lengthy cranking before warm starts in 96 c220

[mb96c220]

Greetings,

I have a 96 c220 that has been having intermittent issues when starting. On cold starts, periods I haven't driven it in many hours, or periods where I just recently drove it, I have no problems. However, if I start my vehicle 45 minutes or so after driving, it will crank until I push the accelerator pedal or until it starts on its own in a very weak-sounding fashion.

Based on a couple posts I read around here, I thought this may be my OVP or fuel pump relay, but now I'm thinking it's my fuel accumulator (which I can't happen to find for sale for my make/model online) or the fuel pressure regulator. I'm without options for a couple days because of the holiday but am looking to get this resolved before it breaks something else. Anyone got any insight to this? For what it's worth, my ABS light does not illuminate.

Oh perhaps this is unrelated or perhaps this is a feature of the c220 4-cyl, but the idle seems to flutter very minimally around 600 rpm when idling--I would not categorize it as rough per se, but it's certainly not smooth.

[mb96c220]

it's got 98k miles and I had a 90k servicing done when I bought it with 95k. I'm taking it in for an oil change Monday and am going to have him check out my accumulator and fuel injectors as today I listened for my fuel pump relay when I switched the ignition to "on," leading me to believe it's neither the ovp nor the fuel pump relay and instead related to the pumping system rather than the electrical. I'm still open for feedback, of course.

[willjohn123]

Smell the vacuum line connected to the fuel pressure regulator. If it smells like gas, then it is sucking fuel into the manifold and causing it to flood.