Did you change IP timing?
I have an 87 300DT, a 603, not a 617, but all things being near close in MB diesels, timing is said to have such affect about smoke, or the lack of!
I just replaced my head gasket and while I had things apart, I changed my IP timing from 14 ATDC to 15 ATDC and now it smokes well more than it should, a lot more than it did before!