+1 for BP Ultimate 98.  I only fill my car up with this (as its a gen 3 and likes the higher octane) and have never experienced any problems with start up or fuel related.  Went on a holiday once for three weeks and came back and the car started like normal.

Only filled up once but just asked the previous owner and only put in BP Ultimate to no avail. It's all I ever run too. And yes, I did think it was coming from the charcoal canister. Good to know.

I haven't had a moment to check the fuel pump! Work has been crazy! Might get time tomorrow afternoon, then I can update you all....

not 100% confident in BP98 ultimate anymore....... it's the ONLY fuel i run and the secondary injectors on my CBR have blocked up COMPLETELY. 
 
i wonder whether one of the piggyback fuelling bits youve got in there is screwing with the startup enrichment?? just an idea.

"Once I've pumped the accelerator a couple of times" ?
Is that a good thing to do when starting?
Wouldn't that confuse the ECU ?

My understanding is that the pumping the pedal in EFI car does nothing, apart from leaning out the mix a bit as its allowing more air in when throttle is open.
 
trd2000 - seems very odd a fuel would block your injectors up completely, your fuel filter should have filtered out any crud in the fuel/tank.
 
Cheers

try some injector/fuel treatment stuff thats sold in the automobile shops like repco, autobarn etc.
i only use shell v power - its given me better mileage and smoother running than Bp ultimate everytime and this is in 3 different cars too.

 
So pumping the accelerator could actually make it harder to start by leaning out the fuel/air mix?
 
Graham it may be a good idea to fit a new fuel filter to eliminate that as a possible cause, unless you know that it has already been done recently.

Well pumping accelerator seems to be the only way to get it started? I'll give it a whirl without when I get home this arvo. Sounds like a fuel filter could be the way to go. I'll look in the previous owners' paper work he gave me (he has absolutely everything marked down with what has been changed and when) and see when it was last done. I will take some photos of my MR2 when I get home to show you the treasure I have found!

Cheers,
Graham

OK! So finally got round to do some testing. I turned the key to "on" and left it for a good 10 seconds. Couldn't hear anything but was in a noisey environment. Turned it over and it started fairly easily! Not amazingly but had no issues with start up first go! No acceleration needed. :). So my question then is, what does this prove? Is the fuel pump slowly going? Fuel filter need replacing? Or just an older vehicle and it'll do that?

I use dto have an old bmw that wouldnt hold fuel pressure after shutdown (broken check valve in pump, ended up installing an inline check valve as the pump was fine otherwise), so took a bit of cranking to get started as the pump had to build pressure first.  If i turned the key on/off a few times it triggered the pump and primed the system and fired first go.  Sounds like your car is doing something similar.
 
Cheers