firing order
01-27-2001, 08:05 AM
#1
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firing order
Man its good to be back. I haven't posted in a while so I have a question about the firing order of a 2.8 maro. If anyone can draw a quick diagram of what spark plug wire goes on what. I would really appreciate it. I think mines not right. Thanks to all in advanced
01-27-2001, 11:47 AM
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Firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6
Looks like this:
5-6
3-4
1-2
I'm pretty sure that is correct.
------------------
Red 1986 SC, 2.8L, rebuilt 700R4, 3.42 Posi, t-tops, 135K miles and counting, K&N air filters, hopefully more to come!
Looks like this:
5-6
3-4
1-2
I'm pretty sure that is correct.
------------------
Red 1986 SC, 2.8L, rebuilt 700R4, 3.42 Posi, t-tops, 135K miles and counting, K&N air filters, hopefully more to come!
01-27-2001, 12:56 PM
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ok thats what I hoped it would be. I dont think my setup is like that but my maro runs good. I think if i set it up like the original it should run better right? Does it matter? I think my one and my two are mixed up. Hell maybe all of them are but it still runs. Whats up with that. All of u guys running anything different? Please help. Thanks again
01-28-2001, 08:22 AM
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Jason is right.The firing order of a 2.8 is 1-2-3-4-5-6.#1 is the front piston on pass side,#2 is oppisite of that and so on.
All odd numbered pistons are on the pass side and even numbered,driver side of the engine.
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[This message has been edited by Kevin S (edited January 28, 2001).]
All odd numbered pistons are on the pass side and even numbered,driver side of the engine.
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[This message has been edited by Kevin S (edited January 28, 2001).]
01-29-2001, 06:34 PM
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Car: 85' Firebird (Project), 92' RS
Engine: 2.8L, LS1
Transmission: 700R4, 4L60E
Axle/Gears: 3.42 Open , 10 Bolt (ukn)
well buddy, they're both right, and that is the way that the motor is supposed to be running. If it's set up any differently than your car isn't firing on time, so the air fuel mixture will be off when the sparkplug actually fires, in essence, if two of your plug-wires are screwed up, you're only running on a 4 cylinder, an effective v4 combo. 
and that ain't cool, on the block, the pistons, or the car. Plus there should be some pinging sounds too.
and that ain't cool, on the block, the pistons, or the car. Plus there should be some pinging sounds too.
01-30-2001, 07:56 AM
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Sh*t man. I got to check it out today good thing I'm not driving it but if some one can draw what the distributor looks like one one of ur cars I wouldn't be scared. On mine it looks like its wrong but then again what is the First hook up on the distributor ur supposed to count? the one closest to the pass. side or the one on the drivers?
I know that the plug order on the motor is
5-6
3-4
1-2
But what about the one on the distributor? is it
4 5
3 6
2 1
OR 3 4
2 5
1 6
Thanks guys. appreciate all the help.
I know that the plug order on the motor is
5-6
3-4
1-2
But what about the one on the distributor? is it
4 5
3 6
2 1
OR 3 4
2 5
1 6
Thanks guys. appreciate all the help.
01-30-2001, 08:52 AM
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Car: 1986 Firebird
Engine: 2.8 V6
Transmission: 700R4
Heh, Deimos, just hit "submit reply" once! 
The location of the plug wires on the distributor cap can (and probably will) be different for everyone's car. The only thing that stays the same is that the plug wires run 1-2-3-4-5-6 clockwise on the distributor cap. Everyone's can be different because the distributor rotor and housing are spinnable, and can be placed in different spots.
Sounds like you need to find TopDeadCenter of cyl #1 (frontmost PASSENGER side). Do that by following my instructions found here: https://www.thirdgen.org/messgboard/...ML/000850.html (I started by saying "Here's how to check your balancer out.")
Once you have the mark on the balancer lined up with 0 degrees on the timing indicator, you've found TDC of cyl #1. Now, remove the distributor cap (but leave the plug wires attached!) Note the position of the rotor in the center. The rotor terminal should be pointing between the #1 and #2 plug wires on the distributor cap (if the cap was installed).
If the rotor isn't pointing between #1 and #2, re-arrange the wires to get it correct.
Before I do any spark plug work on a car, I always do a quick little diagram. I draw the engine as a rectangle, and the distributor as a circle. Then I make a drawing of which plug wire goes where. I'll also mark the #1 cylinder position on the side (hidden) of the distributor cap with white-out.
Good luck!
------------------
-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!
The location of the plug wires on the distributor cap can (and probably will) be different for everyone's car. The only thing that stays the same is that the plug wires run 1-2-3-4-5-6 clockwise on the distributor cap. Everyone's can be different because the distributor rotor and housing are spinnable, and can be placed in different spots.
