Dear mid-60s "
fix'em up" types,
Hagerty is continuing to have articles on maintaining various classic car components. In this newsletter, there is a basic but helpful explanation of how carburetors work:
https://www.hagerty.com/articles-videos/Articles/2017/06/15/understanding-the-carburetorUnfortunately, the key diagram is somewhat difficult to view because some horrible color choices, but it is a clear and helpful explanation of how carburetors work. There were a few highlights that I found interesting. One quip I'm curious about is this one:
If everything is working the way it should, the ideal ratio of air-to-fuel for efficiency, by weight, is 14.7:1
Having taken the plunge into a laptop adjustable electronic fuel injection system, I'm aware that getting this value as close as possible to the engine's
"mellow spot" can make an amazing improvement in the engine's driveability and noise reduction. So I'm curious: Just how well does a carburetor regulate the fuel-air mixture throughout the power band? Alas this piece doesn't answer that question.
This is the other quote that seems like sage advice:
If you’re more inclined to take your carburetor to a professional for service or repair, that’s certainly an option. But consider this: carburetor technicians are a dying breed. Good ones have become much more difficult to find, and they are likely swamped with work.
I do hope that somehow carburetor specialists don't go completely extinct. Because if they do, one after the other, carburetor equipped classic cars of all ages will eventually become inoperable.
Cheers, Edouard