Sounds more like there is something between the air flow meter and the throttle plate.

The throttle plate is "balanced" (meaning center pivoted) so is should move with very little effort. Either it is binding on the housing (new housing or at least a set of bushings custom installed) or there is something like a mouse nest on top of it so the vacuum holds it down.

Peter

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1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!