It is a little shocking to see all that carboned oily gunk in the intake, isn't it. Especially when its right there where the valves have to move up and down.

As psfred suggests, pull the valve cover off next and carefully watch the operation of the valves. Make sure that the valves for the bad cylinder are actually moving up and down. If the car was left to sit for any amount of time it's slightly possible the carbon-oil gunk locked a valve open.

Another valve issue is the possibility that a chunk of harder carbon (soot actually) oil is lodged in the valve seat and holding a valve open. Usually something like that will get blown out.

We try to investigate the lower cost and lower effort things first.

Ken300D

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1982 300D at 351K miles
1984 300SD at 217K miles
1987 300D at 370K miles