Start issues getting better! We have made progress! (84 4kq)

[Johnny B]

Well folks, progress has been made. Though, the car is still not 100%, this morning it fired on the first try after 3 seconds of cranking. Yesterday after work the start went a bit easier after the 1/4 turn rich from the PO setting, so I turned the metering plate up another 1/4 turn and now +1/2 turn rich from the stock "lean" setting, it seems to be doing a lot better. I also found the timing was advanced +13*, this along with the lean setting made for one hell of a cold start! I backed the ignition timing off to +10*, +6* is stock. 

Success! Well, bittersweet. Once started I still have my lean-bog issue if you touch the air pedal for the first 30-45 seconds. I feel at this point there HAS to be a hidden constant vacuum leak somewhere in the system. After driving home (22 miles) I shut the car off, counted to 5, started again and immediately hit the gas. Bog... It will only do the lean bog while running on the static settings. 

So, from everything I have learned here thus far, a lean condition while on static settings points to two things. #1) Too lean on the static adjustment, #2) Vacuum leak (so when the ecu kicks in it compensates for the added air in the system). Because my idle has been rock solid and I checked everything under the hood so thoroughly, I have ruled out it possibly being a vacuum leak. Well, I wasnt thinking so clearly as now I believe it can be a constant vacuum leak (so an open line or port) somewhere on the system that is not so drastic that it causes a miss or lack of power, but is bad enough to cause my start up to go lean until the ECU can compensate.  It got me thinking about the overall vacuum system and its components, and I realized I skipped a big piece of the puzzle. The charcoal canister. The lines leading to and from (through the fender well) checked out for leaks, but I never pulled the splash guard and checked the canister itself for any leaks or open ports. I'll be tackling it this week as I continue my hunt. 

Any other vacuum related bits that arent obvious under the hood to check? All the lines to and from the airbox have been checked, everything under the intake boot and the boot it self. All cloth lines have been replaced.. now Im thinking along the lines of something behind the dash? Something not specifically under the hood? 

It sure is getting there, and I definitely appreciate every ones input here (Big thanks to Ben, Tony(s), Steve, Cody, Huw, you all went above and beyond with how much information you have given and the time spent typing it all!). At this point the car starts, and I dont mind letting the 26 year old warm up before driving. I will track this down one way or another (and hearing about the smoke trick for tracking leaks has me eyeballing my fog machine right about now.....)

Johnny