A friend's 89 240 began hard starting eg. crank and crank and crank until it finally caught; then it ran rough until warmed up. I asked him to notice
- Temp related - harder to start when cold air/engine temp?
- Fuel-level related - worse when tank low? (in-tank pump hose)
- Unplug the MAS/AMM - did it start more easily?

The answer to all 3 was "yes" but they turned out to be false clues*.

After he got it to my house it would barely run; then wouldn't start at all. I suspected CPS (although new), MAS, hole in air hose after the MAS, bad intake-manifold gasket, bad fuel-filter and/or main fuel pump, power stage, coil, ...

It would fire, sometimes run a few seconds, die. Smelled gas, plugs were damp. Disconnected coil wire at distributor cap and grounded it. Faint spark once when the key was turned on and once more on the 1st engine turn; sometimes when the key was released. Pulled the battery to clean the power-stage plug contacts & noticed it was slightly loose. And had fresh grease so perhaps I'd even done the deed when I worked on it ~1 year ago.

Tightened the 2 screws, got good and consistent spark; it started right up. Could still be problems, we'll see.

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*Reminding us, as psychologists finally admitted in the 1990s, that it's easy to plant false memories and associations.
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240 drivers / parts cars - JH, Ohio