@7900_Blazer,
In anticipation of problems like the ones you're having, when I was rebuilding my truck and the engine was out of the bay, I had some aircraft grade heat wrap, and I had a spool of safety wire so I looked at how far away I would need to go before and after where the fuel line was near the header tubes that were close to the fuel line at the frame and wrapped all the fuel line and attached safety wire around it at points to make sure it would never come loose.
Then on recommendations from some of my racing friends they said to put a lifter valley cover in the motor. What that does is keep hot oil from splashing up on the underside of the intake keeping the fuel charge cool.
Then I put a 1/2" phenolic spacer under the carb to keep the carb from picking up heat off the intake further cooling the fuel.
Then I actually measured where the fan was inside the radiator shroud to make sure it was where it was supposed to be in order to draw all the air it could. You can by any size of spacer from Summit to get the proper spacing of your fan. I kept the factory six blade, I think, metal fan so it would not flex under load and pull all the air it needed.
I would ask if you would check to see if your fan shroud was all around the radiator, and that whatever fan you are using is the kind that is supposed to be on your engine, because I don't care where you live 210-215 is not anywhere near normal even for hot climates, even modern injected engines don't run that hot. The
Max normal operating temp of the Chevy engine is between 190 and 200....period. 180 is where the thermostat begins to open.
Check your shroud.
Check your fan spacing.
Check your thermostat and put a 180 in there. Running between 180 and 190 even on a hot day in the middle of Summer in Louisiana is normal, maybe 195 is okay. But anywhere over 200 means something is off somewhere. I know a lot of guys have 454's and their temp is probably 200 to 205 in the Summer and for a big motor that may be fine but even then not no 210- 215.
When I got my new welded Aluminum 3 core radiator I thought something was wrong with it because it seemed to be running to cold, and even asked for help on this forum. But I read the info that came with it and found it is supposed to run 20 to 30 percent cooler than a brass, copper radiator like I had, and was used to seeing the temps it would be.
Maybe you can look into getting one of the welded Aluminum radiators for even further cooling of your water. And that would keep the engine cooler than you are presently running and that in turn would keep the fuel pump and other fuel parts cool as well, especially fuel lines, the frame, and even the engine compartment cooler. All this is good insurance towards preventing the hell you just went through.
I believe your engine temps is the second problem you've got with possibly causing some of your fuiel problems.
Get that temp down!!