I wanted to send a follow-up and thank everyone for their suggestions regarding my hard starting problem.
After following all suggestions (whew, that throttle body was FILTHY). I also changed the fuel pump check valve, air intake hose (holes in it), air box thermostat (stuck open on warm days), cleaned out clogged vacuum lines attached to flame trap, replaced flame trap, set throttle switch to correct position as well as throttle pulley and transmission interlock (don't know the term for this). All this improved engine performance, fuel economy and acceleration tremendously (engine was running in lean condition).
However, on the first warm day after two good starts and an hour and a half sit in the sun, no start.
With a suggestion from Bob at IPD, I changed the crank position sensor. Kind of tricky to change, but once figured out it goes quickly. Have not had a hard starting problem since.
If the "ye evil fuel computer" does not receive a signal from the crank position sensor, it will not turn on the gas or the spark. Engine cranks and cranks, but does not start. I think by unplugging and plugging in the fuel pump relay several times, I may have tricked the computer into a positive reading on the sensor. Whatever.
I checked the resistance in the old sensor at .148 ohms. Checked the new sensor at .198 ohms. I don't know if that means anything to anyone, but the sensor change seems to have cured the problem.
My thanks to you all for your suggestions. They may not have been the root cause, but they needed very badly to be taken care of and had I not taken these steps, they would have continued to plague fuel economy and performance.

Thanks,

Eric

Check the inline fuse holder on the driver's side fender. Follow the small red wire from the positive battery terminal to where it leads into the fuse holder. This powers your fuel system, when you are yanking on the fuel pump relay connector you are pulling on these wires to a certain degree. I'm wondering if the "movement" is pulling on the fuse holder, or the ECM connector. As I'm sure you've realized this car has what I refer to as "oh-yee-evil-fuel-computer". It could be losing it's ground...but check that fuse holder first.

and yes...almost any kind of no start problem is often "goo" in the throttle body and idle air motor. All I can say is clean, clean, clean....

The stalling could be related to a really dirty throttle body. It's $1 for a gasket for this, and you'll need a can of spray carb cleaner. There are 3 13mm nuts to remove it, plus a linkage, 2 vacuum hoses, one elctric plug and a single large hose clamp. Pretty easy with normal tools.

The dirty TB can make the throttle plate stick open, and prevents the throttle switch from making contact, so the engine never idles right, especially when cold.

Good luck with it.
--
Rob Bareiss, New London CT ::: '87 244DL/M47- 229K, 88 744GLE- 218K, 82 245T-181K Also responsible for the care and feeding of: 88 745GLE, 231K, 87 244DL, 239K, 88 245DL, 246K

Eric,

I had a problem starting my 240 and thought it was fuel/pump/relay related. It turned out the cap and rotor were really corroded and after replacing them (and the plugs and wires) the problem went away. You might want to check them out.

Paulvo