Engine Won't Start after a very Short Run, Not Vapor Lock - More like Flooded Engine Options

[ericread]

I've been experiencing an ongoing problem with my engine starts.

First of all, '74 2.0L stock engine with stock FI. I used my car as a daily driver for several years and never had any significant issues. This problem defined below started to occur last Fall. But with a hip replacement and some other related medical issues, I am just getting back to troubleshooting this problem.

The engine starts cold anywhere, anytime. If I run the engine for 30 to 45 minutes or longer, then after a short stop, the engine starts right up. No worries.

However, if I run the engine for about 5 minutes, say to the local market, I often have to wait until the engine returns to it's cold state, (could be an hour or more) before it will start. When this happens, you can smell a lot of fuel going through the engine as the exhaust smells very rich. Kind of like being in a flooded mode.

Please note this is not a vapor-lock situation. The engine has plenty of fuel. There is spark, and when the engine does restart, it seems to run fine.

Any thoughts?

My thanks in advance.