i have searched and found many threads on this problem but i want to get help on my specific problem, with my specific car.

my 88 gxl won't start and i'm pretty sure it is flooded. this has happened before and i did the pull the fuse trick and it started right up. this time however i tried that trick about 10 times and it sounded like it was so close to starting up then it wouldn't. what is my next course of action? should i keep trying this? should i change the spark plugs? are the injectors dirty? i just need to have my car running in 6 days so i greatly appreciate any help...also, i heard about the ATF trick, but is that something i should even consider trying?

thanks

 

I would pull the plugs and either replace them, or give them a really good cleaning.

 

Is the battery fully charged? How are the wires going to the starter (there's MUCH more to starting the car than the plugs, but I'm sure you knew that :P). If there's too much resistance in the wire going to the starter then it's not gonna get enough amps to start the car (which is MOST LIKELY why the car seems like it's about to start). This simply means that it's gonna turn too slowly, if you have a multimeter (DVOM...go to sears and pay the $29 if you plan on doing any other electrical work on the car ever...GREAT INVESTMENT!!!) check out the wiring in the starting circuit. I hope this helps...and didn't confuse you more

 

Do the really easy stuff first: JoeZoom has the right idea. Start by taking out your plugs, and cleaning them. While they are out, take out the EGI fuse, and turn the motor over. This will pump out the fuel that is in the rotor housings.

*WARNING* When you are doing this, make sure the spark plug leads are FAR away from the spark plug holes. If the car is that badly flooded, fuel will spray out of the holes, and the last thing you want to do is light it with a spark!

Once you have turned it over a few times, and no more raw fuel is coming out - put in your clean and dry plugs, and hook everything back up.

If it still doesn't start, then do what KiyoKix suggested.

 

Hey man, mine was really bad like that too, Is what worked for me, (cuase I was even more of a newbie at the time) I cleaned the plugs, put them back in and than I had some one tow me, and I bumb started the car, and it worked fine. Might be help.