Cold Start Issue 914-4, Admitting I'm stuck and asking for help Options

[Blue Lightning]

Car: 1976 2.0, FI

Background: bought in November last year. I am least the 4th owner. Drove a couple times, then plugged up the fuel filter (? no fuel pressure when the fuel pump was running, but see note below on replacing the fuel pressure regulator), so spent a couple months with the gas tank out and replacing the fuel lines, pump (and yes, filter). Read a lot in the meantime, so corrected vacuum line issues (vac advance was connected, replaced all the lines that didn't already look new, added hose clamps). But where the car started and ran well last year, I can't get it to happily start any longer. While cranking, it will skip and catch. After a few minutes of cranking (and skipping and catching) it will finally start and run fine for a few minutes but only idle around 1000 rpm (until the AAR warms up the rest of the way?), then dies. Starter fluid has no effect, so guessing it is running rich? Pulling the air hose off the cold start injector while running causes the idle to increase to maybe 1400 rpm (but with hunting, as you might expect with that big leak). There are a lot of threads on what to look for when the engine is running lean, but few on it running rich.

Some things I have checked:
- AAR works (https://youtu.be/YmO1ZCLDB7g)
- Compression is good (130-140 psi cold)
- Replaced the MPS last weekend with new one from autoatlanta, after finding the previous one would not hold a vacuum
- Replaced fuel pressure regulator after finding it bad (yes, I've been told these never go bad, but this one would not hold any pressure). Fuel pressure set to ~29 psi.
- Timing is good (~27 degrees at 3500 rpm with vac retard disconnected)
- Vac retard mechanism is working (checked with vacuum pump)
- Spark on all 4 cylinders (checked by timing light)
- Smoke tested the intake...only leaks now are the bearings on the throttle plate
- CHT reads 2k at cold, ~250ohms at warm/hot (at splice connector)
- Plugs look okay (see attached)
- Fuel injectors are all spitting fuel (checked into bottles...all about the same) and have new seals
- idle adjust screw has some control, but I cannot get the idle above 1000 rpm with it
- valves adjusted back in December (my first time, but the car runs so I assume I didn't do too bad of a job?)

I'm at a loss of what to try next. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/hissyfit.gif) I'd like to consider myself fairly good with cars (we have a 1966 Mustang, as well as a Mazda RX-8 that I have kept running for >20 years), but I'm about ready to throw in the towel and have the 914 towed to someone smarter than me!

Thoughts?

[T.Rick6]

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Welcome to the madness; once sorted these are pretty awesome little cars.

After reading your post I have a few questions: where on the temp gauge is the needle?
just barley reaching the red, 1/4 of the scale or pegged hot? 1 thing I've learned is I'm not smarter than the German engineers, unless you can prove the engine temp I would believe it.
I think you purchased the PO's issues of running hot; messing around with the flaps and bellows tells me this was a previous issue and they tried to fix by removing the bellows etc. Paper towel in the fan is BIG RED FLAG. If it were me I would pull the motor, pull the tin and clean and inspect; these are great little motors until they get too hot and drop a valve seat, not good. I know that sounds drastic, but you want KNOWN information; I'll bet you a beer something is clogging the cooling fins; as Superhawk said Mouse nest? While the engine is out I would replace the shelf to engine tin rubber.

Here's another drastic move that I would make if you are planning on keeping the FI (I would keep the FI system) purchase a new FI harness, at 50 years old it's starting to break down, cracks lead to corrosion inside the wire sheath which equals higher resistance. This would eliminate interment harness issues.

After engine reinstall At this point I would start troubleshooting the rest of your starting issues.

If you need a hand I'm local and would be happy to help on weekends.

Todd 404 four four 1 five seven o2 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)