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There is no bike on the road that looks like a Harley-Davidson. Over the manufacturer’s century-long history, the look of the Harley has changed and the true enthusiast can tell the year of a bike at a glance. One of the most obvious clues is the distinctive Harley engine.

For twenty years, Harleys got their look from the Shovelhead engine, the engine that many people even today automatically associate with the bike.

The End of the Panhead

In the mid 1960s, Harley Davidson motorcycles used the Panhead engine, so called because of the shape of the rocker covers. As the bikes got heavier they required engines with more power than the Panhead could deliver. In 1966, Harley introduced the next evolution of this engine design.

This new engine, like its predecessor, got its name from the shape of the rocker covers. The covers were shaped like coal shovels and these shovelhead parts inspired the Shovelhead engine’s name.

The Shovelhead had more powerful cylinders and pistons and was meant to provide stronger acceleration to meet the demands of bikers of the day.

The engine had its drawbacks. It was more powerful but also heavier so didn’t give as much power as had been hoped. That weight also affected the bike’s steering and could cause it to weave at top speeds.

Some of these shortcomings were because it had not originally been designed as a motorcycle engine. It was supposed to be used in an outboard motor but engineers discovered that it didn’t work well in humid environments, which is rather a significant drawback for a marine engine.

The Shovelhead Era

Although the Shovelhead was not perfect, it still provided a lot of power for the new generation of bikes.

Harley continued to improve the engine throughout its life. In the 1970s there were a number of changes made to the design of Shovelhead parts that resolved many consumer complaints about its performance.

However, the engine never became what bikers wanted it to be. Some of the reasons for this were government regulations that came out of the energy crisis of the 1970s. Harley was limited as to how much power they could give the engine.

One real improvement in Shovelhead parts was the FLH Electra-Glide Package, also known as the Police Option. Although this option made the bike harder for the amateur to maneuver, a skilled rider could get more power and speed.

The End of the Shovelhead

Despite Harley’s efforts, this engine struggled to keep pace with the innovations that were sweeping the industry. Shovelhead parts such as oil management systems were considered archaic when compared to other engines and the machine fell out of favor.

Harley stopped producing the engine in 1984, although manufacturers still make custom engines in the same style. The Shovelhead was replaced by the Evolution engine that Harleys still use today.

Author is a freelance copywriter. For more information on Shovelhead Parts, visit http://www.jirehcycles.com

Carburetors are a component of internal combustion engines that generate a combustible mixture of gasoline and air. Carburetors were used in cars in earlier days, but presently, they have been replaced by the electronic fuel injection technology and are being used in smaller machinery like lawn mowers, chain saws, motorbikes, small boats, and light aircraft. Even though electronic fuel injection technology has more advantages like flexibility, reliability and complexity, its higher cost makes carburetors a better choice for small engines.

The basic function of a carburetor is to ensure the right mix of air and gasoline into the engine. The carburetor comprises of a tube with an adjustable plate called the throttle placed across it. This throttle controls the amount of air that flows through the tube. The carburetor tube narrows down at a place called the venture, where a vacuum is created.

There is a hole in this narrowing called the jet that allows the fuel to be drawn in because of the vacuum. There are several parts in a carburetor that allow for smooth functioning. The parts are the pilot, pilot airscrew, throttle valve, jet needle, needle jet, air jet, and main jet. Other important parts are the choke, accelerator pump, float chamber, and barrels that help to create the ideal mixture of gas and air in the engine.

Carburetors have improved over the years in terms of efficiency and effectiveness. Their emissions standards have are much better and adhere to environmental standards. This is also another reason for the increased use of carburetors in smaller machinery.

There are many kinds of small engine carburetors. The complexity of the modern machines demand greater sophistication in the carburetor design. Float-type and suction-type are the two main categories of carburetors and there are two kinds of float-type carburetors including one-piece and two-piece. Suction-type carburetors have a built-in fuel pump.

The major manufacturers of carburetors are Amal Ltd., Autolite, Carter, Holley, Pierburg, Rochester, Solex, Stromberg, SU, Walbro and Tillotson (small engines), Briggs and Stratton, Villiers, Weber and Zenith. Rebuilt or remanufactured carburetors can also be used in small engines.

Carburetors provides detailed information about carburetors, carburetor parts, carburetor tuning, and more. Carburetors is affiliated with Car Transport.