Hi all, first post here.

2008 2.0 5 spd

This evening my family and I went out to go to dinner and my wifes 3 wouldn't start. It cranked strong but wouldn't try to fire. After a minute I stopped trying and we took the Jeep.

When we got home I went out and messed with it for a bit, checked fuses, checked battery, wires, fluids... Still wouldn't start. Finally I got irritated and held the pedal to the floor, and turned the key for 10-15 seconds and it started. Idled rough for 5-10 seconds with a cloud of very rich smelling smoke then idled normal and fine. I drove it for 10 minutes around the block, parked it shut it down and it fired right back up 4 times.

My wife told me "It's been idling a little rough on startup for a few weeks..." once this all happened.

Any ideas? Appreciate it.

 

Possibly flooded / flooding.

 

I figured that much. What would cause flooding? It sat for a few hours between the last trip and when we tried to go. I didn't think fuel injected cars would flood easily.

This morning it fired right up no problem. No rough idle.

 

It happens. I have the same exact car and from time to time this happens to me. For me it will almost start but wanna die out so I give it some gas and starts right up. It runs rough but with 223k on the clock its gonna have some problems.

 

Possibly one of the injectors is stuck open and it's draining into the cylinder when parked. Check the spark plugs and see if there's any sign of fouling on one of them.