I cannot really relate how happy I am that all your trouble has been worthwhile. It just makes me feel good. I almost want to clap as well. Headstands and backflips will have to suffice though.
The fact is that besides your increasing everyones knowledge there is now positive proof some of these vegatable oil burners can be turned around at reasonable cost. I suspect yours is the first so called documented case of back from the brink. Anyways congratulations are in order and with this under your belt a 616/617 type engine will never intiminate you either.
Another thing I suspect is the bosio nozzles might require a 500-1000 mile period to totally develop a good needle seating pattern so running may even get better with a little time. Just guesswork though on my part.
With every answer comes questions to a simple mind like my own. I now have to wonder if some of the engines that have run diesel fuel over the years might benifit to some extent from an attempt to clean out the rings?
If the site members that have rebuilt these engines at one time or another could quote how much carbon etc was found in the ring lands upon dissasembly it might provide a clue.
I am also almost convinced from talking to old timers that for some diesel engines water ingestion turning to steam is an old concept that can work in some cases. Depends I guess if the rings are worn or just jammed up enough that they cannot present a good scraping edge because their mobility is no longer there or severily limited. Meaning they are unable to tilt a little to present a good scraping edge to the wall on stroke reversal as well. I also even am starting to wonder if a good soak down or other treatment might be benificial as a kind of tuneup at higher milage. A microscopic examination of an old rings edges might put this to bed.
Sorry about wandering around so much but both for my own call it self centred reasons. Plus what I have read about amounts of blowby on some of these engines it stared me thinking quite awhile ago about the rings. In many cases they may not be worn out. Thanks again for posting what you have experienced. It will help a lot of us over time. It has helped me already.