ok here is what I did... I put a new alda on my 617 since I broke the old one and removed it.. I've been driving it sans alda for maybe 6 months now and getting... 21 mpg for the most part. So today I decided to be productive and put a my new ALDA on.

Well.. I put it on and put the shim(well the shim that I think came with it) into the hole and screwed the alda into place... step 1 done

step two was to fix and shorten the ALDA boost line that came with my car.. so I am fiddeling around with it and I feel something drop into my shoe.. I take my shoe off and I find a BB!!!... two more fall out of a rubber section(repair?)... AHA!!!

some idiot blocked off the ALDA line in the past.. which would explain for the cruddy performance even when I had a working ALDA.

I adjusted it to my liking (no smoke at any point...) and discovered the exhaust bracket was loose and tightened that as well(no more rattles!!)..

So now my engine is back to spec and running quieter than before. Plus the rpms at idle are back down to around 800..nice!

Good day today