Truck is a 1990 CCLB 4x4 SRW, 7.3 with Banks Turbo, 5 speed, 4.10 gears, stock sized tires. No clue on how many miles it actually has, as I bought it from a guy who was selling it because it was abandoned on his rental property.

Seems to run fine, though the EGTs always seemed high - is hard to keep it under 1000 degrees under slight acceleration up a very minor grade, and on flat ground at 60mph, it cruises at 600-700 degrees EGT. Recently it started running warm, getting up to the L in the normal on the gauge, while pulling approx 5K pounds on flat ground.

Truck gets about 12mpg, towing or empty, though I haven't kept super close track of it. I didn't buy this thing for MPGs anyways, lol.

I noticed the radiator is more green than black these days, and it appears that it's getting wet on the bottom. Ordered a Champion 4 row aluminum radiator for it, should be here on Friday.

I also looked at the IP, and saw that it's clocked to the driver's side about a dime's width. Having read that retarded timing causes it to run hot, have high EGTs, low MPGs, and make it "sound flat", I was going to move it to a dime's width to the passenger side. But I have absolutely no clue whether it's on the factory IP or not, and I thought I had read somewhere that the alignment marks only apply to factory pumps..that they really don't mean much on a replacement pump.

So I left it alone for now, and I'm not entirely sure what sounding "flat" is like. It does kinda sound more like a muffled gas V8, but not having experience around other IDIs, I'm not really sure what I should be listening for anyways.

Should I go ahead and try to swing the pump over a bit, or should I really just be buying a timing adapter?

 

For what it's worth my 6.9 turbo run about 600-700 in 5th at highway speed. Towing it runs about 900-1000 and I drive by the pyro, have to downshift to 4th to keep EGT under control, sometimes 3rd on steeper grades or if I lose speed for whatever reason. When towing I drive by the pyro and my eyes are glued to it. Unloaded I watch it like a hawk when going up any hills on the highway or if very steep. My understanding is this is the nature of the IDI. An intercooler will help and is on my to do list.

From your description your timing may be retarded. Get the tools and set it to 9* at 2000 RPM. Factory marks in the gear housing and pump give no indication of timing other that should be good enough to run so timing can be set properly. Retarded timing will sound more like a gas engine (mine sounded like a 350 Chevy at 2000-2500 RPM). When I got my truck timing was 6.5*, it got 8.5 MPG, smoked gray, had no power, and EGT ran hotter than now. Setting it somewher ein the 9*-9.5* range had an immediate improvement of about 3 MPG, much more low end torque, and cooler EGT.

 

Timing matters, a lot. And, as the IP and injectors wear, you get slowly more retarded timing.
If you replace the injectors without the IP, you get significantly retarded timing.

(a new IP and worn injectors will have comparatively advanced timing).