checked wiring - I pulled the dome fuse because there was a question of a minor short in that circuit. Otherwise, no short to ground. and so far haven't found any wiring faults doing voltmeter tests on the ECU. Here's what I did: jumpered the car with positive to positive and negative of the other car to the positive alternator output. Don't ask me why, in do know better. blew a fusible link and a a fuse, replaced these and had headlights coming on but not popping up, and not turning off with the headlight switch off. When I finished testing all the circuits for shorts and replaced fuses the lights worked normally and it was behaving pretty much normally, minus the dome light fuse, except the ECU, which I replaced. Now seems okay except the starting issue. Really no idea why the lights went haywire or how they resolved.
Not flooded - tried it several days, same result. Also, I usually disconnect injectors or injector resistor and then crank with throttle open to clear a flooded engine and that isn't helping with this problem.
I have a wideband
Fuel controller is the next purchase. once it starts.
No mods to the AFB and no cleaner on the sensor.
Don't sweat the time frame. I'm a weekend warrior mostly, but your rosey prognostication gives me hope, thanks. Couldn't work tonight, it's day by day.