Can someone please explain how timing affects your operating temps? I think I read somewhere on here that retarding your timing too much can cause your engine to run hotter, but what about advancing it too far? How does retarding and advancing affect how easily the car starts, hot and cold?

I also know that advancing timing increases your idle speed, and vice versa. So how does all of this affect your engine manners?

When you advance your timing, do you then need to go back and adjust your idle mixture screws, or just adjust your idle speed screw. Or both?

Im chasing down some issues where it starts to stumble when nice and hot, and its running a little warmer than I would like but nothing alarming, and just want to make sure I have a good understanding of tuning adjustments before I start making changes.

I have on a clear fuel filter up top, and when the motor is hot it gets low on fuel, pretty much dry, and the motor starts to run lean, which I presume is contributing to motor running hotter, and it just keeps going in this direction. The stock fuel line and factory style filter is sandwiched pretty close between the inner fender and the exaust manifold. Close enough that I can only change that filter when motor is dead cold because my hand would be scorched otherwise. Cant avoid touching something extremely hot.

Just to experiment, I took some cool water and poured it on the fuel line and fuel filter and it was hot enought to make the water sizzle off of it, and thats with a heat reflector tape already installed. I did this long enought to cool it and as soon as it was cool the fuel level in my clear filter filled back up as it should be and the motor ran much smoother. This signals to me that its gettting too hot there and contributing to a vapor lock condition. Would you agree? Im going to try it again and see if the fluid level raises because I cooled off the line/filter, or if it was just a coincidence.

Also, is it possible for the fuel pump to be clogged up with debri and slowing down my flow? The factory filter is before the pump and the clear filter is after the pump, and I can clearly see where my clear filter is still filtering little granules out of the fuel. If so do I pull it and clean it, or do I replace it?

Heres my plan: Cut the factory fuel line shorter, re-route with flexible hose in a cooler route, likely incased in a heat sheilding insulation similar to what I have around my trans fluid lines. Going to put in a 160 deg thermostat (its 195 now). And Im planning on getting a repro fan shroud from Mancini, there is not one on there now and I know that is killing me at idle and low speeds. I'll then be playing around with my timing, and carb settings to see what it likes. I dont remember exactly where it is now, but somewhere around 17 initial with a stock '71 replacement points dizzy from the parts house with whichever springs come in it for the advance curve, but upgraded to Pertronix Ignitor 2 system and Flamethrower 2 coil, bosch platinum plugs, eddie 1406 (600 cfm), high volume oil pump, new stock fuel pump, its a 360 with edelbrock performer intake, 9:1 hyper pistons, 268* duration, and .458" lift (factory 340?) cam, 904 trans, stock converter, 2.76 IIRC rear gears.

I know its long, but I tried to give you any info that might help, and I want to know what Im doing before I start trying to tune it. The motor actually is running pretty darn strong, and I love to take it out and get on it, but I also want to get this squared away.

Thanks
roe