Insure you are doing the drip test correctly, since it is easy to screw up and mis-interpret the data. You are looking for the cut-off point where the IP port first closes since that marks "start of pressurizing". Before that point, you can pump the hand pump and fuel will flow/squirt out the delivery valve port (w/ guts removed). When the port closes, you won't get any flow. It is a very sharp transistion. I don't even bother with the manual's "special drip tube" and such. It goes from squirting to nothing in ~1 crank degree (which you can barely set w/ a wrench anyway). If you want to count drops, do that too. If you have a 1984-85 engine, with rack sensor on the IP, you will find getting at one of the 3 nuts very challenging.

I set my 2 300D's to 27 deg, instead of the manual's 24 deg, since many say that can give better mileage and performance, at the expense of louder idle. I didn't notice any difference in idle noise. Seems my mileage has improved, but I rarely take long trips for a good apples-apples comparison.