DaveT

I've not worked on a MPFI - just going by general stuff... Fast idle should only be able to make idle faster, not cut / limit fuel at driving speeds & loads.

T in a fuel pressure gauge. I don't know the MPFI, but I do know the SPFI is very sensitive to fuel pressure.

T in a fuel pressure gauge. See if it drops too low. Starving for fuel causes bucking. Possibly spark problem - if the fuel pressure gauge stays up under the conditions that cause the bucking.

I have been running without the front covers for quite a few years now... no problems. In fact, I caught a failing idler bearing early once, because I could hear it.

That's why I never saw one. 2WD.

I'm not familiar with that part - but I skipped over the years that version was made. Went from a 78 to an 86. Maybe someone has an extra. Try ebay? It would be a pain in the neck part to cut by hand, but it can be done.

I don't know the turbo details well. The black vacuum solenoid on the manifold could be part of the EGR, or the charcoal canister purge. The one screwed into the lower runner is a thermally activated valve.

When you replace the timing belts, replace the idlers.

You got it. The choke looks closed. That would not run well at idle warm, and run very rich. Check the heater in the housing to the left, that is what causes the bimetal spring to open the choke as it and the engine warm up. Also, check that it moves freely. The butterfly should be near vertical when up to temperature.

The choke is the top butterfly valve in the carb. It should snap closed when cold when you tap the gas pedal before cranking. It should be wide open once warmed up.

ok.... Check the CTS & wiring. I made a post on the forum a while back with various readings. IT can fail in ways that cause all kinds of problems, but no CEL. IAC valve & wiring is something to look at also.

the timing belt pics look good. When the green connectors are connected, it tell the ECU not to mess with the advance, so timing must be set / checked with them connected. If you ran out of slot to get to 20degrees, the disty gear is off a tooth. The alignment setting info applies to the rotor position once the distributor is in place. If you watch closely, the rotor turns some while inserting because of the helical gears used to drive it. Since it does run, it's probably only off 1 tooth. Just pull the distributor until the gear disengages, advance or retard it a tooth, [depending on which way you ruin out of slot] slide it back down. re check the timing.

If this is an EA82 engine, ypu have to connect the green test connectors to measure and set the timing.

Part of the front ones are designed like it was intention to trap dirt and stuff. I modified them and some of the metal to block / deflect and allow for draining better.

ok, makes more sense now.

I don't think 160F plastic would do well. Normal thermostat opening is 190 / 195 degrees F. The coolant is likely going to be a bit higher under the highest load / power conditions.

There is an electronics box in the system. What it does is monitor the sensor above the compressor pulley, and the pressure limit switches. There is also a thermostat switch in the evaporator. All of these are involved with allowing the compressor clutch ro be energized. Make sure it's getting 12V first. Probably be good to find the schematics also.

The way I've seen a few done is with aluminum blocks machined to go between the manifold.and the head. Routs the coolant to hoses, the intake port passes through.

That's quite different. If the car is moving, air is blowing between the 2 parts. The heat carried to the manifold by the coolant is far more than that that would be carried by the air drifting between them, even sitting still. The coolant is at maybe 200 degrees. The transfer through the air to another part that is heated by the 200 degree coolant is tiny, if any at all. For the insulation to have a significant effect, you have to change the cooling system so the coolant doesn't flow through the manifold.

I'm pretty sure the light is just switched by a switch in the button. Does the compressor turn? Does it run? Is there Freon in the system?

The outside top of the EA82 would be slightly cooler than the coolant. The hot coolant goes from the heads into the passage in the manifold. The air flowing over the block & under the manifold would slightly help to cool it. The manifold is not heated by the heat from the engine block being under it, it's heated by the coolant.

The stock wiring off the battery post - big heavy wire goes to the starter. Other thick wire goes to the fusible link box, nowhere else. If it's different, someone made a mod. You want nothing connected to a battery without a fuse.

Getting it in at the right tooth in one hit is one of those have to do it a number of times things. I had one off a tooth, what I did was this - keep a note of the rotation of the housing, and where the rotor is pointing. During this, don't change the rotation of the housing or if you do to get it to move, turn it back when you check the new position. Slowly lift the disty, watch and feel when the gear disengages - then move it ahead a tooth, lower it back in. Notice how the rotor turns some as the gear disengages. Turn & feel the rotor by hand, it doesn't take much effort. When you slide it back down, it turns back. It should be pointing slightly ahead of where it was if you moved it ahead a tooth. If it's back where it was, then you didn't advance it. Re check the timing - if it is correct, the marks from the original position will be under the bolts at 20BTDC.

Sounds like you are off 1 or maybe 2 tooth. Going by your description, It's firing way late, so you have to turn the rotor ahead of where it is. Ahead - in the direction it turns when running. That will effectively get the body back to it's normal rotation at 20 degrees.

A few things that might or might not help... The OEM alternators wear out one of the slip ring brushes by around 150,000 miles. When it happens, the alternator just doesn't put out the amps - but it keeps the charge light off, so you don't notice until the battery is dead, or you get lucky, and see the alt light dimly flickering in the dark at idle. The OEM alternator when everything is working well, makes enough to run the engine at idle, but not much more. Haadlights on at idle, you are drawing some power off the battery. Jumper cables - Most of the typical lower cost ones I've seen are made with 10AWG wire with crazy thick insulation. They won't crank most engines without some charge in the dead battery. The jumper cables I make are #1AWG wire. I have jump started diesel construction equipment with them, with no battery. The engine will run for a few good drives over 2-3 days before the battery will be too weak to start the engine. Going by my experience, with middle grade or better batteries, biggest capacity that will fit in the space - not what the book says the car needs, and not near end of life - 5years. If the battery discharged to the point where it couldn't run, I would expect it would gradually run crummy, till it died, not quit suddenly. Quitting suddenly is a typical timing belt failure symptom. Just do a check, watch the distributor rotor while someone cranks it, it should turn.