Around a week ago it was starting but would shut off soon after, to not starting at all. It sounds like it wants to but just can’t. I can hear the fuel pump and have took it off to see if it works (it does) I changed the fuel filter and it started running fine. Until today when it repeated the process of last week. Does anyone know what could be wrong? Also when I press the gas and it does start for a couple seconds it smells like straight gas.

 

How did you take the fuel pump off? Im curious if maybe youve mixed up what the pump is. Its inside the gas tank.

Without any other diagnostic info, im going to suggest unplugging the MAF and see if the car runs after that. If so, thats probably the problem. After that, I would test the o2 sensor. After that youre going to have to do some real diagnostics.

 

I'm 100% with whtmonte - also very confused about taking off the fuel pump to see if it works. The proper test is a pressure gauge on the Schrader valve at the fuel rail. Just because the pump moves fuel when not hooked to anything doesn't mean it can actually flow with a restricted outlet / pushing against 35+ psi.

 

I was going to change the fuel pump because I initially thought that was the problem but it seemed to be working fine so I put it back in, I also did a pressure test and it was running at 45 so I knew that couldn’t be the problem. This is my first car and I don’t have enough money to take it in, thank you for the suggestions and help! I just unplugged the MAF which didn’t work, and I also unplugged the IAC which didn’t work.

 

Youre gonna have to get a scanner on the car. Next thing I would look at is the o2 sensor. The front one, not rear.

 

You say it's 45 psi, but that doesn't meet spec. I'm almost positive 3800 s2 spec is 48-55 psi key on engine off.

What does it do when you crank it over?

Not saying that's the issue, at least its not 10, but also odd it's not in spec.

I know this sounds fuel related, but have you confirmed for sure it has spark now? Usually fuel + spark + air will give you some kind of running engine (unless its obscenely over fueled / can't light off). But it would sure be nice to 100% rule out spark to focus on fueling by checking spark. Not sparking can cause raw fuel smell because the fuel charge isn't getting lit off in the chamber, so it's just being pushed out the tailpipe. Lots of cranking can cause a lot of accumulation of those vapors.