I am currently running @ 27* and avoiding turbo initiation since I drive mostly in a city. His recommendations gave much more responsive lower end power.[/QUOTE]

You only have a possible twenty seven degrees if the injector base fuel pressure is in its proper range at idle and cruise conditions. If the pressure is sub standard the effective operating degrees of advance are possibly less.

If the injector springs are a little tired with age it would tend to advance the effective timing a little. Actual condition of the injector bores is another variable as well on older pumps. The pistons may have to travel further up their bores to reach pop pressure. If they have uneven wear timing to individual cylinders may vary a little. We have no reasonable reliable method to accuratly test for the real dynamic timing on the 616 and 617 setup.

If your 0-60 times accuratly done are about what they should be you then know you have to be close. If they are not what they should be we enter the situation with too many variables to establish the probable cause easily. The accuracy of the drip method tends to depend heavily on the condition of many things being in pretty good condition.

I have always tried to keep an open mind on methods we might use to accuratly check dynamic or running timing. So far no real luck. I even speculated to myself about using the tack pickup for a refference if it was universal fixed degree distance from top dead centre.

Fortunatly the timing advance mechanisim located in front of the injection pump does not seem to age. Or if it does to some extent it is an unknown. The operational advance of this timing wheel may not be optimum for todays fuels as the curve was originally designed for example. We just seem not to know much about this . A set of calibrated replacement springs may or may not improve things for example. Again just an unknown at present.

I have to wonder if the guys in northern europe have done much research. From the power levels they are extracting from these diesels you would have to think so in my opinion.