The carburetor is designed to prepare a fuel and air mixture to be sent to the engine. Once there, the mixture can be combusted to produce power and make your vehicle move. Unfortunately, none of that is possible if there’s no fuel getting from the carb to the engine.
The lack of fuel between the carburetor and the engine could be caused by a lack of incoming fuel. That means a failed fuel pump or clog before the carb could be starving it of fuel. As a result, it has no fuel to send to the engine in the first place. Besides that, a stuck float and clogged fuel lines can also cause the same issue.
A lack of fuel from the carb to the engine will keep your vehicle immobilized. So, read through this guide to understand the most likely causes and what you can do to troubleshoot each one.
Why Isn’t Fuel Getting From The Carburetor To The Engine?
Fuel should have no problem flowing from a carburetor to an engine. So, if the engine isn’t getting the fuel it needs, here are the likely causes and how you can troubleshoot them:
1. No Incoming Fuel
About this: Although this might seem like something obvious, you must always begin the troubleshooting process with the easiest thing to rule out. In this case, you have to ensure that the carburetor is receiving incoming fuel in the first place.
Remember: the carb’s purpose is to mix fuel and air together in the correct amounts and supply that mixture to the engine.
So, if the engine is only getting air and not fuel, check to ensure the carb is getting fuel to begin with.
What’s gone wrong: There are several possibilities as to why your carb isn’t getting any incoming fuel. The most basic is that there is none in the fuel tank. However, a clog in the fuel line can also prevent any from flowing in, which is also why none flows from the carburetor to the engine.
How to fix it: The solution here will depend on the root cause. For example, if there’s no fuel in the tank, you’ll have to refill it first before starting the engine.
A clogged fuel line will need to be cleaned or replaced if the clog is too severe to resolve.
Read: Can Bad Spark Plugs Cause Engine Shaking And Loss Of Power?
2. Failed Fuel Pump
About this: One of the most crucial components in any fuel system is the fuel pump. As the name suggests, that’s the part responsible for pushing fuel out of the tank and through the fuel lines towards the carburetor.
Besides that, the pump also maintains pressure in the line to ensure that the fuel can flow all the way into the engine.
What’s gone wrong: Unfortunately, the lack of fuel between the carb and the engine can be explained by a partially or totally failed fuel pump. When that occurs, there won’t be enough pressure in the system to drive the fuel through the carburetor and into the engine.
The pump could be suffering from a clog or an electrical malfunction, or it could have just worn out. Whatever the case, the failed pump prevents fuel from flowing out of the tank and feeding the system.
How to fix it: Fuel pumps aren’t the kind of components that fail often. So, if yours has been in use for several years and can no longer deliver fuel to the carb and engine, you’ll most likely have to replace it with a new one.
Getting a high-quality replacement can be pricey, depending on your vehicle’s make and model. However, it’s a crucial investment that will keep the engine running, and that’s well worth the money.
Read: The Fastest Way To Cool Down An Overheated Car Engine
3. Clogged Fuel Lines
About this: Fuel travels through lines that connect the fuel tank to other parts of the system. They consist of hoses and tubes attached to various fuel system components, through which fuel will flow when driven by the pump.
Fuel lines are flexible and durable, typically made from rubber and other materials that give them those properties.
Ultimately, fuel is supposed to travel from the carb to the engine through one of those fuel lines.
What’s gone wrong: When fuel doesn’t travel from the carb to the engine, there’s a strong possibility that one or more parts of the fuel line are clogged. More specifically, you’ll want to inspect the portion of the fuel line between the carb and the engine.
Fuel line clogs occur because dust or other debris has found its way into the fuel system. That most likely happens through the fuel tank, as it’s the only part of the system with an opening to the outside world.
Clogs typically build up over an extended period, so you won’t notice them at first. Unfortunately, they only become apparent when they’re severe enough to restrict the fuel flow to the engine completely.
How to fix it: A clogged fuel line can be cleaned by flushing it from both ends. But, of course, the system must be drained of any fuel before you can do that, and you’ll have to detach the affected fuel line.
This approach can be challenging. However, it’s the most direct approach, allowing you to get to the heart of the problem and deal with it head-on.
You can also prevent this from happening by using a fuel system cleaner. These products are poured in through the fuel tank and will help remove build-ups inside your fuel lines.
Read: What Could Cause The Check Engine Light To Come On?
4. Stuck Carburetor Float
About this: Fuel enters the carburetor through a float chamber. When that chamber is empty, the float will be at a low position, allowing fuel to flow inwards. The float will rise and pause the fuel inflow whenever the chamber is full.
The float must always be able to flow freely, as this process of letting fuel in happens continuously.
What’s gone wrong: Unfortunately, a dirty float can get stuck in the up position. When that happens, it will stop any fuel from entering the carburetor, even though it needs that to happen.
When that happens, the carb won’t have any fuel inside. So, therefore, it can’t send any fuel to the engine.
How to fix it: You’ll have to remove and open the carburetor to access the float. That way, you can clean away the debris or other impurities preventing the float from moving freely.
If you discover that the float is damaged in any way, you can purchase a replacement for it. Getting rid of a damaged float will ensure your carb works optimally for a long time.
Once you’re confident that the float can move freely, reinstall the carburetor. It’ll no longer have any problems delivering fuel to the engine.
Read: 3 Signs Of Overdue Engine Oil Change
Final Thoughts
Remember that when troubleshooting a carb that’s not sending fuel to the engine, the problem may or may not be at the carburetor itself. So, your troubleshooting process should begin from the start of the fuel system: at the fuel tank.
Make sure there’s fuel in that tank and that the pump is working correctly. Then, check that the fuel lines are free from clogs.
Once you rule out those basic causes, then you can inspect the carburetor itself for problems. The most likely issue causing this problem is that the float is stuck, and thankfully, that’s a quick and easy fix.
