Troubleshooting Problems With Your Carburetor

29 December 2014
 Categories: , Blog

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Among the different elements you can find under your hood, the carburetor is one of the most important. The carburetor provides fuel for your engine through a vacuum mechanism. Fuel is siphoned from the bowl in the carburetor using an intake vacuum and mixed with air. This allows your car to run efficiently. There are many things that can go wrong with the carburetor—these require maintenance, but you don't always need to replace the entire thing. Here are tips for troubleshooting it.

Hard Starting Problems

There can be two problems with the hard start of your vehicle: a hard cold start and a hard hot start. The hard cold start is an issue when the engine is cold and you try to start to car, but instead the choke does not close properly.

This is actually an easy fix because all you need to do is clean the choke, or make another small adjustment to the mechanism. You can also try getting a bimetal spring or choke repair kit to make the necessary repairs.

If your car is hot when you have starting problems, it is probably not related to the carburetor at all. Many people think all starting issues have to do with the carburetor, but a hot starting problem is often due to the fuel pump or the fuel lines.

Acceleration Stumbling

Another problem you might experience is a stumbling feeling when you try to accelerate. This is another issue that can be due to problems with the carburetor. If you sense a stumbling sensation, it is likely due to having inadequate fuel and too much air. It may also be from a carburetor that needs to be adjusted or cleaned, or a problem with your throttle shafts. Because it can be due to a few different things, you should contact an auto repair shop.

Hesitation

Hesitation is similar to stumbling, though it is slightly different. If your vehicle has a misfire or hesitation when you try to start the engine, this is known as hesitation under load. It is frequently due to the power valve that is located in the carburetor. If this power valve is faulty, it is not able to pull fuel through the circuits with the proper vacuum, which leads to this hesitation. Have the power valve checked if you are having hesitation when starting your vehicle.

Stalling

One of the most common complaints with a carburetor is stalling of a vehicle. This occurs when the idle speed is too low, the ignition system doesn't have enough spark, or the fuel mixture isn't flowing right. The carburetor is also to blame in many of these cases. Repairing or replacing your carburetor may be necessary, unless the stalling is due to the fuel line or bad gas. In these situations, the carburetor isn't going to be related to the repairs you need.

Contact a transmission service, like S & A Transmission, for more help troubleshooting and addressing problems with your car.