56 Automotive Engineering
Automotive Engineering 57
the float will be under atmospheric pressure due to pipe AB. As the
altitude increases, the valve S is opened gradually, which applies
engine suction to the float chamber, thus decreasing the pressure
there, which results in decreased fuel supply and hence a weaker
mixture is supplied .
Alf-intake
Petrol
~ Rocker arm
j
Float
- ----------- --- -----
Fig. 3-12. Altitude correction
PETROL FEED PUMPS
Petrol pump is a part ofthe fuel-feed system in an automobile.
In two wheelers, usually the fuel is gravity fed to the carburettor
and hence the fuel-tank is located just above the engine and
carburettor. In the case of four wheeled vehicles, it is not possible
to locate the fuel tank at a higher lever to gravity feed the fuel.
Generally the fuel tanks are located at the rear or at the sides. In
such cases it is necessary to pump the fuel to the carburettor and
for this purpose petrol pumps are used.
Two types of petrol pumps are· in use in automobiles - AC
mechanical pump and SU electrical pump.
a) AC Mechanical Pump (Mechanical Diaphragm Pump)
The constructional. details of an AC mechanical pump is
schematically shown in figure 3-13.
Delivery valve
.......• Oullet
Fig. 3-13. AC mechanical pump
This is a purely mechanically operated pump, but named so after
lile manufactures. It consists of a diaphragm operated by a cam and
Ill(,;kerarm mechanism. On this diaphragm a cylindrical chamber
ith inlet, outlet, a strainer, and suction and delivery valves, is
III( )unted as shown in figure. When the cam moves the rocker arm
lip, it pulls the diaphragm down, causing a vacuum in the chamber.
I'his makes the suction valve to open and the petrol enters the
I humber. Under suction the delivery (pressure) valve is kept
I It Ised. When the cam releases the rocker arm,. the diaphragm
IIIl lves up to its normal position under spring pressure: This creates
I llrcssure in the fuel chamber, and forces the fuel out through the
.II livery valve. Under this condition, the suction valve is kept
, IilNedwith the delivery valve in open condition. The diaphragm
,'I wration is so adjusted that it operates till it fills the carburettor
, I II I Ipletely and stops as soon as it is filled up.
"vantages of Mechanical Diaphragm Pump
I) It is simple in operation.
I) Maintenance is easier.
I) It is more reliable in operation.
 58 Automotive Engineering 59
Automotive Engineering
Disadvantages IIC'lIitat the breaker points and electrical supply to the solenoid is
"I~connected. This de-energises the solenoid, and the armature
1) It is situated close to the engine (for cam operation) and hence
IlIClvesback under spring pressure, causing the diaphragm to
exposed to engine heat. This may cause vapour locking of the
fuel system. I'll'ssurise the fuel chamber. Due to this, the fuel is forced out
1111 ough the delivery valve, to the carburettor through the outlet.
2) It starts functioning only when the engine starts running. Vhcn the armature falls back, the breaker points come in contact
b) Electrical Diaphragm Pump IIld close the circuit, thereby supplying electrical 'energy to the
Illcnoid, and the armature is pulled up. This cycle continues till
This is similar to mechanical diaphragm pump in principle of
till' supply is switched off.
operation. Only the diaphragm movement is performed using an
electrical means.
Ill/vantages Electrical Diaphragm Pump

The schematic of an electrical diaphragm pump is shown in I) It is simple in construction and operation.
figure 3-14. It consists of a diaphragm chamber with suction and ) It starts functioning before starting the engine.
delivery valves connected to the fuel inlet and outlet s-ides. The \) It is operated by the battery itself.
rear side of the diaphragm is connected to an armature and solenoid
system as shown in figure. I) It can be located anywhere in the fuel supply system, not
necessarily close to the engine, since it is electrically operated.
The main disadvantage electrical diaphragm pump is that if
f lll;ceis battery failure, the fuel system fails.
Switch
UEL INJECTION SYSTEM

