# Starting and embarrassing stalling! Help

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/starting-and-embarrassing-stalling-help/185655>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** eighty-eight, carburetors, oldsmobile, engines\
**Created:** [August 5, 2022, 3:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starting-and-embarrassing-stalling-help/185655 "2022-08-05T15:33:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![shanonia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de053/32.png) [@shanonia](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shanonia)\
**Post date:** [August 7, 2022, 12:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starting-and-embarrassing-stalling-help/185655/21 "2022-08-07T00:48:10Z")

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> [@Kiana22](#):
>
> My car has been stalling quite often on me

Does it happen more when the engine has already warmed up and has been running OK? If the engine is cold and you try to start it, does it start right up? Do you push the gas pedal down and release it (to set the choke)?

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**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\
**Post date:** [August 7, 2022, 12:57am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starting-and-embarrassing-stalling-help/185655/22 "2022-08-07T00:57:04Z")

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It looks like that car uses the old style mechanical pump for about $30. Carbs are around $400 but the repair kit float, etc. are pretty cheap.

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**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\
**Post date:** [August 7, 2022, 1:07am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starting-and-embarrassing-stalling-help/185655/23 "2022-08-07T01:07:01Z")

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> **[The Ethanol Effect: Understanding Ethanol & What You Can Do to Protect...](https://www.onallcylinders.com/2014/10/29/ethanol-effect-understanding-ethanol-can-protect-classic-ride/)**
>
> The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency seems to love its ethanol. Farmers love it, too. But if you’re a hot rodder–particularly a hot rodder with a carbureted or older-style fuel system–ethanol isn’t …

Tester

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**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\
**Post date:** [August 7, 2022, 7:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starting-and-embarrassing-stalling-help/185655/24 "2022-08-07T19:00:37Z")

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Modern hotrodders love ethanol. E85 is the “super premium” or Sunoco 260 of today.

Properly outfitted with the correct fuel lines and O rings, and sometimes bigger fuel injectors and pumps, the 100+ octane and cooling effect of richer mixtures make turbo engines with performance tunes happy. Helps NA engines too although not as much.

But pre 1990 engines do not like ethanol at all…

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**Author:** ![Kiana22](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/fbc32d/32.png) [@Kiana22](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Kiana22)\
**Post date:** [August 22, 2022, 11:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starting-and-embarrassing-stalling-help/185655/25 "2022-08-22T23:38:39Z")

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You’re saying sometimes you ended up bouncing in the seat too?

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