In regard to "faith without works is dead" James does not mean that faith is dead until it produces works and then it becomes a living faith, and the works are the source of life in faith. That would be like saying that a tree is dead until it produces fruit and then it becomes a living tree, and the fruit is the source of life in the tree. Something that is dead cannot produce anything.
*It takes a living faith to produce works (Ephesians 2:5-10) just as it takes a living tree to produce fruit.*
So, James is simply saying faith that is not accompanied by evidential works (bare profession of faith) demonstrates that it's dead. If someone merely says-claims they have faith, but lack resulting evidential works, (James 2:14) then they demonstrate that they have an empty profession of faith/dead faith and not authentic faith.