what is a carburetor

A carburetor is a device used by a gasoline internal combustion engine to control and mix air and fuel entering the engine. It is used to mix fuel and air together before sending the mix into the engine cylinders for ignition, powering the vehicle. The primary method of adding fuel to the intake air is through the Venturi tube in the main metering circuit, though various other components are also used to provide extra fuel or air in specific circumstances. Carburetors were used for decades in the automotive industry, and are still often preferred today in muscle cars and other classics because they’re easy to work on and repair. However, since the 1990s, carburetors have been largely replaced by fuel injection for cars and trucks, but carburetors are still used by some small engines (e.g. lawnmowers, generators, and concrete mixers) and motorcycles. Diesel engines have always used fuel injection instead of carburetors.