Did you turn it over & look at the bore?
Does it breath bad?
Does it use oil? If so, how much?
You could have retarded injector timing.

__________________
Grumpy Old Diesel Owners Club group

I no longer question authority, I annoy authority. More effect, less effort....

1967 230-6 auto parts car. rust bucket.
1980 300D now parts car 800k miles
1984 300D 500k miles
1987 250td 160k miles English import
2001 jeep turbo diesel 130k miles
1998 jeep tdi ~ followed me home. Needs a turbo.
1968 Ford F750 truck. 6-354 diesel conversion.
Other toys ~J.D.,Cat & GM ~ mainly earth moving

thanks-
I could not see the bore. Have not driven it enough to establish oil consumption. Timing is good 24*btdc dripped. Chain, valves, egr etc. Hoping that the absence of oil on the piston tops points to no leaking rings.

False hope.

Any oil that is forced up past the rings is oxidized in the combustion chamber. That would be white smoke out the exhaust.

You'll never see any evidence of bad oil rings by looking at the piston tops.