Newbie Here, No Start After Sitting 6 months

[leeconte]

Hi guys -- I hope someone can help me sort this out. I have a 1998 Rodeo with the 3.2 V6. I let it sit for about 6 months over the dry San Diego summer. I knew the battery would be dead when I went to move it today so I just hooked up a battery charger with a 200 amp starter mode to try to get it started, to move to a different spot on the driveway. The engine cranks smoothly but doesn't even approach firing up.

I've searched and found some possiblly helpful info on here but I just basically need to know from someone more familiar with this engine than I am, what things to check first from easiest to hardest, and also, if someone has a basic engine diagram showing where any important valves or sensors or etc are that would make this a lot easier as well.

Any help would be appreciated. TIA!

edit: p.s. I also meant to mention that, before I let it sit I had been using it fairly frequently and it always started up right away. Only probably it developed in the more recent months of operation was that, after starting, the engine would surge at like 1500 rpm for a while until it warmed up ... so I realize something was on its way out but I am not sure what. IAV? If so, can someone tell me how to find it?

[Cat Fuzz]

Could be stale gas. When gasoline goes bad you can put out a campfire with it.

[rollon]

Sometimes after setting that long it takes a while to get fuel pumped back up to the motor. Try taking your air filter cover off and spray a 3 second burst of starting fluid up into the air intake, tighten cover back on and try to start. It should at least hit like it is trying to start. If so, you may have to repeat a cou;le of times to get fuel back up to motor.

[leeconte]

Thanks guys -- I will try with the starter spray in the intake and see how that goes. (I'm also dealing with a plumbing leak in the basement so it's slow going.)

Can someone also please tell me if there is any easily-replaceable part (sensor, actuator, etc) that would prevent starting if it's malfunctioning? Maybe something that would also have been causing the surging on initial cold start the last time is was working?

Much appreciated!

[Cat Fuzz]

Press the gas pedal down a little bit and see if it starts that way. If it does, remove and clean your throttle body, especially the IAC valve.