The last time the car was driven regularly was probably 2006 or early 2007. I was driving through town and the front suspension failed (as I recall, a ball joint separated on the passenger side). After that was repaired, the car ended up parked for a while as I dealt with some other projects. Deployed to Iraq in '07 and the car stayed in the driveway until I got back in '08. Somewhere around October of 2008 I got it started and drove it a couple of times as I made a list of the things it would need to go back on the road full time. It sat for a couple of weeks at one point and I was unable to get it back started when I returned to it. It would crank and the engine would shake and briefly accelerate like it was about to start, then it would go back to normal cranking speed.

From there, the car sat until last summer when a friend who works on diesel trucks regularly stopped by and helped me take another look at it. Wish I had a picture of the top of the IP handy, but what we adjusted was a castellated nut that seemed to have become loose. Once it was tightened back down the car started immediately. It still had no power off idle. At the time I was hoping to get the car inspected and back on the road, but started school part time (while working full time) just a few weeks later and neglected the car one more time.

At this point I just want to get the car running well enough to get an inspection, then clean it up and sell it to someone that will actually use it. It's a great car, and a huge shame that I've let it sit for several years now neglected. Has less than 190k miles on it and somebody else will get a lot of good years out of it once it's sorted back out again.

Didn't get a chance to fool with it last night, but tonight should be better. Thanks again for all the suggestions.

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1987 Mercedes 300D