Lister A28S timing

Gents,
I have restored a Lister A28S and it had its first run out over the weekend at the Chester Le Street Steam Rally. It ran fine BUT it runs very hot - you get a rolling boil in about 30 minutes and by 45 it is seriously boiling.  
I timed it with the points just opening at the lightening bolt as per the manual and its running at about 610rpm. Running an alternator or a dynamo to make it work harder doesn't seem to make a difference at all.  I tried running it with out the antiflash filter on the carb just in case that was causing it to run hot but again that made no difference.
I have read somewhere that they run better it they are timed at 2 3/8" before TDC but I cannot find the article again. Someone on here had theirs timed at 2 1/2". The lightening bolt is 3 1/8"  
Can anyone help me please with the best setting to get it running cooler without it kicking back etc
Thanks in anticipation

No idea on how far the flash is before TDC but I time all my engines at 20 degree before TDC and have no problem. Try that, to find 20 degree measure the circumference of the flywheel, divide by 18.

When I have measured up the lightening bolt is at 20 degrees. What is throwing me is how hot it is running and I was wondering if setting the timing earlier would make it run cooler. There is a video by Steamwally on Youtube where he makes comment about timing them at 2 3/8" or 15 degrees BTDC. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmmmMNt4Y1Q and it runs nicely.
Dos anyone else have a A28S please

15 degrees is later than 20 degrees BTDC. My understanding of the effect of timing on engine temperature is that the more advanced (earlier) it is the more of the cylinder wall is exposed to the heat of combustion.

Could the mixture be weak? That can cause overheating.

I'm not going to say anything about timing until you answer the following question did you do any work inside the hopper as there is water passage between the cylinder bore and the valve casting that fills up with rust and crap, have you descaled and cleaned this area out so water can flow around the two area's if not you may have a hot spot, I have two A's a tank cooled and a hopper cooled and my hopper cooled engine does boil, not like yours but I have boiled an egg in it and my timing is by the book.

Maryalice

Yes I cleared the water passage and all the loose rust Etc out of the hopper. I forgot to wait until SWMBO was out before using the Dyson. I used to have a spec 29 but it never ran as hot as this one

mattblack wrote:15 degrees is later than 20 degrees BTDC. My understanding of the effect of timing on engine temperature is that the more advanced (earlier) it is the more of the cylinder wall is exposed to the heat of combustion.

Could the mixture be weak? That can cause overheating.

Yes agreed, the the more advanced the ignition is; the hotter the engine will run.
Also a weak mixture will raise the cylinder temperature.

Hi Guys. I have had in the past both A and B engines , both ran hot i e boiling, advancing the timing did not make any change to the tempreture so i left things as they were. Hopper cooled engines were only for running for a short time. If you wanted to run a engine all day you bought a tank cooled unit. They say that if an engine is boiling its running at its best.
regards tony

tony,  that's right,       if your coolant is boiling it can't get any hotter.
 
If you advance the timing; the temperature inside the cylinder will increase and the coolant may boil away quicker.
If you retard the timing; the cylinder temp. will decrease and it may stop the coolant from boiling.

If the timing is set to the manufacturers specification and there are no other issues like those suggested by maryalice; then the engine's thermal efficiency will be at it's best when the water is boiling.

Our old Lister D when in the Blackstone elevator used to boil when shifting hay bales, but not when shifting straw bales.

I was always told a hot engine was a happy engine....

Yes! Like women, the hotter the better; until they blow a gasket.

[quote="oldgit"]Yes!  Like women, the hotter the better; until they blow a gasket.[/quote]

Hot and red haired.....

Thanks guys for your comments, I have been on the Broads for a week and out of touch. If the timing was right for Mr Lister it makes sense to keep it as it is and keep topping up the water.