Sorry for not getting back sooner.
Went out last week and attempted an EOIT of 5.71 & 5.89. Both numbers required more fuel, brought back some minor low rpm bucking and fuel smell was worse.
I loaded my original EOIT of 5.29 from the year before and it ran perfect.
Just to experiment I even ran the 5.29 EOIT on the already adjusted VE for an EOIT of 5.89 and the AFR's turned rich and I had to reduce my low RPM VE by about 3%. Bucking vanished.
So with the 228r and my particular engine set-up an earlier EOIT than the stock 5.55 was beneficial.