I have a 96 Land Rover Discovery that has a slow start up. The battery and spark plugs have been replaced. The startup often requires stepping on the gas. The startup also works better if you turn the key to the halfway point, wait 2-3 seconds, and then fully crank the vehicle. You can smell gas, and today I noticed a gas leak by the left and right back tires while pumping gas. I don't know if it is the fuel pump... Any ideas?
Thanks

 

have it looked at, could be a leaking line or a pump. need to make sure if the tank recall was done at a dealership.

call them up and check.

 

check the filler tube also, it comes down from the fuel door on passenger side. Its made of rubber and possibly could be dryrotted and cracked. That would explain the odor and leak. Not sure about the hard starting though, usually if an electric fuel pump goes bad, it just stops working without any prior symptoms.

 

What you are describing is normal with an older pump. There is a valve in the pump that is supposed to maintain fuel pressure in the rail with the engine off, and it fails.
Time for a new pump.

 

If you started smelling the petrol fumes at the same time it became to hard to start (i.e. because it's losing fuel pressure) that points to a leaking fuel line. Look around the fuel filter, they are prone to corrosion, depending on where you live. Otherwise pull up the rear mat, remove the round access plate and check the lines to and from the pump assembly.

Of course, it's possible you coincidentally have a failing fuel pump and a filler tube leak at the same time. But the pump doesn't sit there overnight kicking in every now and then to pressurize the fuel system. If it starts ok turning the switch to on, waiting a few seconds, then cranking without touching the accelerator, it's unlikely to be your pump, IMO, and more likely a line leak.