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In answering the question, "Why does a car start, but not run?", I have no information on year or make. If the car has a 12 volt system and is a pre-computer model, a likely answer would be due to a faulty ballast resister in the ignition system. The ballast resister is wired to the positive side of the ignition coil. When the engine is cranking, full battery voltage is applied to the coil primary winding to provide the hottest possible spark for the plugs. Once the engine begins to run, voltage is applied to the ballast side of the resistor, reducing applied voltage to the primary circuit, thus prolonging life of coil and distributor points. This explains why the engine will start but cut off as soon as the key is returned to the run position. To prove the diagnosis, a simple trick is to run a small jumper wire from the positive terminal of the battery to the plus side of the ignition coil. If the engine starts and continues to run, the ballast resister needs to be replaced.

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Q: Why does the car start but not run?
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