Vintage Cars: 1989 mercedes hard starting, jumper cable, smell of gas

Question
I have a 1989 420sel MB (gasoline). During the winter this car refuses to start right away.  I have to crank it 10-15 times before it will start. sometimes it runs the battery down and I have to recharge the battery or use jumper cable to get it started. there is a smell of gas during this period of attempting to start the car. I have replaced the cold start valve and fuel relay with no success or improvement. during the summer it starts fine, one crankk and its up and running. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

thanks
Steve White

Answer
if its a cold start issue  and you have replaced CSV it could be thermal time switch - which turns on the CSV
leaking injectors, when they sit they drip fuel and then it becomes hard to start cold because ithas too much fuel ( have they been checked)
Other possibilities include stuck or gummed up fuel plate or defective or gummed up warm up regualtor.  Try pushing down slighty on the pressure plate , Under the air cleaner when its cold and have someone start it, let me know, if that works you got some cleaning to do
How many miles?
how often driven?
Ron