Bad start diagnosis? (01 SLE)

[karennb135]

Last night I got off work and start the car...She wants to start, but half starts and then dies. I tried to hold the gas down and start it to see if it would work, and as soon as I let off the gas pedal she completely died.

My only thought is maybe the MAF sensor, any other ideas? I didn't hear any hissing under the hood so I don't think it's a vacuum hose leak, and I don't think it's a fuel filter. There's no idling either. She just tries to start and then dies.

Thanks for the help.

[TheGreenDutch]

I could be a lot of things. I just recently replaced my starter and it starts up great. Is your battery good? When is the last time you had your spark plugs changed? What is your mileage?

[karennb135]

about 145000, the battery was changed a year ago. If it were the starter, I would think I'd just get clicking and that's it, but it'll crank, just doesn't come to a full start.

It could be spark plugs/wires, I'm also seeing that maybe it's the timing belt, or fuel pump. I hate playing doctor with it.

[1gSE]

it doesn't have to be an audible hiss to be a vacuum leak. Carb cleaner will help you find it if there was a leak. Will it run keeping the throttle open?

[karennb135]

it doesn't have to be an audible hiss to be a vacuum leak. Carb cleaner will help you find it if there was a leak. Will it run keeping the throttle open?

Yea, so long as I hold the gas down it'll run, but the moment my foot goes off the pedal, it would stall (well even then it never came to a full start anyway). I was able to get it to start today, but it was a really rough start. We're going to look at it tomorrow and try a few things out. I really hope it's not the timing belt.

[karennb135]

Also, there is smoke coming up from behind the center of the intake manifold. It smells like burning plastic or rubber. We thought maybe a head gasket, but we didn't see any issues with the water temp/pressure. I'm not seeing any fluid levels decrease really. I don't know what burning coolant smells like, but I'd assume sweeter, and this isn't a sweet smell. Again, burning rubber. Ideas?

[TheGreenDutch]

Spark plugs or coil pack. You can get some coil packs for around $30 bucks off ebay. I had to replace 1 before so I just did all three. With the bad one I barely made it home while the car was in limp mode. Burning smell seems like an electrical issue tho. You gotta watch some of these gas stations too who water down their gas. That was a big problem not too long ago. A couple stations got busted for it those fuckers.