CARBURETORS

FUEL INJECTORS

FUEL TANKS

FUEL PUMPS

FUEL FILTERS

FUEL LINES

COMPUTERS FOR CONTROLLING FUEL

Fuel System

The function of the fuel system is to store and supply fuel to the cylinder chamberwhere it can be mixed
with air, vaporized, and burned to produce energy. The fuel, whichcan be either gasoline or diesel is
storedin a fuel tank. A fuel pump draws the fuel from the tank through fuel lines and delivers itthrough
a fuel filter to either a carburetor or fuel injector,then delivered to the cylinder chamber for combustion.
GASOLINE
Gasoline is a complex blend of carbon and hydrogen compounds. Additives are then addedto improve
performance. All gasoline is basically the same, but no two blends areidentical. The two most important
features of gasoline are volatility and resistance toknock (octane). Volatility is a measurement of how
easily the fuel vaporizes. If thegasoline does not vaporize completely, it will not burn properly (liquid fuel
will notburn).
If the gasoline vaporizes too easily the mixture will be too lean to burn properly.Since high temperatures
increase volatility, it is desirable to have a low volatility fuelfor warm temperatures and a high volatility fuel
for cold weather. The blends will bedifferent for summer and winter fuels. Vapor lock which was a
persistent problem yearsago, exists very rarely today. In today's cars the fuel is constantly circulating from
thetank, through the system and back to the tank. The fuel does not stay still long enough toget so hot
that it begins to vaporize. Resistance to knock or octane is simply thetemperature the gas will burn at.
Higher octane fuel requires a higher temperature toburn. As compression ratio or pressure increases so
does the need for higher octane fuel.Most engines today are low compression engines therefore requiring
a lower octane fuel(87). Any higher octane than required is just wasting money. Other factors that affect
theoctane requirements of the engine are: air/fuel ratio, ignition timing, enginetemperature, and carbon
build up in the cylinder. Many automobile manufacturers haveinstalled exhaust gas recirculation systems
to reduce cylinder chamber temperature. Ifthese systems are not working properly, the car will have a
tendency to knock. Beforeswitching to a higher octane fuel to reduce knock, make sure to have these
other causeschecked.
DIESEL
Diesel fuel, like gasoline is a complex blend of carbon and hydrogen compounds. It toorequires additives
for maximum performance. There are two grades of diesel fuel used inautomobiles today: 1-D and 2-D.
Number 2 diesel fuel has a lower volatility and is blendedfor higher loads and steady speeds, therefore
works best in large truck applications.Because number 2 diesel fuel is less volatile, it tends to create hard
starting in coldweather. On the other hand number 1 diesel is more volatile, and therefore more
suitablefor use in an automobile, where there is constant changes in load and speed. Since dieselfuel
vaporizes at a much higher temperature than gasoline, there is no need for a fuelevaporation control
system as with gasoline. Diesel fuels are rated with a cetane numberrather than an octane number. While
a higher octane of gasoline indicates resistance toignition, the higher cetane rating of diesel fuel indicates
the ease at which the fuelwill ignite. Most number 1 diesel fuels have a cetane rating of 50, while number
2 dieselfuel have a rating of 45. Diesel fuel emissions are higher in sulfur, and lower in carbonmonoxide
and hydrocarbons than gasoline and are subject to different emission testingstandards.
FUEL TANK
Tank location and design are always a compromise with available space. Most automobileshave a single
tank located in the rear of the vehicle. Fuel tanks today have internalbaffles to prevent the fuel from
sloshing back and forth. If you hear noises from the rearon acceleration and deceleration the baffles could
be broken. All tanks have a fuel fillerpipe, a fuel outlet line to the engine and a vent system. All catalytic
converter cars areequipped with a filler pipe restrictor so that leaded fuel, which is dispensed from
athicker nozzle, cannot be introduced into the fuel system. All fuel tanks must be vented.Before 1970, fuel
tanks were vented to the atmosphere, emitting hydrocarbon emissions.Since 1970 all tanks are vented
through a charcoal canister, into the engine to be burnedbefore being released to the atmosphere. This is
called evaporative emission control andwill be discussed further in the emission control section. Federal
law requires that all1976 and newer cars have vehicle rollover protection devices to prevent fuel spills.

