EDIT:
I think I have it figured out. Bad wires. I haven't changed them yet because I just also figured out I believe the car has a bad head gasket. It white smokes when hot and driven hard.

But last night I decided to work on it for a second and noticed (it was a VERY dark night) while running that I could see arcing through the plug wires. It was faint but there were sparks through the insulation to the valve cover on all 3 wires (or at least two of the three). Also, the number 2 or 3 *the one with the plug wire can't remember* boot on the plug was easy to see that it was arcing to the valve cover whenever there was a mis. So......... seems like I've found the problem.

At this point I'm guessing the common failure of plug wires is the die-electric properties of the insulation. Maybe a ton of electrical tape would fix that! Of course the real fix is to just change the wires.

But on to bigger things. The head gasket!









I was thinking ignition (was getting a 22 and 23 code). I changed the spark plugs and boots below the coils. I used Bosch F8DC4 Copper Non Resistor plugs.

Now I'm still getting a mis on some cylinders but I'm only getting a

4 Hot film mass air flow sensor
13 O2S (Lambda) control system operating at rich or lean limit

I'm getting really confused by this thing.

I noticed if I let one of the vacuum hoses loose it will exaggerate the misfire.

I did a little EGR testing (ran a vac line direct to the EGR on and off and plugged the line when not on the EGR). It ran bad when connected to the EGR but It also seemed like the EGR itself has a leak I haven't Mighty-Vac tested it for holding vacuum but just sucking on the vac line I'm getting no resistance.

Can a vacuum leak cause a misfire?

__________________
-E300d '99 350k
-Suburban '93 220k
-TDI Jetta '03 350k
Sold
-F250 '96 7.3
-Dodge Ram 12V
-E320 '95 200k
-E320 Wagon 1994 155k
-300d Turbo '87 187k miles
-E320 1994 200k
-300d Turbo '84 245k (sold to Dan62)
-300d Turbo '84 180k
-300sd '80 300k
-7.3 Powerstroke Diesel 15P Van 500k+ miles
-190d '89 Non Turbo 2.5 5cyl 240k (my first MB)
Tom's Imports of Columbia MO Ruined the IP in changing leaky delivery valve O-Rings - Refused to stand behind his work. Mid-MO MB drivers-AVOID Tom's.