80 Malibu V-8 305 won't stay on without holding down the gas

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Call Her Bu

Greasemonkey
Dec 2, 2012
108
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Arlington, TX
My 80 Malibu V8 305 4 barrel won't stay on unless I'm holding down the gas or I put it in neutral and sometimes both. Earlier today it died on me when I was in traffic but ran fine when I wasn't in stop and go traffic but I pulled over and sprayed carb cleaner in it and it ran fine after that. I also put Berryman B-12 in it 2 hours before this happened just to help out. Can anyone help?
 
Nov 4, 2012
5,997
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Re: 80 Malibu V-8 305 won't stay on without holding down the

My regal was recently doing the same thing. I figured out it was a vaccuum leak. Check all your vaccuum lines goin to the carb and make sure the are attached and tight fitting, with no holes in them anywhere. It may be easier to just replace them all, it really isn't that difficult, you can buy vaccuum line at pepboys for around $1 a foot.
 

80ELCAMINOFLAKE

Comic Book Super Hero
Sep 2, 2010
2,685
14
38
California So Cal
Re: 80 Malibu V-8 305 won't stay on without holding down the

You might want to adjust the idle/throttle screw on the carb???
 

Clone TIE Pilot

Comic Book Super Hero
Aug 14, 2011
3,827
2,564
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Galaxy far far away
Re: 80 Malibu V-8 305 won't stay on without holding down the

Probably a vacuum leak, check all the lines. Even a bad PCV valve will cause a leak, cheap aftermarket ones too.
 

pontiacgp

blank
Mar 31, 2006
29,270
20,391
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Kitchener, Ontario
Re: 80 Malibu V-8 305 won't stay on without holding down the

sounds like something might be preventing the stop to close and the carb is flooding. You could try removing the fuel line and plugging it, start the car and let it run till it dies from running out of fuel in the carb. Then put the line back on and see if that cures it.
 

gbondo57

Greasemonkey
Aug 30, 2010
128
1
18
Central Okla/USA
Re: 80 Malibu V-8 305 won't stay on without holding down the

Something I've run into with Q jets with miles on them, is to pull the carb, without flipping it over, and try to tighten the throttle plate screws. Dont know it would cause your prob, but I've smoothed out the idle that way. 8)
 

my86442

Greasemonkey
Jan 31, 2011
245
1
0
Nashua, Iowa
Re: 80 Malibu V-8 305 won't stay on without holding down the

Call Her Bu said:
My 80 Malibu V8 305 4 barrel won't stay on unless I'm holding down the gas or I put it in neutral and sometimes both. Earlier today it died on me when I was in traffic but ran fine when I wasn't in stop and go traffic but I pulled over and sprayed carb cleaner in it and it ran fine after that. I also put Berryman B-12 in it 2 hours before this happened just to help out. Can anyone help?
has the carb ever been rebuilt? Is the vent tube coming from your charcoal canister to the carb hooked up? If so, the top plate gasket could be bad which will caused coal build up in the float bowl. This happened to my 81 Olds. Same symptoms, it would run just fun at idle but after driving it a few miles or in stop and go traffic it'd die out. Id have to hold it to the floor to get it to keep running, than it finally got to where it wouldnt run at all. Its an easy fix, just take the top plate off the carb, have a vacuum ready and a new carb gasket kit cuz your gunna end up tearing the old gasket thats already there. pull the float out but be easy cuz the needle valve is hung off the end of the float bracket. suck that sh*t out and put it all back together. the kit usually comes with a new needle valve and seat along with a few other things that i usually replace when im in there. good idea to go ahead and do that since your in it so you dont have to later on.
 
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