for, it is just as efficient as fuel injection. How a carburetor works is by using the pressure differential caused by the air flowing through the restricted portion of the body of the carburetor (which speeds up the air flow) to pull gasoline out of the float bowl and through a nozzle which sprays the fuel into a very fine mist so that it mixes with the air. The finer the droplets, the more surface area a given amount of fuel has and the more readily it burns. To have one of our Houston auto repair experts look at your carburetor, schedule an appointment.
Fuel Injection: How it Works
Fuel injection is the fuel delivery system that’s in most modern engines. It’s another method of mixing fuel and air so that they burn more easily in your car’s engine. Fuel injectors spray precise amounts of fuel into the air of the intake manifold. An electronic sensor called an engine control module, or powertrain control module controls the amount of fuel sprayed. The two types of fuel injection are throttle body injection or multiport fuel injection. With throttle body fuel injection, one or two injectors supply the fuel from a central location. If your car is equipped with multiport injection, each cylinder has it’s own individual or pair of injectors. Fuel injection systems are generally recognized as providing better performance and fuel economy than carburetors. To have one of our Houston auto repair experts look at your fuel injectors, schedule an appointment.
The Winner
It comes down to both what you’re looking for in a fuel delivery system. If you’re looking for good gas mileage the carburetor is not the machine for you. The fuel injectors are more precise in the delivery and use less gas. But if you’re looking for horsepower and speed, fuel injection won’t quite get the results the carburetor can. If the air to fuel ratio is tweaked to a T, the carburetor will beat the fuel injectors.
Whitty’z Houston Auto Repair
We are owner operated and customer service oriented. Our goal is to build your trust so we can fix your vehicle and give you a great experience time and time again. We believe in REAL customer service So, at Whitty’z Houston Auto Repair if you call between 8-6 pm Monday- Saturday you will get a conversation and not an answering service. Give us a chance to earn your business and your trust. You deserve quality service and integrity in your Houston auto repair facility. We know that your vehicle is one of your most important possessions and we treat it like our own.
