After adjusting the plunger to 4 turns from tight as you suggested, the starting problem is fixed. In fact, the car runs much better and does not shake as violently during idle.

However, I have 3 more questions:

1) The car idles Ok but slightly high initially when cold. Upon warming up, the car's idle steadily decreases until it dies. Is this a symptom of being too rich, or is this due to the zeroed position of the sensor plate?

2) I tried adjusting the screw next to the distributor (for the sensor plate) while the car was running and noticed no effect. Could this screw be broken, because I can keep screwing it in one direction and it never comes to a stop?

3) Upon checking the spark plugs, I notice they are still slightly black and glistening from gasoline, indicating to me that the car is still running rich and flooding. (gasoline) I previously discovered that the spark plugs gap was too high and have decreased the gap. Could improper gap of the spark plugs be to blame for misfiring during acceleration? Since I have now adjusted their gap, should I try to lean out the lower control pressure screws, which previously I could lean no further without the car backfiring upon quick acceleration.

 

it is normal for the idle speed to be high during warmup...about 1200 rpm. this is because the valve plate inside the electrohydraulic actuator is closed. it is thermally controlled. to keep the idle speed from falling down, adjust that screw. tighten it down.

maybe you didn't turn the screw at all. try using the allen wrench of 4mm. tighten it (clockwise). the you will find it's changing the idle speed. set the idle speed according to that small sticker on the front beam when to hood is open.

the gap should be 0.8mm maximum is 1mm. yes, it can cause backfire but on exhaust. your backfire is from the intake, therefore it is a fuel starvation. your EHA is still faulty because it cannot open in time and cannot cope up with the pressure.

 

I am still not familiar with what the EHA is. Is this the black cube made of plastic protruding from the side of the fuel distributor with wires connected to it? If so, how do I access this adjustment screw and how should I adjust it? To the correct idle when warm or when cold?

 

yes it is that black box.

i suggest that you don't adjust that one. it controls the pressure.

there's two screws, top screw as sealing, and lower screw for adjustment.

 

This thread makes me want to completely disassemble my refrigerator.

 

i can only imagine that cmscott16 is sweating from head to toe about this.

what i usually do in this case is just to replace the parts so it can go for another 6 or more years without worrying about it.

if you are a mechanic and wants to learn, that's fine... it is very educational and can pick-up many things. it took me 2 years to master this one, but that was the last season these models appears. lately it's just new system and much more simple and easy.

on older model, i have to attach many sensor wires from BOSH MOT tester and it's very tricky. you need to read every values in the old fashion way. you can actually see the signals and exhaust gas components. higher oxygen means external leak, high CO or HC means rich, and etceteras, que seras seras, whatever.

once you know the right values and signal, everything is just a piece of cake and full of fun. the fuel system is the most trickiest part especially the fuel distributor. i always keep a new one just for testing purposes... very quick and effective.

 

My hat goes off to both of you, but especially to cmscott16. I would have bought a new car by now.

 

Surprisingly, now that i have made some adjustments, the car seems to be running better than it has in a long time. However, I am still a little foggy on one thing.

In between adjustments of the lower control pressure screws, I have been removing all the spark plugs to check for differences in fuel pressure between the injectors. (I don't have a fuel pressure guage or any other equipment except a dwell meter w/tach.) I am absolutely positive that I cannot lean out the mixture any more, because when I do, the acceleration is absoulutely horrible. Yet, when I check the spark plugs, they still appear to be black with carbon buildup. This tells me that the mixture is still too rich.

*Is it Ok to run the car like this, or could the black buildup just be due to bad plugs or incorrect idle settings?

Thank You again for all your help in this matter. And yes, I think that I will think twice about messing around with the fuel distributor without all the necessary equipment.

 

Also, I forgot to say that I still have the problem with keeping the car running when warm. *Do you think it would help if I richened the mixture via the lower control pressure screws in order to overcome the spring pressure of the EHA once it is warmed up?

 

blackened plugs means rich.

your problem now is not the warm up phase, but on idling.

there should be a current constantly supplied to the EHA once the temperature reach the operating stage. if you accelerate, it opens more.

before you touch the EHA, check the pressures and electrical signals first.