If I’m about to spend 1,300 dollars or more on my fuel system I want to complete the job right! I do not want to do the timing by ear. This isn’t the small block Chevy that’s in your grandpa’s sister’s cousin’s square body.
YEAH...WHAT HE SAID...!!!
So....I get what all of you guys are sayin'...and some of you have good points...and it is good to hear all of the prior experiences and current opinions...believe me...I am grateful for all of this collected wisdom...
But...one thing that some of you might be missing is that this guy has made up his mind that he wants it done a certain way and nothing is going to dissuade him from doing it this way, this time....
After fixing up his truck and timing it just right...come hell or high water...he will decide...in retrospect...if it was all worth it or not...
I have to admit...when I worked at the equipment dealer...there was a couple of old, (actually...they were younger than me, but they had been working at that place and on that type of equipment much longer than me...) and generally well-respected guys with a good amount of diesel experience say that they would 'just time it by ear' and immediately I lost...just a little bit....of respect for them...
There is a factory-recommended spec for most everything...and usually a good reason for it...even if it is only to keep the thing from failing before some reasonable warranty period...
We exceed factory specs all of the time...but we usually realize that there is no free lunch...more power costs money...and reliability just may suffer...if you push it too far...
So...@turbo_h8ter...more power to you...I hope you can get your engine timed by instrument after you get it all fixed up the way you want...I am rooting for you...so far...@jesus freak seems to be your best bet...
Good luck and happy wrenching...