While running on a highway or freeway hitting 70 it gets to maybe 230...ish, on the streets it gets to 250- never over, and shuts down(the coil gets too hot). My dad gets into town next week,lives in seattle due to work, and hopefully we can test it on the road. As to the retarded timing, the car runs rich and it may be apart of what i believe to be a big picture because at idle I rev it to see how that impacts the temp rising speed and gas is leaked out of the exhaust in larger amounts to higher the rpm.