car dies for apparently no reason

[JacobM5727]

hey guys
i have a 1987 dodge 600
94000 miles
i got it in october ish with 90

anyway, when i try to start it sometimes, it will start, then die shortly after
sometimes it dies when i have been driving a long time, sometimes it dies when i have been driving a short time
sometimes if i turn it off to get gas, it will not start at all, or does this when i turn it off for any short amount of time
most of the time, it does not die at all, and starts fine

any ideas whats up? i know nothing about cars, except adding some fluids.. my car - good on fluids

it is a four cyl gas, and sounds like a diesel at times, especially when i turn it off - if that means anything

thanks

[vass0922]

When it dies does it just kind of slowly coughcoughcough spit.. die
or just DEAD

Sounds like fuel filter maybe toast
Shouldnt' be too terrible to have replaced

[JacobM5727]

cough cough cough
i will check that out

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

Also check your spark plug wires are firmly on the distributor cap, if not dodges tend to get dodgy with moisture. do you find it more likely after rain? just another easy thing to check.

[JacobM5727]

i pressed them in today to see, i have never had the car in rain - a little snow though, however it ran perfectly those days.. other then being a tractionless death trap

[pickel]

Check ALL your vacumn lines !!! Had one doing the same thing .Also fuel return line will cause similiar problems. When's the last time you had a tune up...plugs ,wires ????

[JacobM5727]

i havnt, and i dont know when the previous owner (my grandpa) did
as for the vacuum lines, one was loose once, but today it wasnt, and today the car died the most.. maybe 20 times

[RedFury]

Let's narrow this down some.
Does it die when you try to start it regardless of how long the car had been running...ie, all day or not since yesterday.

Does it die more often when the weather is warmer, or colder?

Does it die with more or less fuel in the tank?

What happens when you restart the car? puff of smoke, sputters, runs cleanly, etc.

Have you checked the regular items that require frequent maintenance? ie. Fuel filter, AIR filter, PCV valve.

The dieseling can be from a hot spot in a cylinder that is continuing to set off the incoming fuel charge ( fuel and air continue to flow through the combustion chambers as long as the engine is rotating on any car with a carburator, regardless of key position. A hot spot will act like a spark and keep it running until the incoming fuel/air charge cools the hot spot to the point of no combustion. )

My initial thought is that you may have a fuel flow problem, or something going awry in the fuel side of the combustion cycle. Electronics usually just fail, although a bad set of wires and a corroded sparkplug can factor into the equation- although this then switches them out of the electrical and into a physical problem.

IF you feel up to it, we can certainly walk you through checking some of the items I listed, or just simply replacing them. I've got a 93 Dodge Shadow, which is on the same basic chassis, just has fuel injection over carburation...which really isn't much of an issue as far as the problem goes and what you'd be able to actually check on your own.

[Toadman]

Check the fuel pump relay and fuses also. Electric or mechanical fuel pump?

[JacobM5727]

Does it die when you try to start it regardless of how long the car had been running...ie, all day or not since yesterday. dies more often in short periods, its always starts in the morning

Does it die more often when the weather is warmer, or colder? no difference i have noticed

Does it die with more or less fuel in the tank? i have issues starting it after i fill up sometimes, so i am gonna say more

What happens when you restart the car? puff of smoke, sputters, runs cleanly, etc. if it starts, it sputters to a stop, no smoke or anything like that

Have you checked the regular items that require frequent maintenance? ie. Fuel filter, AIR filter, PCV valve. there is a fuel filter box in the trunk with an old one in it, the air filter is kinda dirty, but decent, ....pcv valve?...

toad, i think its electric

if you guys wanna walk me through, go ahead, if its cheap to replace.. a fuel filter is about $15, so that would be ok