Where do i look next?!

ok, so i popped th turbo off yesterday to take a look at it, didnt need to even take it apart because it is working perfectly from what i can see.. so after a while of looking at it wondering where to look next i put it back together, now, i did notice that the actuator when tightned to its mounting point, its arm has to be pulled out about 5mm to line up with where it meets the wastegate arm, is this normal?

Also im wondering if there is anything else that could be causing the serious lagging issue, something from the fuel side of things, could it be the fuel regulator causing the problem, this is why i ask, http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f7/son-bitch-112038.html
(thats mine by the way), the reason i ask is because a lot of the time when i start her up she sounds like shes choking herself until i rev it, and if i dont rev it and it cuts out, it takes about two mins of turning over to get her started?! but i can definitly hear the lift pump workin so its not that?

Any thoughts?

Just read POS's latest thread on fuel filter issues, and im starting to think i have a similar issue, took the filter off too, only to find that it was half full. Im wondering now did i do something wrong when refitting the fuel pipes to the engine and cooler etc. when doing this i replaced the fuel regulator washer thingy ( the black thin sheet of metal) with the correct one, bolted it on, connected up all the pipes, primed the engine, had to turn it over for ages but eventually it started.. white diesel smoke everywhere for a while, but should i have bled the system somehow before i started it??