Keeps dying

[ScreaminMullet]

I’ve got an 81 Camaro, that’s been running fine up until last week. I start it and run it at least once every week. Currently it starts up, idles rough, and then dies. After that it won’t start back up. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

 

[ZZ430]

Could be a lot of things. After it sits will start again I take it.?

The first thing I would do is take the air cleaner off and look down the carb and see if it's dumping fuel. Could have a heavy float.

 

[ScreaminMullet]

I should probably add that it still has the original carburetor.

 

[larrylarry]

Always start checking the most obvious. That’s something I have to still tell myself but things like bad spark plug wires, worn out disturbtor cap & rotor, vacuum leaks, fuel filters & etc. check all of that and 80% of the time you’ll find the problem. Kind of sounds like a fuel problem, out of gas? Does it squirt gas when pushing the accelerator on the carb? Does the fuel pump squirt gas? There’s a filter inside the carb where the fuel line screws onto the carb,check that. Look at ALL the vacuum hoses, dried up, stiff, cracked & unplugged vacuum lines. It should be simple to find if it ran good the last time you started it up.

 

[Twisted_Metal]

Factory engine with the computer controlled carb and distributor?

 

[ScreaminMullet]

Factory engine with the computer controlled carb and distributor?

Yes

 

[biker]

Could be a lot of things. After it sits will start again I take it.?

The first thing I would do is take the air cleaner off and look down the carb and see if it's dumping fuel. Could have a heavy float.

Yes. Figure out if it's flooding or running out of fuel. Or running out of spark too for that matter.

Easy to check with the air cleaner lid off is the choke. Is it activating and not opening once started or is it not activating at all.

 

[RickM]

Check Engine Light come on when you start it and then go out? That is what it should do (bulb check). After it starts and runs for a bit does the check engine light come on? If so you can easily get the codes with a paper clip. Readily available how to do it is just a bing search away.
No check Engine Light, make sure the 2 electrical connectors on the carb are secure.
Could be a lot of things other than the computer. Fuel filter, stuck choke, vacuum hose leak, are easy things to check.

 

[TTR230]

I know this doesn't help your issue, and I'm sure this is a contentious issue, but on the subject of winter, or long-term storage, I think that starting and idling a stored car does more damage than it sitting. A battery maintainer will keep the battery up all winter, and you don't run the risk of damaging condensation building up in the exhaust and other places. I'm not convinced that an idle-speed alternator running for a few minutes is really doing enough to counteract the loses of storage.

Anyway, just the opinion of someone from the frozen north that is forced to store his gas-powerd toys for long, long periods of winter (and summer, in some cases).

 

[FNFAL308]

I would suspect that gas-o-hol has gummed up the carb due to sitting. But mine has been doing well starting about once a month.

How old is the gas in it? Drain it and refill with fresh.