Carbureted Engine Starts Then Dies: Finding and Fixing the Reason

If your carbureted engine starts and then dies, it's likely it has a problem with the fuel pump, fuel filter, or its carburetor may be clogged. Also, issues with air supply are common. It's possible that the distributor changed the optimal ignition timing and now fails to ignite the fuel in the needed time.

Engine stalling issues highlights

• Level of urgency:High
• Can you drive?Obviously, no
• DIY inspection:Possible but very complicated
• DIY repair:Impossible
• Price for repair:$350 - $900
• Common Reasons:Fuel or air supply problems, immobilizer
• Ways to fix:Professional inspection is needed, checkif there is fuel in the tank

Reasons for your carb engine to start and immediately die

There are numerous problems that can cause your old carbureted engine to start and then die right away. It's not only about fuel supply, so inspecting the vehicle may be quite challenging. Although carb engines are much easier to inspect and repair than fuel-injected units, I still can't guarantee that your situation is common and you will find the answer here, in this article.

I will just list the most common problems that can cause such an issue:

1. Fuel pump is dead or overheated

When simple carburetor fuel pump overheats, it may stop pumping fuel into the engine and this will cause the engine to stall. Also, when you try to start the engine, it will start using the remains of the fuel in the cylinders, but then it will immediately die.

Also, the fuel pump may be just broken. This will prevent fuel from getting into the cylinders and will obviously affect your vehicle.

The simple fuel pump is located directly on the engine. One of its parts is the metal stick that is inserted into the engine. The camshaft pushes this stick each time it makes a full rotation and this makes the fuel pump work. When the system overheats, this stick may get stuck. In this case, you will not need to replace the entire pump. It's enough to replace the metal stick.

2. Fuel filter is clogged

Carbureted engines have easily accessible fuel filters. You may find one under the hood of your car - between the pump and the carburetor. If this filter looks dirty inside, it's time to replace it. Also, I recommend replacing the filter at least every 5000 miles. It's not expensive but this will save your carb from getting clogged.

When dirty, the fuel filter may significantly reduce the fuel pressure which is not high even in ideal conditions. So, this will prevent fuel from getting into the engine.

3. Air filter clogged

For the fuel to burn in your engine, oxygen is badly needed. Carbureted engines get air naturally through the intake located directly on the engine head. In this intake system, you will find a filter that cleans the air and saves the carburetor from clogging with dust and some particles.

If this filter is clogged with dust, it will not let air come through. Eventually, this will lead to poor combustion because the air-fuel mixture will just not be good enough to burn properly. Checking the filter and maybe even taking it out to check the theory is a good idea.

You should replace air filters at least once every 5000 miles.

4. Carburetor is clogged

It's not uncommon for carburetors to get dirty when the engine is poorly maintained. If you drive over 15K miles without changing filters, you may eventually get serious issues with the fuel supply system in your vehicle. The carburetor will get clogged and will not inject the needed amount of fuel into the cylinders.

If this happens to your vehicle, you will need professional help. Also, you may use video tutorials for cleaning the carb but I only recommend this to people who have good technical skills and know what they are doing. Otherwise, you better pay a good mechanic to have this done.

5. Distributor is not doing good

In a modern engine, there is no distributor. But in the carbureted engine, you don't have an ECU that would control ignition timing. So, the distributor is a thing that is connected to the engine and control ignition timing in all four cylinders mechanically. This thing is very easy to break. The distributor is set according to the ignition measurements and you will most likely not be able to do this on your own. You will again need some professional help.

6. No fuel in the tank

Although this problem is not specific to the carbureted vehicle, it's worth knowing and checking. When there is no gas in the tank, the pump will try to supply the engine with some fuel but will only throw some remains of gas into it. This will be enough to start but then the fuel supply will stop and the engine will naturally die.

Add a couple of gallons of fuel into the tank to exclude this simple reason because the fuel meter is not always correct in old cars.

7. Carburetor settings were changed

Carburetor is a very tender part and it needs proper settings to function well. With the help of several bolts in the carburetor's body, you can adjust the idling speed and other important features. If a person without any experience will do this, chances are that the setting will not be adjusted correctly. If one of the adjustment bolts is overtightened, for example, the engine will just not get fuel to run.

What can you do to eventually start the engine?

In most cases, you will need some help. Proper inspection and quick repair will solve all your problems and let you drive the vehicle without any issues when starting the engine. But before you go to a repair shop, you can try several DIY things that may help you.

Here's what exactly you may try doing if your carbureted engine dies right after starting:

• Add some fuel to the tank

It's obvious - just add some fuel to make sure that the problem is not because of the empty tank. Also, old fuel may act exactly this way - not letting the engine work after starting.

• Clean or replace the fuel filter

Even if the fuel cleaner looks good, you should replace it to make sure it's not causing the problem. In the carbureted car, this is a simple DIY task.

• Change or remove the air filter

To exclude this possible reason, remove the air filter and start the engine. If it works now, buy the new filter and install it. You won't need any professional help with this.

• Pump the fuel manually

Your fuel pump allows you to pump the fuel with your finger. Find the lever on the pump and press it several times. Then start the vehicle and see if it still dies after this.

• Let the fuel pump cool down

If the engine starts and then dies after long driving, it may be because of overheating. In this case, you may use something cold like a wet rag to cool down the pump. After the pump is cool enough, try starting the engine and see if something changes.

• Inspect the carburetor

Take off the air intake part that sits on the top of the engine. This will allow you to see the carburetor. Inspect it and see if it's clogged or dirty. You can try starting the car in the condition and spray some carb cleaner inside. But before you do this, watch a good tutorial.

How can you prevent this problem from happening?

If you have an old car with a carbureted engine, you can't prevent all the problems. But still, you can minimize the number of problems you will deal with just by maintaining the vehicle properly and developing good driving habits.

Here are some examples:

• never let your car sit for more than 2 weeks - this may lead to issues with the carb;
• always make sure you have enough fuel in the tank;
• don't forget about fuel and air filters - change them regularly, at least once every 5000 miles;
• use only clean and high-quality fuel;
• have your car repaired by a professional mechanic;
• provide the vehicle with a good professional inspection at least once a year.

This will obviously help you to drive the car much longer without experiencing any problems with the carb. But you should be ready for issues because carburetors are not really reliable and can still throw some problems now and then.

If you still have questions or want to add something, just write in the comments below.