On reviewing your posts you have taken the top of the pump closer to the block and the pinging has stopped. Do I have this right? I find this the exact reverse of what I would have expected. Both from the pinging perspective and the black smoke on reflection.

Trying that intermediate setting between the two still applies. If the smoke goes away and the pinging is not present leave it there. . There is some kind of issue hiding here somewhere in my humble opinion. Should not impact reliability in my opinion either and you are driving three thousand miles soon.

Normally I would have thought you would have smoked more in your former setting. For some reason that was not the case. Thats the primary reason I am suggesting the intermediate setting. It is still more advanced than your original setting was. Again if there are no negative effects at that point stay there.
I am not sure what is really giong on. You did not loosen the two nuts on the nipple flange where the injection line for #1 screws on the pump did you?

One last thought for now. Your air filter is in reasonable shape? If really obstructive car will not burn all it's fuel. Again though it is probably just fine as the smoking started with the timing change.