Listers-

I need help with a temperature related problem with my L360.

The engine runs too cool.  With 180 hours on since 0-timed, the rings have
not seated.  I am burning 1 quart of oil every 2 hours.

I took it to the (reputable) overhaul shop, who boroscoped it and pronounced
the cylinders to be like new, still with cross-hatching, and no glazing.

We discussed my operating temperatures - about 285 degrees (300 max on a hot
day) in cruise.  They say "too cool, it will never break in at those
temperatures".

I have two options:

1.  I can spend a lot of time and make some plugs for the front inlets to
shrink the size.
2.  I can block off the NACA duct that is currently feeding the oil cooler
and instead feed the oil cooler off of the back of the engine baffling.
This is the easiest approach, because I initially had it set up that way a
long time ago.

The question is - which is a better solution if I want to gain the most
speed?  My oil temperatures are currently on the cool side too - 175 to 180
in cruise.

Thoughts?

The good news is that yesterday, on my way back from FL at 7000 feet,
24x2400, I saw consistent cruise speeds of 205 to 207 KTAS running LOP.
When ROP I was seeing over 210 KTAS.  At full power 24 x 2650 I was seeing
220 KTAS, but my ignition system still doesn't like that in cruise - I get a
surging problem, and I am attributing that to the timing pick-up sensor...
because I can't figure out any other problem...

Matt