Distributor

[Cleve]

I have a high performance 302 Blue print engine. I dont have my vin number yet. I am waiting for my inspection. I have been driving around the shop once in a while to get a few hours on the motor. Lately I have had the problem where the motor would shut off after a short drive around the shop a few times. ( 20 to 30 min.) and the motor wont restart. I let the car sit overnight and the engine starts up right away. As soon as the car reaches operating temperature the engine would stop. This is happening several times. Now I have a real problem. When I try to start the engine it wont start and back fires big time with flames coming out of the carburetor. Now I am afraid to start the car for fear it might damage the engine. I am asking Blueprint to send me a new distributor. At first I thought this was a coil problem, so I installed a new coil. That did not help. The engine is still stopping after it reaches operating temperature. Any one else experience this problem or have any suggestions.?
Thanks
Cleve

[mrglaeser]

The first thing I think I would check is the initial timing. Back firing when it has happened to me indicated the distributor was in the wrong position. It might help to know if you are carbureted or fuel injection. With a carb I'd look for vapor lock. Those are the first things I would personally look at. Then maybe look at the coil. Is the car running fine until it gets up to temperature and then starts to have issues? Or just gets up to temp and shut off immediately?

[rich grsc]

Why a distributor?

[Jim1855]

Indicated as a carb motor.
Check timing. It's real possible that the distributor wasn't locked down properly.
Call Blueprint. They are supposed to be good with customer service.
Jim

[gbranham]

Air, fuel, spark, at the right time. Have you removed the distributor, or in any way rotated it since receiving the engine from BPE? They run the engines prior to shipping, so it was likely timed properly when it left BPE. How are your grounds? Are you confident in your fuel delivery? Mechanical or electric fuel pump?

Greg

[egchewy79]

might be vapor lock if it only happens once the engine is warm. Try adding a phenolic spacer under the carb.

[rich grsc]

NOT like to vapor lock this time of the year, especially just idling around. Vapor lock is an issue once you shut the engine off, and then have a hard time restarting, not while it's running

[Cleve]

Thank you everyone for responding.
I have a 600 Holley carb. The engine came from BP, straight from the dino. I checked the timing, I replaced the coil when the symptoms started and it made no change in the problem. I haven't monkeyed with the distributor. I realize that this distributor has an ignition modular which can be effected by the heat of the engine. The engine only shut off 5 or 10 minutes after it reached 180 degrees. As I said above It wouldn't start after it shut off. After the engine cooled for several hours it would usually start. I went on line and asked the question would the distributor shut off your engine if it was running fine. The answer was yes and most likely it wouldn't start right after it cut off. It also said after the engine cools it would probably start . That means the ignition modular is being effected which is inside my distributor. It has all the symptoms of a malfunctioning ignition modular. I contacted BP explaining my problem at 9:00 this morning and they had a distributor in the mail by 11. They have 5 star customer service.
Thanks everyone again
Cleve

[rich grsc]

Thanks, now we have more information on what could be the problem

[gbranham]

Take note of the orientation of the rotor before you remove the current distributor. That'll allow you to get the new one installed pretty close to the timing you have set now, if not exactly the same. You might be off a tooth either way, but you'll be close enough to fire it up and dial in the base timing.

I usually put a sharpie mark on the existing distributor cup, at the centerline of the rotor, and I mark the new dizzy in the same way. Makes it easy to stab in at the same tooth.

Greg

[JMD]

I have the BP302 as well. I would check initial timing just to rule it out. Setting it at 12 degrees is a good starting point and anywhere between 10-14 degrees in mine works just fine. If I go more advanced than that at idle it can have a hard time starting. Also as you're troubleshooting I recommend removing your distributor vacuum advance hose a the distributor and plug the line or cap the nipple in the baseplate. Removes another variable. The engine runs fine on solely mechanical timing so it's not really needed and BP actually recommends not running vacuum advance, IIRC.

Another easy thing to do it check the plugs. They might be fouled out if you're just idling around and not getting it up to temp or actually driving it on the road much...although if that's the case it usually has a hard time starting when cold, not hot. But looking at them can help indicate if you have other issues.

[Cleve]

We got the distributor in and I am ready to start but its been 22 degrees and freezing. Waiting for it to warm up a bit. Thanks again for all the good points and advice.

[steno]

When Blueprint does a build with the distributor they mark the block and distributor base with matching chisel marks just like Ford did. See if they're lined up.

[FLPBFoot]

When Blueprint does a build with the distributor they mark the block and distributor base with matching chisel marks just like Ford did. See if they're lined up.

Yes, as Sten said, BluePrint does mark their distributor and block with marks to allow easy alignment. I had to pull the distributor on the 302 in order to allow a right angle heater hose fitting to go into the intake manifold. Marks allowed it to go right back in and checked timing and spot on after the reinstall.

[gbranham]

Simply aligning the mark on the dizzy and block isn't enough. You have to ensure the rotor is clocked exactly as it was before removal if you want your timing to remain as it was prior to removal. I know most of you know this, but some may not.

Greg

[Jeff Kleiner]

Yeah, but that mark BP puts on is for that block and that distributor. They may be close from one to another and get you in the ballpark but aren't going to be precise.

Jeff

[steno]

Jeff's right! Those marks are for THAT combo at that spot in crank rotation.

[gbranham]

For sure, if you're putting in a new dizzy. I was speaking to FLPBFoot's comment about removing and reinstalling the same dizzy. Simply realigning the marks isn't enough.

Greg

[FLPBFoot]

I was speaking to FLPBFoot's comment about removing and reinstalling the same dizzy. Simply realigning the marks isn't enough.

Greg

Greg,
Absolutely, you need to mark the rotor location in relation to the distributor body. I was speaking to Sten's comment about marks on the block and dizzy. As I said before, you can pretty easily get right back to the original timing if you mark the rotor carefully and get it all back aligned.
Steve

[PMD24]

Out of curiosity I looked for the chisel mark on my BP347. Couldn't find a thing. Is it possible that it's under the clamp?

Pat