A COOPERATIVE study of carburetor icing is described in this paper.
Tests were conducted using 13 fuels of varying volatility in one complete car and six 1953 passenger-car engines. The effects of engine design variables, fuel volatility, alcohol additions to the fuel, and weather conditions were determined.
Ice formation occurred in all engines, but there was a considerable variation in its effect on different engines. As would be expected, fuel volatility significantly influenced carburetor icing, and it is apparent that certain portions of the fuel boiling range exert considerably more influence than other portions. The addition of alcohol to fuels reduced stalling due to carburetor icing. The concentration of alcohol required depended primarily on the volatility of the fuel to which it was added.