So as I understand it, the suggested pump 'lift' is 0.95-1.05mm where 1.05 is supposed to be 'turbo spec'. My question is that does the pump lift directly correspond to when in the compression stroke that fuel is injected? In other words, 0.95 mm of lift is a more advanced (earlier) timing obviously needed for normally aspirated engines and 1.05 mm is a much later 'timing'? I'm just wondering because I'm experimenting with straight vegetable oil and I'm concerned about the flame speed propagation of vegetable oil versus light diesel petroleum. I'm currently running a pump lift of 1.05 mm and it puts out a fair emission (particulate) on diesel fuel as well as heated vegetable oil.
The "lift" of the injection pump at a given crank angle and the pop pressure of the injectors determines the start of the injection event.
The injectors are going to open at a given pressure. This pressure is generated by the hydraulic plunger rising in its cylinder.
The timing belt slaves this plunger's lift to the motion of the crankshaft. You time your injection pump for cylinder #1, with the piston at TDC. Increasing the amount of lift at TDC for #1 increases the pressure existing in the hydraulic line at that point. Whether or not this pressure is enough to start injection will be determined by your pop pressure on the injector.
In short: Increasing lift advances timing, increasing pop pressure retards timing.
build yourself a pop tester , and try increasing the pop presure on your injectors .
i spent a afternoon just paying around , and i liked the spray patterns of diesel/ veg oil mix at 2500 psi ( roughly 170 bar ) , as opposed to the stock turbo presure of 155 bar ( off the top of my head , just under 2300 psi ) .
straight veg oil cold didn't spray no matter what the pop presure .
when i get some time i will try some more tests with veg oil at different temps .