Will not keep running - Cars & Trucks

Dear Doug,
There are three reasons you could get "run-on".
Probably you have one or both as your problem concerning the 5 - 20 minutes automatic shut off.
1) The timing is off, causing the engine to have a tiny bit of gasoline left over, which is just enough to give power to keep running.
2) The engine is getting too hot, which again causes it to keep on running after the key is shut off.
3) If the engine has a carburetor, the needle & seat could be dirty or sticking,or the float sticking, causing it too have too much gas, and that will keep it running.
God bless your efforts to fix this.

When you say it fires with starting fluid can you keep it running with the starting fluid or does it just fire while cranking the starter then stop when the key is turned to run if it keeps running with the starting fluid then you still have a pump problem or the filter could be plugged or the carb could be bad but if it'd fuel injection then it might just not getting enough pressure fuel injection takes high pressure

didnt specify year model or engine --generic answer --if the tbi is flooding ---check the fuel pressure regulator --and the tbi itself

Check how long it runs for after switching off as there may be a delay in the system that keeps the motor running until the turbo slows and cools down then shuts off. If it has it will be about 2-3 minutes. Another reason that diesels keep running is that there is oil getting into the air inlet side of the turbo from a failed seal and this acts as fuel going into the cylinder and as diesels do not need ignition spark they will keep running. have it checked out by a specialist who medals in turbo repair and sales.

If yo keep adding then you're obviously losing antifreeze somewhere. If it's not dropping on the ground then I'd say you have a blown head gasket and it's going out the exhaust. If you keep running it hot and it is a blown head gasket, sooner or later you'll warp the head or crack it, then you'll really be outting out the money for a fix.

I'm sorry but you have this posted in the wrong product category. Please re-post the question in the proper category This is the car and truck problem category

What year, make model and engine size there? Send details please.

Replace the ballast resistor on the coil.

Try giving the intake air control motor a few whacks with the handle end of a screw driver. You'll find that on the throttle body, it looks like a little metal cylinder with an electrical connector on it. While someone is keeping the truck running, a few light whacks will do. If it keeps running after that, replace the IAC motor.

was the car battery dead for a while??
If so the car actually forgets how to idle.
try to keep it running with the gas or keep trying over and over