Will not start

[mgrafstein]

My car will not start. I recently replaced the fuel pump relay and the ECTS was replaced a few months ago (and it works). The car will crank and all that but not start. I can smell fuel after I crank it for a few seconds. It did it earlier today and after half an hour of intermittently cranking it with the throttle down or up, it finally started. When I was driving I did not have a check engine light. I believe I checked all the fuses and they all seem to be in working order. Suggestions?

[td1238]

When it will not start, check first for a spark. If no spark, suspect the crank sensor first.

Then check for fuel at the Shrader valve. If no fuel, suspect the fuel circuit, pump, or regulator (or possibly lines, but unlikely).

If you have a spark and plenty of fuel, there could be another problem, such as a sticking injector or IAC.

[fdryer]

Were spark plugs replaced? If not, pull them for inspection to see what color they display and if fuel is on them from starting. A failed start will usually result in flooding after several starting attempts especially if you smell fuel. When several attempts fail to start, hold the throttle wide open; this shuts off injectors to allow air only for diluting the flooded engine and allow a sputtering start up. Keep the throttle wide open until the engine sputters to life and then release the pedal for a normal warm up. Under normal conditions with fuel and spark available, it only takes a few failed starting attempts before the engine will flood - flooding shorts out the high voltage to each spark plug and drying them out requires either removing them or holding the throttle wide open while starting again. Fouled plugs can cause hard starting.