Fuel Distributor "rebuild" Question
 

So my dad is giving his old 1984 Euro 280e to my son. It runs with Starter fluid but really struggles with the fuel distributor only. It has sat for a few years with old fuel that deteriorated the hose and non-threaded fuel system parts that dangle at the back so I was going to tear it down and clean it, using a kit with the diaphragm, O-rings, copper washers etc. This thing has some weird injector rigged up to bypass the fuel pressure regulator it seems? Does anyone have any info on this or if it was done because it was brought into the US? Is there a specific kit I'll need or one that includes the itty bitty copper washers from the spring-loaded thing that threads in before the return and supply line ports?

https://i.imgur.com/pZwZsht.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/M44JbN4.jpg

Re: Add-on device on fuel distributor (FD)
To bring the car into the US the EPA required that the fuel metering system be equipped with a feedback device that would maintain the mixture at stochiometric. In short, O2 sensing to protect the catalytic converter.
The valve is known as a "frequency" valve, and is intended to adjust the control pressure in the FD independently of the control pressure regulator (aka WUR). The frequency valve is operated by a control unit that receives a signal from the O2 sensor.
The internal fuel pressure regulator in the FD is not affected by the frequency valve.

That looks nearly identical to my 1985 280se “bare bones” 4-speed. My distributor probably needs a rebuild too but at least the car is running.

Thanks for the replies guys! Good to know that's supposed to be there and that's not something someone added to try and fix a distributor issue. Can anyone recommend a good rebuild kit for this series of distributor?

I wouldn’t say that’s there to try and fix a distributor issue. It’s part of the federalization process to add an o2 sensor and manage the mixture dynamically. The problem is that they often don’t work as designed, or they complicate the issue.

I think I need to rebuild mine too, but have other fish to fry.

*that's not something

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