I know this thread is several months old, but I was wondering if you ever improved the situation or if you found a ‘smoking gun’ on what was happening. I have a 97 2.5L that is now doing exactly what you describe. Fuel pressure checks fine on start up (identical to what you describe), plugs are only a year old, it cranks fine so I don’t think its the battery, no CEL, and once started it runs fine. But getting it to start is now difficult, and sometimes won’t start at all. And even after it’s warmed up it still does the same thing. I’ve owned it a couple years now and it has always fired right up. Not sure what changed all of a sudden. Curious what happened with your situation.