Hello all,

This is my first time posting here, and I'm hoping that someone can
help diagnose a problem I'm having with my 1997 Nissan Maxima (with
129,000 miles).  When I go to start it in the mornings, it often
sputters and stalls out on the first attempt, as if it is either
starved for gas or is flooded.  When started, the car runs fine, and
if it is warm, it starts fine.

When this problem first started, it was very sporadic.  It might
happen only 1 or 2 times over a 6-month period, and when it did
happen, the car was VERY difficult to get running.  It behaved just as
if it was flooded, and only by letting the car sit for about 20
monutes would it then start in a normal fashion.  Now the problem is
fairly common, happening 3 or 4 times a week.  But the difference is
that now, the car usually is fairly easy to restart after the first
"stumbling."

While running, the care behaves flawlessly, and while warm, the car
starts just fine.  This is only a problem with cold starting and only
on the first attempt to start.  Is this a fuel pump problem?  And
advice would be greatly appreciated, as I plan on fixing this myself
if at all possible.

Thanks in advance,
Mike Berger
mberger@namginc.com