I had a simular problem with my 98 Avant 2.8Q with only 68k. It would turn and turn and turn but not start. So i listen for the fuel pump and the pump would not turn on. So next i jumped the fuel relay and heard the pump, then replaced the relay but still no start...
So the only other thing that would turn on the pump other then the relay would be a signal from the ECU. So i sent out the ECU and they found pin 8 & 9 being bad which was with the fuel and injectors. So i got a rebuilt ECU and put it in 3nights ago and had to turn the key quite a few times to get fuel and then it would start to start a little more and more. Then Roooom and some black smoke lol

It started right up and its been cranking up like it use to.... Maybe this helps.
Cause another sign of the ECU not working would be no CEL when you turn the Key on..... Good luck...

 

Holy crap onepoint8tee is alive?

 

Sounds to me like its time to juice up that starter. If the starter works fine, but the engine still fails to start, then its time to take it in to a shop.

 

Good suggestion Rowland!

 

Why not roll on some 2x4's and than lift the car

 

a bad ecu could be a possibility. I'm not sure what kind of lift the guy has at his place so I don't know. I called him today but they're packed until next week now so I guess I'll wait til then. may be checking out an avant tomorrow..

 

Haha.. That was funny. Yeah I agree. I hope cars would actually tell what the problem is. So we would not actually opening up the car, checking the whole thing and give our own diagnoses.. Last week my distributor wires got disconnected without me noticing it.

 

So here we are, a couple weeks later... what's the deal with the car aledelic? Did you ever figure out what happened?

 

Hey if your finally letting it go, PM me and lets talk!