Questions and Answers

GMC S-15 Runs Good, But Dies Q. Hello, I am in extreme need of help as this is my only truck and I need it to get to work... I have a 1985 GMC S-15, 2.8 liter V-6, automatic transmission, 64,000 miles, on rebuilt, Rochester VaraJet II Carburetor. No P/S, took it out, A/C, don’t work and cruise control, don’t work either. Let me tell you what happened.

About two weeks ago the truck started idling rough and I started having a hard time starting it after it had been sitting for awhile. It started fine once it had been running but if you let it sit for more than an hour, it would be a task to start.

As the two weeks went on, it just kept getting worse and worse until just this morning it failed to start all together. After that happened today, I replaced the ignition control module, distributor cap, distributor rotor, spark plugs, PCV valve, air filter, and pre-heater hose. The problem was fixed. The truck started up with NO PROBLEM at all and ran pretty smooth for about five minutes and then died.

Alas, another problem. Now the truck starts with no problem but dies within one minute after starting. When I say it dies, I mean it really dies. No kick back nor backfiring, just shuts off. Half the time, when it dies, I get a spray of gas that shoots out of the carburetor. I talked to mechanics all over the area and each one told me to check something different.

I checked the EGR valve, (diaphragm presses in easily, choke plate seems to move freely, not stuck closed, fast Idle speed, no kinks in any of the hoses going to the carburetor, no breaks or cracks in any of the hoses going to the carburetor, that I could see.

I was told it probably wasn’t the fuel filter as gas is getting to the carburetor and shooting out. I had the fuel pump replaced with a new one about a year ago. Please help me with this. I am stuck on what it could be. Any help is very much appreciated.

R.J.

A. If you get a can of carburetor cleaner and let it run until it wants to stall, start spraying the carburetor cleaner into carburetor lightly to see if it makes it run better and not stall out. Do you have spark when it dies?

These engines were notorious for sucking intake gaskets and causing a vacuum leak into the crankcase as well. The base problem sounds like a carburetor issue but be prepared for anything!