Generally speaking engines don't suddenly die like this unless there's something obvious like drastic oil loss / vacuum pump exploding its bits into the timing chain etc etc etc

Have you checked daft things like

1) the accelerator linkage?
2) fast idle knob / stop lever stuck / messing you about?
3) tried starting the car with the vacuum shutdown pipe disconnected? (Don't forget to put it back after starting!)

__________________
1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!