Re: [FWDLK] Air Cleaner Conversion

[jlsavard@xxxx]

In a message dated 11/10/02 9:14:02 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
paulholm@xxxx writes:

> It might be interesting to hear more from Joe about the development
> times when the conversion from Oil Bath to paper elements was in
> progress.
> I thought I read somewhere that they measured things differently
> then, Something to do with pounds of air instead of the more popular
> cubic feet of air quoted today.
> 

Paul, (And all)

When I was at Chrysler, we used "Positive displacement" carburetor flow 
stands. We ran flow curves on carburetors from idle through wide open 
throttle using large vacuum pumps to simulate an engine. We started at idle 
(Closed throttle) with the manifold vacuum set at 18.5"hg, with the 
flowstands set at maximum airflow, and recorded periodic readings of the 
fuel/air ratio as we opened the throttle.When we reached WOT we reduced the 
airflow to simulate going up a large hill with the pedal to the metal until 
the airflow reached zero. That gave a curve which could be used to compare 
one carburetor to the next, and we could change the curve as needed. We 
recorded idle, off-idle, road load, step-up cut in, and finally the WOT 
curve.

The positive displacement flow stands used laboratory gasoline that had a 
known density and we timed the flow of a known quantity of fuel and a known 
quantity of air to establish a ratio of fuel to air. The air was drawn from 
large drums of known volume that were pulled down into a water seal. These 
drums lifted measuring sticks hung from pulleys at the operators station. 
The carburetor was mounted under a large hood that we pulled down into a moat 
for an absolute seal that never wore out. Airflow was measured in "Pounds 
Per Hour" because it was a more exact measurement and could be controlled. 
As you started a reading you drew fuel from a burette and started a stopclock 
at the start mark and stopped it when the fuel ran out. Simultaneously, you 
lowered the hood over the carb and timed the known quantity of air.

After a year or so of this, you knew absolutely everything about carburetors, 
and were able to bore a large audience to tears, as I just have you all!

ENJOY!

Joe Savard
Lake Orion, MI


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