Your vehicle’s carburetor has a few important functions. It creates combustion by mixing air and gasoline to start the engine. It then regulates that mixture to keep the engine running smoothly. Finally, it controls engine speed. AutoFix can look for carburetor trouble, and if you experience any of the following four signs, you should definitely have your carburetor checked out.
1. Engine Performance Reduction
As mentioned above, combustion starts and keeps your engine running. The air and gas mixture must be just so in order for you to get maximum performance out of your car, truck or SUV. Signs you have trouble brewing within your carburetor include sluggish acceleration and reduced engine power. You may also notice your vehicle isn’t getting the gas mileage it used to.
2. Black Exhaust Smoke
You shouldn’t see black smoke coming out of your exhaust pipe even if you drive a diesel. Black smoke, whether steady or just when you accelerate indicates a rich fuel mixture. This means the carburetor is using too much fuel in the fuel/air mixture. As you can imagine, this rich mixture burns excess fuel which is why you get fewer miles to the gallon. It also emits excessive emissions.
3. Engine Backfires or Overheats
The opposite of a rich fuel mixture is a lean one and this can cause your engine to backfire or overheat. Performance suffers when the vehicle’s engine is starved of fuel and it must work harder to maintain speed. An overworking engine will overheat and an engine filled with too much air will backfire. It should be noted, however, than a rich mixture can also cause backfires.
4. Starting Difficulty
If you have trouble starting your car, truck or SUV, your fuel/air mixture could be off. Of course, difficulty starting an automobile can also be a sign of a dying battery or starter. In most cases, the vehicle will be impossible to start when cold but might start easier when warm because the battery has charged during operation. If you can’t start your car in either situation, it could be your carburetor.
Don’t Ignore the Signs
It’s important to take your vehicle to an auto service shop at the first sign of the above four signs. Ignoring them wastes money. A failing carburetor directly affects your vehicle’s fuel efficiency, so you’ll find yourself spending your hard-earned cash at the gas pump more often. The improper fuel/air mixture can also cause avoidable engine damage.
Call AutoFix if you suspect you have carburetor trouble. We’re located in Franklin, TN, and we’ll get to the bottom of your engine performance issues.