I agree joshua about suspecting the last thing that was messed with.
I will give electrical a once over too since it is a painless process to check that stuff and the battery is at about 80% of what it should be for cranking amps.

I wouldn't say that it is turning over faster at all.
I don't have any reason to believe I have something dire like burned valves since it was starting reasonably well before I messed with it.

Before I pull the valve cover for the third time someone talk to me about proper feeler gauge use. Tutorials always describe getting it to where you can move the feeler in and out with a 'light drag.' I am wondering if I am using the wrong flavor of light drag.

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84 300SD 274K
38K miles on flatplate heat exchanger and various diesel/veg blends. prior to that 4K miles on unheated veggie blends with kero and DinoD.