There are constraints to the fuel-pooling in the manifold from leaking injectors. I completely agree that cruddy injectors CAN cause starting issues (had issues in the SL that were resolved with Lucas injector cleaner), but if the car sits for more than a day or two, any fuel that was pooled in the intake manifold would finally leak past the valves, rings, and into the sump, or evaporate.

I spent the better part of 10 years "tolerating" lousy starts with the SL before I finally tore into it to fix it's issues. I had varnish in the fuel distributor, gummy injectors, sticking idle solenoid, cracked vacuum fittings to the WUR, a failed accumulator, and ignition problems, all of which have been resolved now.

The injector cleaner definitely does work *IF* the injectors are gummy or have deposits built up on them. If they're just dirty, or if they aren't the issue, it won't make much difference. Still worth the money to try though since it's cheap and if there is crap in the system, it'll clear it out.

In my car, the injectors were fine, but the seals were leaking. Leaking seals = vacuum leak. Vacuum leak = mixture problem. Mixture problem = crappy running.

That said, even with leaking seals, the car should start ok if the fuel system is holding pressure. Assuming the injectors are leaking down and the rest of the system is solid, once the engine starts to crank and the CIS calls for fuel, if the rest of the system is intact, it should repressurize the injector lines fairly rapidly. If the system is leaking down on the supply side or vapor locking and losing control pressure, it will take more cranking to repressurize that part of the system and get fuel out to the cylinders.

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Current stable:
1995 E320 157K (Nancy)
1983 500SL 125K (SLoL)

Gone but not forgotten:
1986 300SDL (RIP)
1991 350SD
1991 560SEL
1990 560SEL
1986 500SEL Euro (Rusted to nothing at 47K!)

Gone and wanting to forget:
1985 524TD 167K (TotalDumpster™) [Definitely NOT a Benz]