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If it's an older model car, this sounds like a fuel starvation problem.
Steps
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1Check your fuel lines for leaks.
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2Check your air filter: if it's very dirty, replace it.
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3Buy a kit for the carburetor and once you have replaced everything, check that the float level is correct.
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4Ensure that the carburetor is properly torqued down and that no air gets in between it and the inlet manifold. Use an approved gasket sealant on the gasket between carburetor and manifold.
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5Ensure that the ignition timing is correct for your particular altitude. Use a timing light to set it.
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6If the timing is correct but the car still experiences hesitant and/or jerky acceleration, check that the ignition coil is supplying the correct voltage. A weak or shorted coil can't supply a strong enough spark and results in poor combustion in one or more cylinders. Check and replace spark plug wires with corroded contacts and/or cracked or frayed insulation.
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7Spark plugs will not function well when choked with carbon deposits. Remove the spark plug and clean the spark gap area with a wire brush and cleaning solution. Measure the gap and adjust if necessary before reattaching the spark plug.
Community Q&A
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QuestionWhat do I do if changing a spark plug makes the vehicle feel like it's running on less cylinders?
Community AnswerSounds like you may have damaged the plug wires. It is a good rule to replace the wires when you replace the plugs. -
QuestionWhy does my car lose all power, then stall?
Community AnswerYour battery isn't working. Your alternator is doing all the work until the engine dies. If you had the power to start your car in the first place, you either killed your battery in the process, or came down with a wiring problem while you were driving. -
QuestionWill having no transmission fluid in my car cause it to stall and lose power when I step on the gas?Community AnswerYou certainly could screw up your transmission so bad it couldn't provide any power to your wheels at all, but I don't see how that would cut out the engine itself. It would just rev out when you let go of the gas. This may or may not be true about a manual transmission.
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QuestionHow do I know if a camshaft sensor is broken?
Community AnswerMost cars wouldn't start at all. -
QuestionWhat can I do if battery acid keeps dripping on the battery, causing it to cut out?Community AnswerReplace your battery before it blows up.
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QuestionWhat would make the fuse continue to blow out every time the car is started and then the car won't start at all?Community AnswerProbably a short circuit. I would check for damaged/exposed wires touching metal somewhere.
Warnings
- If this is a more modern car, with fuel injection and electronic, computerized systems, take it to an approved workshop and let them sort it out as tampering with anything could just make the problem more complex and cost a bundle to fix.Thanks!
Things You'll Need
- a good set of tools, including spanners and screwdrivers.
- Your wits about you.
- Carburettor kit.
- Torque wrench.
- Timing light.
- You might want to change the spark plugs while you're about it.
- Workshop manual to show you how everything is done.
