Q: Car only drives about 15 miles before engine quits

asked by on September 14, 2016

I have a much older model Chevy and love driving it. Lately, it will only drive for about 15 minutes before it shuts down or it will stop and idle for a while before it shuts down. After that it will not restart. This has been happening numerous times. I finally got it to start by spraying some carburetor cleaner in the carburetor. What is causing this problem and how can I fix it?

Car starts and then dies Inspection $94.99 - $114.99 Get a Quote
Fuel Pump Replacement $145.32 - $1299.70 Get a Quote
Fuel Filter Replacement $98.50 - $325.56 Get a Quote

Hello there, thank you for asking about your 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air. Older, carbureted vehicles are not my area of expertise. However, if you got the vehicle to run by spraying carburetor cleaner into the carburetor, I can tell you the problem is fuel related. Since the engine isn’t getting enough gas, it will run for a short time off the carburetor cleaner as an alternate fuel source. If fuel is not getting to the carb, you can suspect a faulty fuel pump, filter or restricted line. The professionals at YourMechanic have technicians that can inspect why your car dies after 15 miles and replace the fuel pump or filter.

The statements expressed above are only for informational purposes and should be independently verified. Please see our terms of service for more details

Get an instant quote for your car

Our certified mechanics come to you ・Backed by 12-month, 12,000-mile guarantee・Fair and transparent pricing


Experienced Mechanic?

Earn up to $70/hr

What others are asking

Wheel locked
Try turning the wheel back and forth while turning the key, use caution not to break the key. If you still cannot get the key to turn, you may have to have the ignition lock cylinder replaced. A certified technician,...
Engine stalling at low speeds while shifting from first gear to second gear and reverse, with P2757 code
P2757 indicates a torque converter clutch solenoid control circuit issue. If the transmission has been rebuilt, then wiring between the control unit and the transmission may be faulty. The harness connector from the wiring harness to the transmission needs to...
Car won't crank. I think its the timimg belt
Hey there. I'm a little confused by your issue. If your car's engine won't crank over, it typically is related to the starter motor or ignition system. A broken timing belt (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/symptoms-of-a-bad-or-failing-timing-belt) will prohibit the motor from spinning over, but...
Clunking
Hi there. Usually this a clunking noise from the rear end is typically related to damaged or worn out rear struts or shocks. However, it could also be due to faulty wheel bearings or the emergency brake shoe that may...
Lost car remote
Hi and thanks for contacting YourMechanic. Yes you can get another remote (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/how-to-purchase-a-remote-keyless-entry-system-for-cars-by-brady-klopfer) and program it to match your vehicle, but make sure that the remote is programmed to the VIN (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/how-to-decode-a-vin-vehicle-identification-number-by-jason-unrau) of the vehicle if you tend to get...
Changing my water pump What sequence should I remove the belts in and how would I go about that?
If you're going to replace the belts, which is what I recommend, you just start with the outermost belt and work your way back. Off the top of my head I believe the water pump belt is the last one...
What would make timing chain fail after replaced
The chain can fail due to lack of proper lubrication to the chain or camshaft on that side of the motor. I would recommend having the engine oil passages cleaned and engine oil flush used to try and dissolve any...
I have a 2012 VW Jetta and I want to know the crankshaft tdc position so I can can properly set the timing
There are 6 different 2.0 motors for this year and they all may be different timing procedures and you would need to supply the 8th digit of your VIN in order to get the correct engine and timing procedure to...

Related articles

Do Cars Need Oil Changes More or Less Often As They Age?
Car engines wear out as miles add up. Older engines and engines with high mileage have lower tolerances, making more frequent oil changes necessary.
How Engine Timing Works
Your Your car engine consists of a number of rapidly moving parts, including a crankshaft, camshaft, pistons, engine valves, rods and pulleys. As the piston moves up and down, the valves move correspondingly, in and out. The crankshaft spins, and...
How a Modern Engine Works
You You turn your key in the ignition, and the engine fires up. You press the gas and the car moves forward. You take the key out and the engine turns off. That’s how your engine works, right? It's a...