|
The fuel system feeds your engine the gasoline it
needs to run.
Fuel injection has replaced the carburetor in gasoline engines for a
variety of reasons, including better ability to meet increased standards
for emissions and gas mileage. Fuel injection can maintain more precise
control of the fuel mixture. |
|
The main components of the fuel delivery system
include: |
|
Carburetors: Carburetion refers to the
use of a carburetor as a means of controlling an engine’s air/fuel ratio
without computer intervention. Carburetors were used on most cars through
the mid-1980s . A carburetor holds fuel in a small reservoir called a
float bowl. This reservoir is connected to a passageway leading to a
venturi, a device that uses pressure differential to help meter fuel into
the engine. Conventionally referred to as “barrels”, it refers to the
number of venturis in the carburetor. A one-barrel carburetor has one
venturi; a two-barrel carburetor has two venturis, and so on, up to four
venturis. Around 1980, carmakers began to add mixture control solenoids
and other electronic devices to carburetors, to make them more effective
by allowing additional control through an electronic engine control
system. While simple in operation, they tend to need frequent tuning and
rebuilding. Another reason why new cars have done away with carburetors
in favor of fuel injection. |
|
Fuel tank: Basically a holding tank for your
fuel. When you fill up at a gas station the gas travels down the filler
tube and into the tank. In the tank there is a sending unit which tells
the gas gauge how much gas is in the tank. |
|
Fuel pump: On newer cars the fuel pump is
usually installed in the fuel tank. Older cars have the fuel pump
attached to the engine or on the frame rail between the tank and the
engine. If the pump is in the tank or on the frame rail then it is
electric and is run by your cars battery and a relay. Mechanical fuel
pumps mounted to the engine use the motion of the engine to pump the fuel.
Most electric fuel pumps can be heard when you turn the key on. If you
don't hear the pump running (a slight humming) and your car will not
start, it could be your fuel pump. |
|
Fuel filter: Clean fuel is critical to
engine life and performance. Fuel injectors have tiny openings which clog
easily so filtering the fuel is the only way to prevent this. Filters can
be before or after the fuel pump, sometimes both. Dirty or plugged
up fuel filters are one of the most common sources of driveablity
problems. |
|
Fuel Pressure Regulator: Controls fuel
pressure by bleeding excess fuel back into the inlet line or fuel tank.
|
|
Fuel injectors: Most domestic cars after
1986 and earlier foreign cars came from the factory with fuel injection.
Instead of a carburetor to mix the fuel and air, a computer controls when
the fuel injectors open to let fuel into the engine. The fuel injector is
basically a tiny electric valve which opens and closes with an electric
signal. |
|
Throttle Body Injection
uses an assembly containing one or two fuel injectors. The throttle
body is mounted on the intake manifold and looks a little like a souped up
carburetor on the outside. It sprays a common measure of fuel down
to the engine where it is distributed along a spray bar to each cylinder
in equal amounts. |
|
With
Multi-Port Fuel Injection, a separate injector for each cylinder acts
like a hypodermic needle, squirting a small amount of fuel into each
cylinder. |
|
While the fuel filter does a good job of filtering
the fuel, it's not
 perfect.
Over time deposits and tiny particles lodge themselves in the injectors.
This can clog an injector and prevent it from delivering the fuel the
engine needs. It can also cause an injector to stick open and send too
much fuel into the engine. Carbon, dirt, gum and varnish harm these
critical engine components resulting in lost performance, rough idle and
overall driveability problems. |
|
MotorVac CarbonClean Service is a revolutionary new process that will
clean your fuel system, including injectors, and remove harmful carbon
deposits utilizing a unique cleaning solution which will not damage your
vehicles' sophisticated components. The MotorVac system connects to your
car's engine and circulates a mixture of MoterVac solution and fuel
through all fuel system components. This cleaning solution removes
carbon, gum and varnish from your engine - from intake to exhaust. |
|
A MotorVac CarbonClean Service will:
- Improve Performance
- Improve Acceleration
- Increase Fuel Economy
- Reduce Harmful Exhaust Emissions
- Improve Driveability problems related to
Carbon and other contamination.
|
|
 One
last note: The gas you buy can make
a difference. Always buy from a well-known, national brand service
station (We recommend BP/Amoco). Also, water mixed with gas will cause problems with your
engine. The engine will not run properly (if at all!) and the water will
promote rust in the fuel system. The best way to avoid this is to
keep a full tank of gas as much as possible, particularly in the winter
months. |