FUEL LINES
Steel lines and flexible hoses carry the fuel from the tank to the engine. Whenservicing or replacing the
steel lines, copper or aluminum must never be used. Steel linesmust be replaced with steel. When
replacing flexible rubber hoses, proper hose must beused. Ordinary rubber such as used in vacuum or
water hose will soften and deteriorate. Becareful to route all hoses away from the exhaust system.
FUEL PUMPS
Two types of fuel pumps are used in automobiles; mechanical and electric. All fuelinjected cars today use
electric fuel pumps, while most carbureted cars use mechanicalfuel pumps. Mechanical fuel pumps are
diaphragm pumps, mounted on the engine and operatedby an eccentric cam usually on the camshaft. A
rocker arm attached to the eccentric movesup and down flexing the diaphragm and pumping the fuel to
the engine. Because electricpumps do not depend on an eccentric for operation, they can be located
anywhere on thevehicle. In fact they work best when located near the fuel tank.
Many cars today, locate the fuel pump inside the fuel tank. While mechanical pumpsoperate on pressures
of 4-6 psi (pounds per square inch), electric pumps can operate onpressures of 30-40 psi. Current is
supplied to the pump immediately when the key isturned. This allows for constant pressure on the system
for immediate starting. Electricfuel pumps can be either low pressure or high pressure. These pumps look
identical, so becareful when replacing a fuel pump that the proper one is used. Fuel pumps are rated
bypressure and volume. When checking fuel pump operation, both specifications must bechecked and
met.
Fuel injector
When signalled by the engine control unit the fuel injector opens and sprays the pressurised fuel into the
engine. The duration that the injector is open (called the pulse width) is proportional to the amount of fuel
delivered. Depending on the system design, the timing of when injector opens is either relative each
individual cylinder (for a sequential fuel injection system), or injectors for multiple cylinders may be
signalled to open at the same time (in a batch fire system).

A carburetor (American and Canadian spelling), carburator, carburettor,

or carburetter (Commonwealth spelling) is a device that blends air and fuel for an internal combustion
engine. It is sometimes colloquially shortened to carb in North America or carby in Australia.
[1]
To carburate or carburet (and thus carburetion or carburation) is to blend the air and fuel or to equip
(an engine) with a carburetor for that purpose.
Carburetors have largely been supplanted in the automotive industry by fuel injection.

Automotive electronics are any electrically-generated systems used in road vehicles, such
as: carputers, telematics, in-car entertainment systems, etc...
Automotive electronics originated from the need to control engines. The first electronic pieces were used
to control engine functions and were referred to as engine control units(ECU). As electronic controls
began to be used for more automotive applications, the acronym ECU took on the more general meaning
of "electronic control unit", and then specific ECU's were developed. Now, ECU's are modular. Two types
include engine control modules (ECM) or transmission control modules (TCM).
A modern car may have up to 100 ECU's and a commercial vehicle up to 40.

Automotive electronics or automotive embedded systems are distributed systems, and according to
different domains in the automotive field, they can be classified into:
1. Engine electronics
2. Transmission electronics
3. Chassis electronics
4. Active safety
5. Driver assistance
6. Passenger comfort
7. Entertainment systems
In automotive electronics, electronic control unit (ECU) is a generic term for any embedded system that
controls one or more of the electrical system or subsystems in a motor vehicle.
Types of ECU include Electronic/engine Control Module (ECM), Powertrain Control Module (PCM),
Transmission Control Module (TCM), Brake Control Module (BCM or EBCM), Central Control Module
(CCM), Central Timing Module (CTM), General Electronic Module (GEM), Body Control Module (BCM),
Suspension Control Module (SCM), control unit, or control module. Taken together, these systems are
sometimes referred to as the car's computer. (Technically there is no single computer but multiple ones.)
Sometimes one assembly incorporates several of the individual control modules (PCM is often both
engine and transmission)[1]
Some modern motor vehicles have up to 80 ECUs. Embedded software in ECUs continue to increase in
line count, complexity, and sophistication.[2] Managing the increasing complexity and number of ECUs in a
vehicle has become a key challenge for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).

Door control unit (DCU)

Engine control unit (ECU)not to be confused with electronic control unit, the generic term for all
these devices

Electric Power Steering Control Unit (PSCU) Generally this will be integrated into
the EPS powerpack.

Human-machine interface (HMI)

Powertrain control module (PCM): Sometimes the functions of the Engine Control
Unit and transmission control unit (TCU) are combined into a single unit called the Powertrain Control
Module.

Seat Control Unit

Speed control unit (SCU)

Telematic control unit (TCU)

Transmission control unit (TCU)

Brake Control Module (BCM; ABS or ESC)

Battery management system