1983 Toyota Pickup Wont Start when cold!

I have an 83 toyota pickup, with an 85 rebuilt 22RE in it. Recently when cold it takes forever to fire, about to the point were the battery is dead. Usually I try cranking it and it fires for a short second then dies but if I try it again it wount even fire unless I wait about five min, but each time I wait if fires a little more but wont actually start until doing this for atleast a half hour. Now it wont start or fire period. I bought a new fuel filter knowing ive never replaced that and could be the possilbe problem but can't find were the old filter is actually located. I think it might have been by-passed is that bad? What can I start with?