More fuel? More advance? Both? Or leave as is?

[Brian VT]

Engine starts easily. One puff of gray or white smoke when it starts. Then very light smoke from then on at idle.
Acceleration is very good (compared to before I replaced the injectors and injection pump).
I had been getting heavier white/gray smoke when normal running and heavy black smoke when I got on the throttle (no load or trailer). So I turned the fuel down 2 flats. Now I can't get any black smoke no matter what I do. But it does leave a bit of a gray cloud on the hill.
My timing is advanced 9.5 degrees. When it was less advanced (8.5) I was getting more white/gray steady smoke at idle and normal driving. So both changes seemed to be in the right direction as far as getting less smoke. And I don't think I lost any power.

I'm tempted to leave it as is. But the smoke still has me wondering if I can tune this even better.
Do I want to see some black smoke when over-throttling a well-tuned IDI?
Will advancing the timing more than 9.5 degrees give me less gray/white smoke during normal running? Will that cause problems elsewhere, like my glow plugs?

 

[gandalf]

Retarded 9.5? Are you sure? The recommended timing is 8.5 degrees before TDC. If you really have it set at 8.5 after TDC I would expect you to have lost a considerable amount of power. Could you please verify?

 

[Brian VT]

Doh!! Very sorry.
9.5 advanced. Not retarded. (that would be me)
On that note, I just ran up the street.
With cold start still engaged it puts out more smoke. And that's more advance, I believe?
So I guess I may be in the sweet spot for timing?
So nothing else to do but more fuel. Or leave it alone?

 

[IDIBRONCO]

After all of this with the same "problem" I say to leave it alone.

 

[Austin86250]

You want a little black full throttle is what I’d call “properly” tuned

 

[Brian VT]

Well I didn't feel like messing with it any more but kicked myself in the *** yesterday and made myself dig in again.
First I replaced the air cleaner. Not much change except even louder.
Checked the timing again. Was at 8.5 advanced. (was at 9.5 before) Ugh.
I guess that's because it's getting more air?
So I didn't mess with the fuel screw. I adjusted the timing back to 9.5 advanced.
Running cleaner exhaust and less "clacky" sounding. Still good power.
I'll drive it for a 100 miles or so and then decide if I want to mess with it any more.

 

[Jesus Freak]

Good call. I think you'll have a fine dependable ole truck now.

 

[ocnorb]

My truck sounds similar as far as starting and smoke. I backed my timing off to 7.5 to see if it would help, but it’s still got a gray haze.

Your post got me to thinking about what else could be contributing. Could the CDR just be allowing too much through the intake?
Mine always has a bit of oil in the intake just before the turbo.

My other issue is that I don’t think my timing will go much past 9 btdc; The high idle solenoid is almost hitting the thermostat housing at 8.5 degrees.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

My other issue is that I don’t think my timing will go much past 9 btdc; The high idle solenoid is almost hitting the thermostat housing at 8.5 degrees.

It sounds like it's about time to replace your pump.