Posts: 306
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Joined: Jul 2011
Okay I hate to admit it, but I made a rookie mistake. A little while back I pulled the valve covers on my 351cj so I could really clean them as good as possible. In the process I unplugged the spark plug wires from the plugs. They are all labeled near the dist. cap so I figured I'd be okay. Now I can't seem to get the firing order right. I've been using the order of 1-3-7-2-4-5-6-8. I've always believed that they go counter clockwise around the dist. cap. I also think that the # 1 cylinder is the first plug on the driver's side. Where I'm getting confused is which wire goes where? The distributor points to about the 1-O'clock position. I haven't moved or removed the dist. So #1 (on the dist. cap) goes to cylinder #1. The next wire on the cap is # 3, should this be # 2 and go to cylinder #3, or is it #3 on the dist. cap? If so then which cylinder does it go to? I feel like an idiot & I do have occasional brain farts (complements of chemotherapy a few years back). Any help would be very welcomed.
In fact all input, positive, negative, or just to say "what are you talking about dumb ass?"
Thanks, Keith S.
Posts: 63
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Last time I looked 1 is on the pass.side going back1234, 5 is 1st cyl on driverside front to back 5678
try that might run.
Posts: 2,305
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Joined: May 2012
68machowner is correct, number 1 is the first cylinder on the passenger side. The rotor turns counter clockwise so the next firing sequence in order would be cylinder 3 then 7 and etc. Install your wires in that order.
Posts: 189
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Joined: Sep 2013
The #s on the distributor cap run counter-clockwise, and cylinder #1 is passenger side, front of engine. The wire from #1 on tbe distributor goes the cylinder #1 on the engine. The next wire in line on the distributor (#3) goes to cylinder #3 on the engine. Continuing counter clockwise on the distributor, the next wire is #7, and it goes to cylinder #7 on the engine.
Continue this way and all wires will soon be home again!
Posts: 147
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Joined: Dec 2010
That's all true. . . Somewhat, What I mean is it all depends on how the distributor was installed. Meaning that it was installed correctly at heads up or on cyl #1 TDC. I had a mach 1 I bought several years ago that someone had pulled the distributor out or replaced the original and I had done the same thing. Then when re-installing my plug wires the engine wouldn't fire. Frustrated I had them of and on several times before I said screw it and pulled all wires and cap off, then ran the engine up to TDC and checked the position of the rotor. . . And guess what- It was actually pointing at cyl#7. So just to satisfy my curiosity I put #1 plug wire in the #7 slot on cap and ran the firing order from there counterclockwise (effectively if distributor was installed correctly) all wires would now be in the wrong position. Guess what she fired right up and ran like a top. I then pulled all wires and cap off with engine in TDC position and then pulled distributor and reinstalled it with rotor pointing in correct position. Hate to admit it but that problem kicked my butt. I was just learning mechanic work and engines and I was 16. I have learned a lot since then. Just wanted to share that in case you are still having the no-start problem., might be a place to start. Generally start at square one. FYI
YLWHRSE