How to Know if You Need a New Carburetor

A new carburetor can cost you plenty of cash so before you take your vehicle into the shop or attempt to install a new one yourself, take a minute to review this checklist and make sure that a new carburetor is really what you need.

1. First: Make sure your vehicle battery is still good

   Sometimes people think that if their vehicle does not start properly, sputters, does not idle or just plain cuts out after a few minutes of running that the problem is automatically the carburetor. Check your battery power first. If that is the problem it is cheaper than a new carburetor to replace. If the battery is good then check your spark plugs and air filter to see if either one of those things could be the culprit.

2. Second: Check for gas quality and manifold leaks

   If you step on the gas and the vehicle runs but you take your foot off the gas and the engine quits it still may not be the carburetor. Check to make sure that the gas in the tank is good and then check for any manifold leaks.

3. Third: Try a little do-it-yourself repair

   If you have successfully eliminated the possible problems above it is time to start focusing on the carburetor itself. Shoot some carburetor cleaner around the intake system and then try revving the engine. If there is an increase in the RPMs it is likely that you have a leak in your intake system which you can either repair yourself or you can take your car to the shop. If the engine does not rev up then the carburetor is probably the issue.