Car starting problems

I have a 2000 chev cavalier with 114,000 miles. Had a computer check run a month ago and no error codes showed up. The car starts great first thing in the morning, even at -20 F. But if I drive some place and the car sits for 1-3 hours, it doesn’t want to start. I give it a little gas and when it finally starts, I can smell gas, like it has flooded a bit. The mechanics just shrug their shoulders. Also, my gas milage has dropped. Any suggestions on what it might be?

Why did you get the computer checked? Was the “check engine” light on?

If it is being flooded, I would look for a pressure leak in the fuel system that allows fuel to flow after the car is shut off and the fuel system still has pressure.

Thanks, I have that looked at. There are times I’m not sure it will start again after a shorter stop.

The check engine light has never gone on, but I was having some other problems which where going on and off for about two years and were never identified. I was beginning to think the check engine light was not working! I would feel a momentary “surge” and would often see the tachometer move. Was much more pronounced when the engine was cold. But it did happen even after the engine was warm and had been at freeway speed for many miles. Then it automatically stopped - after 2 years and has not come back in 3 months. That was why the computer analysis was done.