Greetings,

I have a hard atart problem with my '87 240 that that so many specific symptoms, it seems like I should be able to fipin it down, but I can't. It used to start right up, first or second crank. Now, it won't ever start the first time I crank it, just turns over forever. On the second time I crank it, as the manual suggests, I hold the gas down half way, and it starts. Usually. Often it takes several trys to make it work with the gas half down, and sometimes seems like it's not going to start at all. This happens if it's hot or cold, makes no difference. When it does turn over, it sputters and jerks for a couple seconds, then catches and idles perfectly. Once it's started, it runs fine, gas mileage is fine.

I've been chasing this for a couple years. it seems to go away in the summer and comes back in the fall, when it starts getting damp up here in the Northwest. I get some white smoke coming from the tailpipe when it's cranking, and when it initially starts up.

Seems like a fuel problem somehow, or water or condensation getting in somewhere. Is there a fuel injector situation that would manifest only when I'm trying to start it, and be OK once it's started? I've put in a new air mass sensor, O2 sensor, plugs, spark plug wire, cap and rotor.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Steve