What is a Carburetor?
A carburetor is a device used for combining air and fuel inside of a combustion engine for combustion. The ratio of fuel and air inside the carburetor has to be very precise for the right amount of combustion.
A carburetor is a very crucial part of any combustion engine. Cars, planes, boats, and even small equipment like lawnmowers, rototillers etc. also have a carburetor inside them. In recent times, in the automotive sector, fuel injection technology has replaced carburetors but in the aviation and marine sector, it still has a stronghold.
Basics of Carburetor
The carburetor has an opening through which air flows in the inlet manifold of the engine. The pipe through which the air passes is in the form of a venturi meaning the pipe becomes narrow and then widens again.
This shape causes the air to move at faster speeds at the narrowest part. Below the venturi, there’s a disc called the butterfly/throttle valve. This disc rotates which allows the blockage and passage of air.
This throttle valve is a key component as it regulates the airflow through the carburetor and subsequently the air-fuel ratio also which in turn determines the speed and power delivered by the engine. The throttle valve is then connected through wires and joints to the accelerator pedal on the car or boat.
The part where the venturi is the narrowest is where fuel is introduced to the air. The amount of fuel injected in the venturi is again controlled using accurately calibrated orifices.
Marine Carburetor for boats
As you already know by now, the carburetor is an important component for the right functioning of a boat engine. A properly maintained marine carburetor works fine for a long time. The engine will turn on and off quickly, the boat will pick a speed swiftly, and come back to idle position smoothly.
Fuel economy to a large extent depends on how clean the carburetor is. Not taking care of the marine carburetor can cause a lot of problems like hard starting, stalling, rough idle, poor mileage etc.
All carburetors have a certain life span. After a certain point, it’s best to replace your old carburetor with a new one from nationalcarburetors.com. Another choice you have is to either service or rebuild your marine carburetor. It requires more patience and knowledge than skill. Different brands may tweak a thing or two but the basic science stays the same. If your carburetor is broken and you want to rebuild your marine carburetor, follow the steps mentioned below:
Remove jets: The first step is to detach the jets using a screwdriver. It is recommended that you use a factory-specified rebuilding kit.
Cleaning: Once the carburetor is disassembled, place all the components (float bowls, jets, bodies) in a carburetor cleaner. After some time, take the components out of the cleaner and blow them with compressed air to dry them.
Replace: Replace the components you want to change but be sure to place them accurately so that problems such as flooding and fuel starvation don't happen.
Procure: Go to a trusted dealer or nationalcarburetors.com for rebuild kits. Go for Edelbrock, Holley, or Rochester carburetor kits and parts.
Adjusting: Install the procured parts carefully in the carburetor body. Do all the settings and set the idle speed to avoid sputter.
Seek: Welch plugs in some carburetors hide small clogged holes in the carburetor body. The insides of the carburetor must be cleaned thoroughly to get the gunk out. Replace old welch plugs with new ones.
Check for mistakes: If the marine carburetor is still not working properly, check for air leaks.
Differences between a car and marine carburetor
Marine carburetor’s freeze plugs are made from brass. You would be surprised to know that marine motors are much more like truck motors than car motors. All components starting from pistons to cams are made from heavy-duty material that can withstand running for longer times at high speeds.
A car engine only uses a part of the horsepower to keep running whereas full throttle all the time is required to keep the boat moving through the water. Therefore, the components need to be heavy duty. An average gasoline marine carburetor can run for about 2000 hours whereas a diesel carburetor can run up to 6000 hours. Of course, you can continue using them for an even longer period provided the carburetor is serviced properly from time to time.
Common marine carburetor problems
Servicing or replacing a carburetor is not a difficult task, but it’s a time consuming one. There are problems such as rough idle, hard-hot starting, hard-cold starting, stumbling under load, and flooding. Remedies are readily available for these problems. For example; if you are facing hard-hot starting, then you may want to check for a faulty ignition module, battery connection, or bad starter.
Similarly if you are facing hard-cold starting, then first check the choke and clean it. A little adjustment of the choke may solve this problem. If the engine is stumbling under load, then defective spark plug wiring, bad ignition coil, or cracked distributor cap could be the possible reasons for this.
Conclusion
If your boat needs a replacement marine carburetor, head over to nationalcarburetors.com now and order a rebuild kit. More often than not, you will be able to find the problem and treat it on your own but in case that’s difficult, be sure to consult a marine carburetor expert.