Mitsubishi Repair: mitsubishi starwagon running to rich black smoke etc, air flow meter, coolant temp

Question
i  have a 1994 mitsi starwagon 2.4 4g64 injected . blowing black smoke and leaving deposits on driveway etc . on harsh acceleration excessive black smoke and exhaust is just black. weve tried a coolant temp sensor but did not fix. is there anything common that causes this as i am wondering if there is a map sensor on this model and what about the air flow meter. i unplug that and doesnt run any differently.?? thanks

Answer
Damien,
Black smoke typically means your engine is running rich; too much fuel being burnt relative to the amount of air.  The most common causes are a clogged air filter, faulty oxygen sensor, faulty catalytic converter, or even possibly fuel injectors that stay open too long.  Try the cheap fix by replacing your air filter.  You may even want to replace your fuel filter as well.  If you still do not see results, you should have a mechanic inspect your emission system and the fuel system.
Good luck!