more timing talk

[regis101]

I thought about posting this under engines. But I'm maybe relying on Jake's dyno runs for temp. info. Simple question about initial. My bone stock 2.0 L-Jet for the 78 Westy is to be set at 7.5 BTDC. Is it harmful to have it set at 8 or even 10 BTDC? I'd be bumping the total at the same time but that's no big. Stock 205. Reason I ask is that for some reason, after 6 months or so, the timing walks up to 10. Some say that I could have a melt-down or something. Maybe I need a new bracket. That's not important right now since I'm aware of the problem. To get back to it.... My limited knowlegde of VW initial is for the cooling at idle. So maybe I've answered my own question, but it seems to run much better with the three degree bump. Actually gained some mpg. Go figure. I do not have a head temp sensor as of yet so I cannot do my own testing. I use a Berg oil temp dipstick and have yet to see it come on as related to this topic. Thanks