The good news: The pump is back in, and the car runs better than it ever has for me. It doesn't quit running when it's warm, it doesn't refuse to go up the hill because it doesn't produce enough power. It doesn't even produce as large a cloud of unburnt fuel as it did before! Somehow, having the rack unstuck and fuel injected to all the cylinders makes a difference.
The bad news- maybe the work yet to be done- is that it will require some adjustment, which is an exacting and lengthy process, if what I read on the internet is true.
If you want to get an idea of how truly fascinating this entire system is, I recommend this Bosch Lehrfilm (teaching film). Turn on the subtitles and translate to English. This same system was still used in Mercedes diesels until not long ago.
So here's how I got there.
End cover back on. Behind this cover are all the adjusting screws. On this cover is also the special little dipstick for checking the oil for the regulator half of the pump. So in order to make any adjustments other than idle speed, the oil must be drained, then replaced once adjusted. The cold idle valve (air and fuel) is installed on top. Note also the empty start enrichment solenoid.
Side cover back on. The 280 MFI pump can be seen in the background.
In order to time the injector opening to the inlet valve opening, the pump must be turned so that the missing spline on the pump (inside the scribed collar) lines up with the mark on the pump body (visible below the top right screw...
AND the motor is set to 20 degrees after top dead center.
The distributor indicates cylinder 1 (just like on a 911!)
and in goes the pump, correctly timed. Having extra joints, say between your wrist and elbow, really helps in getting the flange bolts on. Mercedes has lots more crap- I mean features- on their car than Porsche, even in 1971.
then layers and layers of pipes, hoses, wires, and connectors.
