Extended crank time when warm

[jmanous]

Hey all,

My 07 MT 72K miles 1nz-fe has trouble starting when it is warm for a week or so.
Usually when warm, it will crank for long, then even misfires (RPM ~250) and then
slowly come back alive to its normal 600 RPM idle. When this happens,
the crank speed is great, so I have ruled out battery and wiring issues
(which I have cleaned among with the ground to the body).

I have tried to leave the car in ON for the pump to get some time to build up
pressure but I am not sure it helps.

The car starts instantly when its cold.

So searching I came up with this list:
- faulty fuel pressure regulator
- faulty fuel pump
- leaky injector
- clogged fuel filter

- bad spark plugs
- bad ignition coils
- crank position sensor

I have noticed something weird today, oil is 2.5K miles old but smells like gasoline.

Also, I cannot hear the fuel pump buzzing when its at ON position.
On the other side, there is no hesitation whatsoever in the car. Normal torque, no misfires ever, no erratic behavior. How can a fuel pump gone bad when there is
absolutely no sign of power loss?

Any input would be greatly appreciated.