1996 Grand AM Won't Start for more than a second

[jmlives]

My wife's 1996 grand am GT 3.1 V6 auto w/ 113K will turn over and run for 1 second and then shut itself off. I can hear the fuel pump running after it quits after a couple seconds. I have tried to give it a little gas when it turns over, it revs and then turns off just as quickly. It did the same thing once last week, but it eventually turned over and kept running. We haven't done any major work with the car recently, and its been running smoothly for the last year. We have new baby and tight budget, so any help would be greatly appreciated!

[Slade901]

You may have a failing fuel pump. A failing fuel pump relay (you can by-pass the fuel pump relay and directly supply 12v+ directly on the red wire going to the fuel pump.) Leaking fuel pressure regulator. One way to check a failed fuel pressure regulator is to take the vacuum hose out of the fuel pressure regulator after attempted start of the engine or if the engine starts and if there is any traces of fuel in the vacuum hose then you have a ruptured (bad fuel pressure regulator.

I would check on the fuel pump relay first and directly supply power to the fuel pump and see if the engine continues to run without dying.

[jmlives]

Slade, sorry for the delayed reply. After finally turning it over to a mechanic, I found out that there was a short in the batterry cable just above the starter. Thanks for taking the time to reply, unfortunately is was juat a stupid little thing.