I really don't know how the plate got damaged...but I looked at the sucker and it's bent!! what PO's do to their cars is really none of my business. I did get a hold of another mixture regulator at the junkyard, put the sucker on and went for it. It lines up nicely, and seems to have a free range of motion. I like that cold start idea. . I might be doing that in the very near future. Gaskets for the fuel distributor are on order from Germany...who would have thought cardboard and rubber could cost 3.00 a piece? :) thanks again -alan 79 320i 74 02 PS: Very, very nice set of machines you have there!