Well, here's an update. Herb and I took the advice of Joe from Tri-State Import and sprayed some starter fluid around the engine to see if we could sniff out a leak. No discernable vacuum leaks turned up. We then tested the fuel injectors by taking each one out and cranking the bus to observe the fuel spray. The injector over the no. 3 cylinder was spraying in a manner less than admirable, and this, we felt, was our culprit. At $80 each these injectors aren't cheap, but the dirt on my 24 year-old injectors told us that's what she needed right now. With Herb's help I ordered a new one thru Joe and waited for it to come in.
The next day, Dee returned from Cleveland with my much-anticipated injector. Eldon, Herb, and I worked together to install it, and with fingers crossed I climbed into the driver's seat to give it a crank. After a few moments of idling, there was a loud pop and it died. Herb and Eldon were frantically trying to blow out a small fire that erupted in the engine compartment, and I'm here to say I'd match the combined hot air coming from both Herb and Eldon to a standard kitchen fire extinguisher any day. The fire was small and didn't hurt much, it melted the connector on the wire going to the oil pressure sending unit. After another unsuccessful crank it was determined that it was the Pete Best of fuel injectors, the cold start unit, was in fact at fault in this case.
As it stands I would not be able to drive the bus home without having to file a claim on my insurance for one burned bus. I'll just have to replace that injector with a new one from Tri-State Import.
So, if you're up to your elbows in a major Type IV engine overhaul and your unit has not been converted to carbueration, don't overlook those injectors. They're not the cheapest repair, but an important one nonetheless.
