Without asking you 50 questions here goes.

1. Have Oxygen sensor checked or just replace it. It did wonders for my 175,00 mi 1988 260e. O2 sensors or Lambda sensors can be damaged from an engine burning oil (thus the new one will go out as well) also driving through high water and the engine stalls. (thus water in the tail pipe to the O2 sensor will damage the O2 sensor.) and they just clog over time and don't respond as fast as they need to for your car to run smoothly.

2. Try running Premium Chevron with Techron through it this could not hurt anything. Especially with the miles on it.

3. Remove the resistor. Tie wrapped on the AC line next to the fender well drivers side. I removed and what a difference. Car starts first time everytime. do a search at this forum for resistor and there is a lot of info about it.

I was having same problem as you are describing. However I did not smell the fuel under the hood as you describe but I am a smoker and I don't smell thing too well. I replaced my O2 sensor and removed the resistor.

Also take a look at these 2 items

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