A little information for our Hot Rod Builders and those with cooling problems that really might not need a new radiator. The temperature for your car should be controlled by the thermostat.
Typically people will install t-stats of values lower than 195 degrees such as 180 or even 160 trying to compensate for inadequate cooling capabilities. Gasoline engines meter fuel and run best just shy of 200 degrees hence most factory t-stats are 195 degrees. Additional cooling capabilities through the radiator means that the t-stat will only need to partially open in order to maintain temp. So, no you can’t put too much radiator. Idle mixture on your carb should be set when the engine is around 200 deg.
For best performance over the entire operating range. On non-stock build, vehicles should always be road timed to find what timing the engine likes best in the particular chassis combination it is installed in. Weight, gearing, tire height, transmission, compression ratio, cam shaft, fuel quality, etc. all affect desired ignition lead values. Road timing is simple, 3/4 load at low rpm in second or third gear and advance timing until ping and back off advance slightly from there, reset carb mixtures and road time again. This will give the best gas mileage, horse power, and drivability.
Hope this helps. It is very important for the max potential of the engine to have the proper carb and jetting for the combo. If you have any more questions or problems just give me a call, email or text (951) 219-4707.
WHY DOES TIMING RETARD? Here are a few things to consider.
When the engine fires normally, the fire burns completely (or nearly so) within the combustion chamber. The heat is kept within the combustion chamber, and as the pressure drops during the power stroke, the superheated gasses cool. As the power stroke occurs, the cylinder absorbs the heat, and when the exhaust valve opens, the burned cool mixture is blown out of the cylinder and combustion chamber.
When timing is retarded, peak pressure and heat is delayed, and is not confined to the combustion chamber. Delayed ignition causes the peak heat and pressure to occur in the cylinder body itself. The flame actually burns the lubricating oil off the cylinder walls, causing more friction. As the combusting mixture is not under high compression, it is less dense, again causing further delays in the burn. When the exhaust valve opens, extremely hot, still burning gasses are blown out the exhaust port. past the valve. This flame heats the valve red hot, and superheats the head and manifold. Running an engine retarded for any length of time, under load, will cause valve burn out, and excess wear to the rings, piston, and cylinder.
Running a 2 stroke engine retarded can have severe consequences as well. Again, it allows the main flame and pressure to build within the cylinder instead of the combustion chamber. The excess heat in the cylinder burns off the lubricating oil, overheats and distorts the cylinder body, and when the exhaust port opens, allows direct flame impingement on the face of the port and piston surface to occur. A severely retarded 2 stroke, under load will melt the piston and damage the exhaust port in short order! I have seen engines with the pistons actually blow molten aluminum out the exhaust port, to the point that the rings also get burned off by the flow of burning exhaust out the ports.
An engine, with no load, running retarded may not give symptoms of retarded overheating until it is too late, and damage has been done. This may show up as burned head gaskets, warped or burned valves, poor ring seal, and severe power loss, especially when loaded for a length of time. With the piston removed, a sure sign of retarded timing is a brownish or blued cylinder wall, and a severely varnished, or galled piston skirt. This is directly the result of an over heated piston, and the fact that oil has been burned off the cylinder.
Ignition Timing is not the only reason for retarded timing! Setting the mixture too lean, and or an intake leak (worn throttle shaft, leaking gaskets, broken hoses) will also cause heating due to the lower density of fuel to air within the cylinder. The lower fuel/air density causes the mixture to burn longer, with a similar result in damage.