[Trans-Am Jim]

Clois:

If you have 28 - 30 initial advance, and it won't start with anything less, the distributor is installed wrong. Get the motor at TDC, pull the dist, and reset it so the rotor is pointing at plug wire #1. Thats a start. Set initial at 10 degrees with a light and go from there.

I'm not sayin' this has anything to do with your overheating, but 28 degrees init. advance is just not right -