96 Jetta Won't Start, Smells like Gas

My son has a 96 Jetta 4cyl, manual with about 130,000 miles on it. It was running fine till the other day when it would just crank over and not even try to start. I noticed right away the smell of gas. I pulled the plugs and they were covred in gas, I cleaned them off and with the throttle wide open was able to get the car started and barely made it home. I changed the plugs, cap and rotor and the car started an while idling died as it was running very rough. I pulled the plugs again, cleaned them, plugged every vacumm line leaving the engine and it does the same thing. I am at a loss and before I pay the big bucks at the repair shop I am hopeing someone has seen this before. Thanks for your time and help!

You could have bad gas (or diesel) and it just doesn't want to burn, but it would be unlikely. It sounds like you're either not getting a good spark or not getting a spark at the right time. Check the timing marks first, you may have slipped a notch on the timing belt. If it's OK, then check your timing with a timing light. If that's OK then see if the ignition coil is bad. Are you getting any check engine lights?

I've never seen an fuel / air mixture off severely enough to give the symptoms you're having, but you may want to clean the MAF just in case.

I replied but it never went. I am going to check the timing today and see if maybe it has slipped. Do you know how to check the coil? What the readings should be? I know they cant be the same as a SBC which I am used to working on. I cleaned the MAF sensor already as I thought that was the original problem but didnt make a bit of difference. When I do get it running yes the check engine light does come on. Thanks