I have a '98 3.8 with 100,500 miles that unfortunately has been sitting idle covered in the garage for the past 5 years (life happens you know). Prior to it being parked it was always properly maintained and there was hardly any gas in it when it was parked. When I went to start it for the first time it fired right up though but idled rough and didn't accelerate well and the check engine light came on as I was trying to accelerate. I hooked a code reader up and cylinder #3 was misfiring. I took it out and floored it and it sputtered a little then something seemed to break free and it started to run pretty well again and the engine light went off. However, the more I have been driving it the past few days, the worse it seems to be performing. It's getting increasingly hard to start like maybe there is a leaking fuel injector (I can smell the fuel once the engine turns over) and it's getting more and more jerky during acceleration especially when the engine is under a light load like going up a hill in overdrive (overall performance is better in drive vs. overdrive). Also the fuel pump occasionally makes a strange noise when you first put the key in.


I'm sure there are several things that need to be addressed after sitting so long, but I'm trying to narrow down what needs to be done first. Could a leaky injector be causing the hard start/acceleration problem as well as causing the fuel pump to sound different after the car has sat? It still has the original spark plugs which probably need to be replaced, but that wouldn't cause the fuel smell would it?


I understand that several different problems can mimic a bad fuel pump and I don't want to tear into that unless I have to.


Long post, but I appreciate any help I can get.


Thanks!

 

Time would be harder on spark plug wires then on the plugs themselves. Varnish in the fuel lines would explain everything you mentioned and would be expected in in a car that sat that long. Run some injector cleaner through it to clean the lines. There is a good chance it will get worse as the varnish breaks away from the line and you will need the injectors cleaned at a shop. You have changed the fuel filter. I be temped to do that a couple of times over the next few months.

It had the original plugs in it in 2010 with a 105K on it and it was properly maintained?