L-jet ignition timing, Does retarded ignition raise oil temp? Options

[davesprinkle]

Everyone, I'm posting to inquire about your ignition timing experience. Here's the setup:

-- About 7 years ago or so, I had the 1.8 liter engine in my '74 rebuilt. Displacement is now 2056cc. I'm still running the stock L-jet system.
-- Fuel injection lines and vacuum lines have all been replaced in the last two years.
-- Wiring was rebuilt about 6 years ago. All fresh.
-- Running the stock points and distributor. Ignition timing set to factory specs (7.5 degrees BTDC at idle with vacuum line disconnected.)

Here are the symptoms: Above 50% throttle and above 3700 rpm, the engine rattles and pings, with accompanying torque fall-off and plumes of blue-white smoke. In the past few years, I've just driven around the problem, basically not going to full throttle or revving the engine.

Today, I pulled about 10 degrees of ignition timing out of the engine. (Hard to tell exactly how much, since there aren't any markings on the pulley.) (I'm about 1 1/3 fan blade away from the 7.5 degree mark. By my calculations, each blade is 7.5 degrees, so this should be about 10 degrees retarded from factory spec.)

Result: Engine now will accept full throttle to redline without complaint, rattle, or ping. Also, oil temp is about 80F higher than previous. (Previous oil temp was always very low at about 130F. Now runs at or above 210F.) Measured with a factory VDO sender and gauge.

Here's my question -- in your experience, does retarding the ignition timing lead to higher oil temperatures?