Long crank starting issue

[blue62]

If I am following you correctly you are having a cold start problem.

Most "cold" hard to start issues are due to not having a rich enough fuel air mixture.

Think of carburated engines back in the 50,s and 60's you had to pull a hand choke to give it a richer fuel mixture when starting cold.

So with that in mind I would say you have unmetered air entering the intake. (vacuum leak). or a possible faulty coolant temp. sensor, gauge, or a problem with the wiring related to the coolant temp sensor or gauge.

The ECU reads the coolant temp. as one of the things to determine how long to pulse the fuel injectors on startup.

I would buy a vacuum gauge (15-20 dollars) and do a "PROPER" vacuum test.
Should read 21 inches of vacuum at idle with a steady needle.
Then make sure your coolant temp sensor, gauge and all related wiring are in order.

That would be my starting point.

[blue62]

As an addition to my first reply.
I would hook up a scanner to the ODII with engine cold and check the coolant temp reading. Then if you can start the engine watch the temp as the engine warms up to see if the ECU is getting a correct reading on coolant temp.

Your temp gauge on the dash can be working fine. but the ECU may not be receiving the signal. So you need to verify that the ECU is seeing what it needs to see.