[AdamIsAdam]

ok, so based on the 2,300+ views and 150 replies to my last thread, I'm starting this one. That thread evolved from what I thought was a low oil PSI issue to a tuning thread. Long story short: suddenly higher engine temps were causing lower oil pressure and that had me freaked out. That lead to a timing/tuning discussion that I am finally bringing to it's own thread to help me and many others. If you decide to go back to that link, you may want to start at the end and work you way forward to skip the oil related issues/comments.

So, here are my basics now:

My engine generally runs around 180. Cooler when outside temps are cool. Under extreme conditions in high summer, maybe it hit 195*.

I changed from a Holley DP to a brand new Cliff Ruggles Qjet and also started messing with vacuum advance. This started sending my engine temps soaring and my oil pressure plummeting.

So let's get back to basics. Here are my timing stats:

I was running 14* initial. My mechanical curve looks like this:
14* @ 700 RPM
22 @ 1,500
30 @ 2,000
36 @ 3,500 (and that was as high as the timing went)

I had added a Crane adjustable vacuum advance and was really adding a ton of timing, about 22* on MVA. The more timing I added, the cooler the car ran, but I was getting surging at a steady 3,000 RPM on the highway only with vacuum advance connected (either ported or MVA).

So today as temps ran up to 210* on the highway on an 84* day, the car was actually running well aside from the temps. So I came home and adjusted timing as follows:

10* @ 700 RPM
20 @ 1,500
27 @ 2,000
35 @ 3,500
(plus or minus a degree)

With vacuum advance it's as follows (I did MVA at idle to get a reading but ran it ported):
22* @ 700
36 @ 1,500
42 @ 2,000
45 @ 3,000 and above

Note that when I drove it hard, lots of WOT blasts without vacuum advance, it ran well both starting at 14* and 10*, so I left it at 10. I can't hot-start the car with more than 14* initial even with my mini starter without lots of kickback.

I adjusted the APT on the carb per Cliff's advice, turning it CCW 1/2 turn from where he set it, and with the 10* initial, my surge problem is cured as far as I can tell. I get little to no ping at partial throttle. It sounded like no ping, but MAYBE there was a tiny bit if I really lugged it around.

The car idles really smoothly now at 10* with ported advance. It also idles smoothly with MVA.

The only problem now is that the temps were soaring up to 210* all day!

HELP! Suggestions welcome from pros. And as we clearly saw in the last thread, there is a big need for this advice.

My engine specs
(receipts here (just ignore some of the incorrect info on the Warren receipts about engine specs) and summary of the car here):

469 cid Butler stroker kit (17cc dish pistons), 9.3:1 CR.
#46 heads worked with Ferrea Valves (Int: 2.11; Exh: 1.77) flowing 255 CFM.
XE274 cam plus 1.65 rockers.
Intake: Edelbrock Prototype P4B-Q4 Extensively Ported.
Aluminum radiator and electric fan.

So, what do you think of my timing curve? What can I do to get more timing in (which lowers engine temps)?

I'm running Evan's Waterless Coolant so I'm not so worried about running 210* in an emergency, but clearly the engine was running at 180* before and will if I throw tons of timing at it, but then it surges both clod and at steady 3,000 RPM.

Ideas?

Oh, and these are my distributer springs and harmonic balancer: