sputter, sputter, death

[shelby987]

I think my carb has some carb issues.....I have noticed in the mornings, when I turn the key, it fires first turn.....then dies about 1-2secs. into it.....after that there is no chance of it starting without a quick shot of starter fluid.....can anyone help me out here?
Even with starter fluid, the truck will start....but its really touchy.....if i touch the gas pedal, often it will die...as it seems to be idling at a rough 500 rpm I would think the gas pedal would be a good thing......other days, i can touch the gas pedal, and a couple of good revs gets it into a happier mode of idle.....am I looking at a points or carb issues?
I am still learning about both, so any advice given would be better received with instructions.

oh yeah, 250 I6 with the stock 1bbl carb

[truckdude239]

it sounds like an choke problem me choke sticking or something but don't hold me to it i new at this carb thing

[shelby987]

choke works fine, first thing I did when I bought the truck was run a full can of carb and choke cleaner through the system, working the throttle and the choke back and forth....if I pull the choke all the way out when its cold, it will stall the motor out, and when the motor is warm, the idle increases or decreases accordingly with the location of the choke.

[70STOVEBOLT]

I'd say it's a carb thing. Mine does that once in while, but I have a Pertronix in it, no points. Sometimes lately, the choke cable will come unhooked from the carb and it will die if I try to give it any throttle. When I put the choke cable back on, it starts up and runs fine.

[FUNMUDDER]

Did you check the fuel filter for crud and crap? My V6 did the same thing 2 days after I got it. Start, sputter die. Start again, floor it, cough and die. Replaced the fuel filter and it ran great. Fuel tank may be solid full of rust. Mine is.

[ChevLoRay]

So, when it is cold, it fires right up with the choke closed? That should be correct. There may be a choke pull-off that is bad, as part of the problem. The fact that the engine speed changes with the position of the choke also should be normal, as in when you close the choke the engine doesn't get enough air to run.....well, it becomes a rich mixture and it won't run.

I still think the problem is all carburetor, but I'd check the choke pull-off and be sure it and all the vacuum hoses are good.

An engine is nothing more than an air pump. Air has to get in, before any can get out. Once it is warmed up, the amount of choke that you have to give it can be an indicator of a vacuum leak....as if you HAVE to have the choke pulled out part of the way in order to get it run smoothly, there's a vacuum leak somewhere.

[Longhorn Man]

When you pull the choke and fire it up, are you pulling the knob out all the way, or all the way out and then back in a bit?

[FUNMUDDER]

Just for a tip, I have to fiddle with my choke a little when starting her up cold. I pull it out all the way to start, then creep it in until it is running well and above idle (usually 900-1100 rpm for the V6)

[shelby987]

well, I have discovered, it won't fire properly with the choke all the way out, so I pull the choke 3/4 of the way out, tap the gas to engage, and turn the key......it fires, and dies.....after that I am stuck just turning the key and hearing the motor spin but not fire......

Once the truck is warm....the choke is pushed all the way in, and it runs fine....idle is constant

fuel filter looks to have been replaced by the P.O. as it is completely clean (everything else under the truck is filthy.)

tank could be full of rust I guess......but wouldn't it run badly all the time if that were the case.....not just when its cold?

Just looking for a fix i guess....worst case I stick with the starter fluid, as I have a new engine to replace it....HEI, headers, 8mm wires, offenhauser intake........so this is just a temporary situation......although i would like to rule out the rust in the tank before I put in the new engine

[69chevytruck]

Check your intake gasket and the bolts/nuts. Mine did that until I replaced the intake/exhaust gasket. There was just enough space to allow air until it woarmed up and expanded to close it down enough to run properly.

[cdowns]

change fuel and air filters//check and set dwell on the points and put in correctly gapped new sparkplugs,then set the timing///it's called a tuneup

[Longhorn Man]

try choking it like you do, and upon stalling, push it in till it is only 1/4 out...
see what that does.

[muddyole 69]

Had similar issues with my truck 2 days ago had one of those cheeepie glass spectre fuel filters looked ok but same thing start die put a regular filter on and no trouble since like ccdowns said try a complete tune up you will thank yourself later just my 2 cents Mike

[shelby987]

an update, the inline fuel filter, as well as the carb filter have been replaced (both seemed in good shape, but its $5 of piece of mind). Anyway....no change, but I have discovered that if i continually tap the gas very slightly while turning the key.....the truck will start (takes a couple of tries sometimes), but if I touch the gas at all once its running it dies again.....I always try to give it some gas, because it always sounds like its on the verge of stalling out.....any ideas?

[truckdude239]

sounds like an sticking float in the carb or something