Ok I am really stumped here.

I started the truck today no issues.
Plowed my driveway, let it idle for a bit, drove 10 mi to my grandparents house and plowed there.
Drove from there to Wal-Mart where I parked shut the truck off for the first time in 45 min and went in. Oil change line was too long for me, so I went back out and restarted the truck and drove over to Autozone, where I shut her down and ran in for some oil flush. Came out and restarted the truck no issues and drove 300ft to the oil change place. I had them put in the flush and ran it for 5 min. I started and stopped the truck 3 times inside the oil change place no issues, paid and pulled away. I got maybe 500 ft when she stalled.

I could not get it to restart for the life of me. I pushed it back into a safe spot in the parking lot where I could work on it some. I walked over to the autozone and got some startinf fluid and carb&choke cleaner.

Went back to the truck by then my dad showed up with a few tools. I checked and was getting gas up to the carb but didnt see any squiting into the carb through the jets. ( it was really cold I didnt give it the best look )
Anyway, we sprayed a ton of starting fluid into the carb but had no luck with it starting. I was about to give up, tried again and it fired right up. ( with starting fluid ) Ran perfect drove over to my parents house, plowed their drive (2mi from where I was broken down), and it stalled again. So I started it again (needing a shot of starting fluid) and I turned the truck off.
Same thing, it would only start with a shot of starting fluid. Anyway, I started and let it run for another 30 min before driving home. (10 mi ) Parked it and came inside.

So recap, it started by itself and ran all morning numerous times, yet after the oil change it stalled twice and didnt want to restart without starting fluid.

Any ideas on whats wrong?

 

I read your issue and am having a similar problem with a 1984 W150 318. I have changed the cap and rotor, pulled the spark plugs to look at them, rebuilt the carborator, changed filters and checked the battery etc. It will run on choke but after it warms up it will stall and not restart. I can start it cold and it will sit and idle for an hour but as soon as I try to drive it somewhere I only get about a quarter mile and it starts running rough and stalling.

When it acts up I can put my hand over the air intake where the choke plate is and it will rev responsively when I pull on the throttle cable. But without covering up part of the opening it will bog down and cough every time I pull the throttle cable back.

Not sure of the cause yet, did you figure out your problem?

 

I dont know what my issue is yet. My choke works and all, truck runs like its supposed to warm or cold. I just doesnt want to start correctly without a shot of starting fluid. Kind weird.

Anyway, I was reading what you posted, it seems like your car is running well with the choke and not running well with the choke disengaged? That sounds like a fuel mixture thing. If its running fine with the air choked out then you may be running lean. My one little dirtbike had that issue. Turned out the jet was bad. Could also be a air leak causing it to get to much air and only run when the carb tries to choke away the air. My two cents. Good luck!

 

When it won't start is it turning over and won't fire, or is it not turning over at all?

You mentioned having debris in the carborator in another post. I also had a lot of junk in the carborator and was told that the Holly carb is noted for having a small piece of debris cause problems in the fuel inlet valve into the bowl. Taking this piece out and cleaning it good is pretty easy to do without pulling the carb off.

I also had several people tell me that the Throttle pump (Power valves) inside the carborator can get jambed up if they get dirt in them. I found dirt in these when I tore to carb down. Not sure, but if the spark is Okay and it is not getting the fuel it needs, this may be a place to look.

If it is not getting spark when it is hot, I would be very interesting in knowing what finally fixes the problem. It may be a clue I am looking for to get mine running correctly. I think I am going to look at the ignition coil and coil resistor next to see if I can get my hot misfire/loss of power condition fixed. D. W150 '84 316.

 

Yes it turns over and everything acts normal. It just wont fire. I took the plug wire off, threw a screw driver in it, rested it near the frame and saw spark jumping the gap. So its getting spark. Like I said, it started and stopped fine numerous times yesterday, but then after getting the oil changed it stalled out and then wouldnt restart without starting fluid.

It did this a few times yesterday. Im going to try and start it later today when I go out plowing I'll repost what happens.

PS The accelerator pump is good and carb is clean now too. I had a heck of a time getting it all working but now the truck is finally running well. Just weird how it has been working fine and then after I got the oil changed it didnt want to start without starting fluid. Maybe it was a fluke with the freezing temps yesterday, again I'll post more later tonight.

 

the only thing i can think of trying is pouring some gas down the carb the next time it does not start. did you pumping the gas a few times before trying to start it? i would take it easy with that starting fluid if you can. i don't think starting fluid is too good for any engine.

 

i think its dirty injectors not properly spraying the fuel into the carb.. but thats just my opinion

 

lets baja:
These are carburetors, they don't have fuel injectors.

 

@ Seal and Baja - I think he meant dirty "jets" not injectors. But that was a fresh rebuild and I know they where clean 2 hours earlier. Maybe a small particle of crud yeah, but they where not gummed up for sure.

Well, I still dont understand why it did what it did, but everything has been running correctly ever since.
Thanks for the ideas.