'91 200Q - hard starting problem when cold

[Barton Oleksy]

We've been struggling with this one for a while now & can't seem to find
the problem (or solution).

When the car's cold, I turn the key, it turns over & over & over...for a
good 5-8 seconds before it fires, then is REALLY rough and will usually
stall if I don't give it gas.  After driving a few blocks, everything's
fine.  And if it's still quite warm (only stopped for 5-10 minutes,
maybe 15 at the outside) it'll start right away.

Last time at the shop I heard one of the mechanics say that it fires on
one cylinder, then the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and finally 5th which is why it
takes so long to get going initially (may not have completely understood
what he meant here).  The temp switch has been replaced, the idle
stabilizer valve/controller has been replaced (was getting racing RPMs
at idle before, 2-3K when I pressed the clutch, but the replaced ISV
seems to have fixed that).  Not exactly sure what else has been done
here, but they also seem to need to adjust the idle (O2? CO?) each time
I bring it in, as the idle seems to stay at more like 1200 when it's
warm rather than...what, 800?

Any thoughts/suggestions/advice appreciated, although I'd most likely
pass it on to the mechanics as I've only just joined the ranks of
"managed to change his own oil" recently!  ;-)   Thanks...

Bart
'86 CGT
'91 200Q