I came here because im assuming you guys know a lot more than me or even my mechanic friend, and I have no idea what else to do. I recently bought a 1998 monte carlo with the 3.8l v6, and when I bought it, it ran amazing. The motor mounts needed to be replaced before I bought it, but I knew that already and it drives fine anyways. However after I bought the car 2 days after I got it I went outside and tried to start it and it just spun over. I had no idea why it wouldn't start because for the day and a half I had it before that it didn't do a full spin before it was running and it started up and sounded good. I contacted the guy I bought it from, who happened to be a mobile mechanic and he said it was probably bad fuel, which I was skeptical of, but he came out tested everything and it was all working good so we drained the fuel and put new fuel in, and it started up and was running just like before. My problem didn't come again until the next day my wife went out and tried to start it, but it started spinning again. It wants to start it keeps backfiring, but the engine wont actually start and run. I assumed it was the fuel again, but I pumped it out and it looks good nothing wrong with it at all. I dont know what I should do next I know the air filter box is cracked and a vacuum line broke and a spark plug wire broke, but it was still running with that stuff broken and disconnected so I dont really understand how that would be what caused it to not start. Ive killed the battery trying to start it and I dont know what to do next I put 5 more gallons in it to see if possibly the way it was sitting was causing it to not get enough fuel, but still nothing so I am just hoping someone can tell me something I didn't know before and I can get this thing back on the road before my wife's sonogram in 2 weeks.

 

On these cars the Vacuum line is something that can be an issue with starting. I had a problem like this with my sons MC once and the Vac line that went to the brake booster came loose and you could crank it but nothing plugged it back in and Wala all was good.
Check all your Vac lines and make sure they are good and no splits or breaks in them. if it is replace it.

When you get in the car and turn the key to the on postion can you hear the Buzz sound of the fuel pump engaging?

One other thing to check is the fuel pressure regulator should be over on the the top of the engine infront of the passenger side. If you can I would purchase the Factory shop manuals for this Car not the Chilton or other off brands but the Chevrolet ones! ebay is where you can get them.

 

Replace what you know is bad. If a spark plug wire is bad, replace them all. Fix your vacuum leaks. Instead of messing with the actual fuel, check the fuel pressure.

Also, you can try unplugging the MAF sensor to see if it starts with that unplugged. Good luck.

 

I fixed it the vacuum line was the problem, but since I fixed the vacuum line it has ran good I had to bypass the fuel pressure regulator but that hasn't stopped it from running whatsoever it has started right away every time. Today i went to go to the store and it wouldn't start. It is doing the exact same thing it was last time except this time nothing has changed at all. I dont understand how it could run just fine when I park it but when I go back the next afternoon after work it's no longer running.

 

Thanks for the update.