Solenoid
lnjector also called the atomiser is the fuel vapourising unit
gcnerally used in diesel engines. However, nowadays fuel injectors
Ill' widely used in modem car petTol engines also. A fuel injector
Armature III a diesel engine atomizes the diesel and injects a measured
cillantity of fuel into the engine cylinder at the end of compression
Iroke. The atomized diesel then mixes with the hot air and gets
Inlet --. Ignited. In the case of petrol engines, the fuel is injected either
directly into the engine cylinder (like in diesel engine) or into the
Fig. 3-14. Electrical diaphragm pump llliet port, which is then drawn along with the air into the engine
cylinder. The injection systems are of two main types:
In operation, when the switch is turned on, the electrical energy a) Air Injection b) Airless or Solid Injection
is supplied to the solenoid, which energies it and induces magnetic Air Injection
flux in it. This pulls the armature up against the spring pressure
In this system initially fuel is pumped to the injector and then
and hence the diaphragm move up, creating vacuum in the
high pressure compressed air (50-75 atal) is supplied to the nozzle,
chamber. Due to this the suction valve opens and fueT enters the
which injects the fuel into the engine cylinder.
chamber. As the armature moves up, immediately it breaks the
 ---- .•------

60 Automotive Engineering
Automotive Engineering 61

liteplunger to its upper position after the operation and at this

lIIomentthe fuel pump, pumps the fuel into the injector.

Push
rod

Cam

Fig. 3-15. Air-type injector

Figure 3-15 shows the schematic of an air injection system. Th

Fig. 3-16. Solid-type injector
injector nozzle valve, the air flow valve and the fuel supply valve
to the injector are operated by cams, connected to crankshaftl
through timing gears and camshaft. ) pump Injection System

Nowadays this type of injection system is not used, as the 'igure 3-17 shows the schematic of a pump injection system.
III this system individual pumps are provided to force the fuel oil
pressure developed is not very high.
11110 the injectors, unlike the plunger attached to the nozzle barrel

Airless or Solid Injection I~ in the unit injection system.

In this system the fuel is injected into the engine cylinder at a

very high pressure (100 to 150 atm) using a plunger. There are N - Injection nozzle

three methods by which solid injection is made.

1) Unit Injection System High pressure
fuel lines
Figure 3-16 shows the working principle of an unit injector. The
injector consists of a plunger connected to spring, rocker arm and
push rod mechanism as shown in figure. The arm operated by the I

timing gears gives motion to the push rod which operates the rocker Control rack I
I
arm. In turn the rocker arm pushes the plunger down. The plunger
Pump cam shaft I
pressurizes the fuel in the injector barrel and the fuel is injected I

into the engine cylinder. There is a spring loaded delivery valve in I

the nozzle which is actuated by the change in the oil pressure in Fig. 3-17. Pump injection system
\
the injector barrel. The spring at the top of the injector brings back
 62 Automotive Engineering

The pumps in this system, are individually operated by cams,

mounted on a common camshaft. The arrangement is made such
that the pump operates so as to inject the oil at the requisite
injection time for ignition in the engine cylinder. Similarly all
pumps operate at different times, corresponding to the fuel
injection timings of their connected nozzles. The pressurized oil
from the pumps are supplied through high pressure fuel lines to
the nozzles. The pumps measure the fuel charge and control the
ipjection timing.
3) Distributor Injection System
Figure 3-18 shows a simple arrangement of Distributor
injection system. In this system a primary pump pumps the fuel oil
from the main tank to the metering and pressure pump. The
metering pump supplies the correct quantity of fuel to the
distributor under high pressure. The purpose of distributor block
is to distribute the high pressure fuel oil to the nozzles for the
corresponding injection timings. The distributor is operated by
cams, mounted on the camshaft. 'The camshaft is run by the engine
through gearing, as shown in figure. The nozzles are connected to
the distributor by means of high pressure fuel lines.

High pressure N - Injection nozzle

fuel lines

Primary pump
Fig. 3-18. Distributor injection system