Just incase anyone else needs some help i found this (on another website!!)
I had very similar problems with an old 300Tdi Auto I had. Advancing the timing ever-so slightly was a tip given to me by Jeremy Fearn and was something that worked for me having already tried much of what you've already carried out. Apparently lazy starting is a very common fault on 300Tdi Auto Discos.
Remove the small circular plate that you see on the front of timing case secured with three 10mm bolts.
With the cover and paper gasket removed, slacken the three 10mm bolts you’ll now see on the circular plate inside the timing case.
Turn the large nut in the centre of the plate CLOCKWISE approx 5mm to advance the timing ever-so slightly.
Retighten the three bolts on the circular plate and go for a test drive before replacing the inspection cover.
After a short distance my ‘Check Engine’ warning light came on and the engine went into limp-home mode.
Jeremy Fearn had pre-warned me that if this happened, I’d been a little too generous with my 5mm. If this happens to you, loosen the three bolts and back off the large nut a fraction, tighten everything up and try it again.
Another trait mine displayed simialr to yours were the lazy battery symptoms. After fitting two batteries, the fault turned out to be an intermitent starter motor fault.
With lazy starting and a dodgy starter, the two problems compounded each other.[/COLOR
Now........ my problem is, when i checked mine it was fully advanced as far as it would go!.........so, backed it off about 5mm, wouldnt start, advanced it back about 3mm seems to start ok, just have to see how well it cold starts now in the morning. still clouds of blue smoke when i take my foot off the throttle, and even more when i first start. Lets just hope the dodgy starting is better when cold, always sounds like the timing is miles out.........but its not!
Hope this helps