Chevy 350 Starts Then Dies [5 Easy Solutions]

The most common reasons behind the Chevy 350 starts then dies are a leaky rubber intake hose, faulty camshaft position sensor, bad fuel pump, clogged fuel filter, and ignition problems.

Keep reading this article to find out more about why your chevy 350 starts but won’t run and how you can fix each of these problems in detail. Let’s begin!

Chevy 350 Starts Then Dies [5 Easy Solutions]

There could be many reasons behind the carbureted engine starts then dies problem. We’ll take a look at the most common causes and solutions to that problem in this section.

1. Leaky Rubber Intake Hose

If your car starts and shuts off immediately, the problem could be a leaky rubber intake hose. Hoses like this one get prone to breaking with extended use. If you’ve recently changed your air filter or had some work done on your car, that could cause the rubber intake hose to break.

The mass airflow sensor detects the air that goes into the engine from the hose. The engine needs that information to determine the right level of fuel and air mixture. But if it doesn’t detect the air going in it correctly, the engine will shut off.

Solution:

The first thing you have to do is locate the leak. If it’s big, your job will be easy. Otherwise, look for a hissing sound and spray some carb cleaner toward it. If you can hear the sound of the engine picking up, then you’ve located where the leak is coming from.

There are a lot of hose repair tapes available that you can use to seal the leak. These tapes are made of silicone and they do a great job of patching a leaking hose. If the hole or leak is too big, you’d have to replace it with a new one.

2. Faulty Camshaft Position Sensor

The camshaft position sensor detects the position of the camshaft and sends this information to the ECU. The ECU also gets information about which valve is open in a cylinder because from this sensor.

This information is used to determine the ignition point of the car. When this sensor goes bad, the car can die after it starts or it can even break down in the middle of the road.

If you have a scanner or Code Reader, you can easily detect if the cam position sensor is the issue by plugging it in. Otherwise, you can get someone to start the car and tap the sensor with a heavy object. If the engine dies, that’s a good indicator that the sensor has gone bad.

Solution:

The faulty camshaft position sensor has to be replaced with a new one. It’s an easy job in most vehicles. You’d have to unplug the connector on top of the sensor and then take off the bolt of the sensor with a 10mm socket. The sensor will come off.

Replace it with the new sensor and screw it tight. Before you put the connector back in, spray it with some electrical cleaner. These connectors work with little electricity and they won’t function properly if there’s any dirt in them.

Plug the connector back in and see if your engine runs now. Camshaft sensors aren’t too expensive and quite easy to replace. Reset the check engine light if you have a code reader and you’re good to go.

3. Bad Fuel Pump

The fuel pump is responsible for moving the fuel from one place to another. It is a critical part of the ignition process as the engine requires the right mixture of air and fuel for combustion.

But if there’s a leak in the fuel pump or if it has gone bad, the right mixture of fuel and air won’t happen. That’ll cause your car to start and die. The check engine light can come on to signal that you have a bad fuel pump.

Solution:

The fuel pump is an essential component of the engine. If you have a bad fuel pump, you should replace it. It’s wise to take it to a mechanic or your local dealership as this job needs to be done well for the engine to function properly.

4. Clogged Fuel Filter

The fuel filter prevents dirt from getting into your engine. As it collects dust, it becomes clogged over time. A clogged fuel filter can cause your car to stall at times and your engine can die after it starts.

Solution:

Change the fuel filter with a new filter. Replacing fuel filters is easy. You should always replace fuel filters whenever you change your engine oil to prevent issues like this from happening in the first place.

5. Ignition Problems

When cars start and die, the problem is either with the fuel or the ignition. A good test to determine if the issue is caused by the ignition system is to spray some starter fluid.

Have a friend crank the car and spray some starter fluid to see if the car runs properly. If it runs properly, then the fuel delivery is okay. So, the problem is within the ignition system.

Solution:

There are so many things that could be wrong with the ignition system. The ignition system can fail due to a faulty ignition coil, spark plug, ignition module, or a weak battery.

Your course of action should be to inspect each of these components one by one and determine the exact issue. If you take care of the problem and your ignition system becomes functional, your engine will work fine again.

How Reliable Is A Chevy 350?

Chevy 350 is one of the most reliable engines out there. It’s a popular choice among many car enthusiasts because of its performance, reliability, and durability. It gives great performance even in rough terrains.

Chevy 350 has had such a huge commercial success that it was named “10 Best Engines of the 20th Century” by “Wards Auto”. You can’t go wrong with this engine if you’re a hot rod lover.

FAQs:

Conclusion

Now you know the most common reasons why the Chevy 350 starts then dies. We hope the tips we shared in this guide will help you fix your problem and get your 350 engine back to normal.

Let us know if these tips have helped you to solve or problem by leaving a comment below. We’d love to answer any questions that you have about 350 Chevy engines.