I was hoping somebody could try to give me a bit of a diagnosis. recently my car wouldn't start, there was something that looked like oil or tainted gasoline covering the spark plugs and pooled at the bottom of their housing. I managed to get it started by using some ether and have since replaced the spark plugs and wires, however it is still a little tempermental. I will start it and it'll just die again unless I give it a little gas. I've been told it may be the piston rings, (it smells like it's burning a little oil) but I'm also thinking that it's got a bad fuel pump/filter/ or injectors.I know it would be hard to diagnose just from a brief description, but any and all help is appreciated.

Thanks a lot
Grenade

 

It would be good to replace the mass air flow meter if it has not been changed. The gas build up in the spark plug housing could be from the extra fuel given to crank the engine. Anyway check the mass air flow meter located on the piping of the air filter. Does the engine continue to quit after being cranked? If so, then I have had this same problem in my 626. I would continuously give gas to keep the engine running, and by changing the MAF meter it fixed the problem.

 

Not enough data: describe car, mileage, type of engine, type of transmission, service history, prior problems and remedies etc.
Is the check engine light on?
If you can get the engine to run, check the exhaust color. Clear is good, black is mixture too rich (too much fuel), blue is burning oil, and white is water getting into cylinder(s).
Don't buy or rip out anything until we've got more data.
If your exhaust gas is not normal, you should have your cylinder compressions checked and get a printout of the OBD-II readings from a diagnostics run.