Timing and Firing Order Issues

E1ghtTrack

Active member
65 Mustang 200 - Installed HEI distributor today and noticed that previous owner has car firing order backwards. They have it wired with Number 1 cylinder starting at back of motor near firewall. Correct me if I am wrong but Number 1 is always at front of engine right ... Car starts and runs no problems wired this way. If I arrange plug wires starting with Number 1 at front of engine, I can not get timing right or car to start. Any thoughts or suggestions.
 
Not wired backwards on cap but on cylinders -- they have it wired at block to where Number 1 cylinder is at firewall .. Just the opposite of how it should be. Basically not Number 6 cylinder fires as number 1.
 
I think it's out 180° and they just rearranged the wires.
Think of it this way. The firing order is usually 153624.
Now it's 624153.
 
:shock: The firing order is determined by the design of crankshaft throws and the camshaft lobes so when assembled to factory marks on timing chain set the firing order will always stay the same. If it bothers you that #6 post is now used as #1 (personally I like it to be as factory made it too) then you just lift up the distributor enough to turn the rotor 180 degrees as JackFish said and set it back down and rerun all the plug wires to the factory firing order. :nod:
 
Thanks guys -- I figured this was the issue, but wanted to get a second opinion before I turned it 180...
:thanks:
 
The firing order is always 153624. You can't wire it backwards or the car won't run. If the distributor is dropped in any which way, you have to find compression TDC on #1, and install #1 wire on what ever post of the distributor the rotor is pointing at. You then follow the firing order from there. The car don't know or care which post of the distributor #1 happens to line up with.
 
jimlj66":qb21ixv5 said:

The timing was off 180*, previous owner had #1 post on distributor run to #6 chamber on head. All good though got new ignition system installed and running good, wired to factory specs, vacuum tuned and timing advanced 12*. She is running good for small log and small carb. Have late model head in shop being milled down. I wanted to thank everyone for their time and info, Ford Six and Classic Inlines has a great group of people with a lot of knowledge. I look forward to learning from your experiences and sharing mine.
 
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