Sounds like you need to find TopDeadCenter of cyl #1 (frontmost PASSENGER side). Do that by following my instructions found here: https://www.thirdgen.org/messgboard/...ML/000850.html (I started by saying "Here's how to check your balancer out.")
Once you have the mark on the balancer lined up with 0 degrees on the timing indicator, you've found TDC of cyl #1. Now, remove the distributor cap (but leave the plug wires attached!) Note the position of the rotor in the center. The rotor terminal should be pointing between the #1 and #2 plug wires on the distributor cap (if the cap was installed).
If the rotor isn't pointing between #1 and #2, re-arrange the wires to get it correct.
Before I do any spark plug work on a car, I always do a quick little diagram. I draw the engine as a rectangle, and the distributor as a circle. Then I make a drawing of which plug wire goes where. I'll also mark the #1 cylinder position on the side (hidden) of the distributor cap with white-out.
Good luck!
------------------
-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!
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01-30-2001, 08:53 AM
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The number one plug wire is always the one that is pointing the closest to number one piston. On SBC it is the one to the drivers side of straight ahead. On the 2.8 its to the pass side of straight.
Clayton
Clayton
01-30-2001, 09:11 AM
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So sorry about all the post TomP but I just want to be as detailed as possible. But I thank everyone for their help. I'm going to try it out ok. If I cant do it I'm taking it to my dad. He's a mechanic. Thanx again
01-30-2001, 10:37 AM
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Car: 1986 Firebird
Engine: 2.8 V6
Transmission: 700R4
Not necessarily, ElGuapo. I can remove/reinstall my distributor so my #1 plug wire comes off the cap on the driver's side of the car. That might be true for a motor that's never been worked on, but...
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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!
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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!
01-30-2001, 03:04 PM
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Engine: LH0 3.1L
an easy way to find #1 on the distributor is to look at the front hold down screw and then follow it up to the wires. #1 will be just to the left of the front screw.
------------------
Dan
1990 3.1L RS
80 Series Flowmaster
It's fast(er than a 3 cyl metro)
------------------
Dan
1990 3.1L RS
80 Series Flowmaster
It's fast(er than a 3 cyl metro)
01-31-2001, 04:08 PM
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Car: 1986 Firebird
Engine: 2.8 V6
Transmission: 700R4
Nope, not necessarily, as I said to Deimos. (sigh)
Alright. Here comes an explanation as to "why the #1 plug wire is NEVER in the same spot on a distributor cap".
-----------------------------------------------------
Okay- there's two things that spin as regards ignition timing: The distributor housing and the distributor's rotor. There's one major thing that needs to be addressed for ignition timing: The distributor's rotor must be in the firing position for the #1 cylinder when the #1 cylinder is at top dead center.
Here's why "you can never tell where a #1 plug wire should be on a distributor cap by looking at it's position in the engine bay."
The distributor housing ITSELF, cap and all, can be rotated!!
(Ugh, how do I explain this without pictures...)
Say I have two 2.8l engines, "A" and "B", both of which I've set their #1 piston to TDC of the compression stroke. By saying this about TDC, this means that the only engine part I need to concentrate on is the distributor.
Say I've pulled their distributors. Now, say I hold both of the distributors so the spark module connections face to the firewall.
Say I use white-out to mark the passenger-side-most terminal on engine "A"'s distributor cap to be the "#1 cylinder".
Say I label the driver-side-most terminal on engine "B"'s distributor cap to be the #1 cylinder.
I now drop the "A" distributor into engine "A". I make sure that when the distributor is fully seated, the rotor points to the extreme passenger-side-most terminal on the cap.
I now drop the "B" distributor into engine "B". I make sure that when the distrib is in the motor all the way, the rotor points directly to the driver's side.
Now, I install the distributor caps.
Engine "A"'s distributor's rotor is pointing to the passenger side. It lines up with the #1 cylinder mark I made on the distributor cap, which was the terminal pointing to the passenger side.
Engine "B"'s rotor points to the driver's side, to meet exactly with a distributor terminal.
On both engines ("A" & "B"), I now run the spark plug wires clockwise. I use the mark I made on their caps as a reference for the #1 plug wires, and therefore, ALL of the plug wires. Looking at the top of the distributors, the wires coming from the cap are:
-----------------------------------------------------
"Engine A", rotor pointing: <<----
...2...3...
1....c....4
...5...6
-----------------------------------------------------
"Engine B", rotor pointing: ---->>
...5...6... "Engine B"
4....c....1
...3...2
-----------------------------------------------------
Both engines are now timed, as I first said, so that the distributor's rotor must be in the firing position for the #1 cylinder when the #1 cylinder is at top dead center.
And this is why you can not determine where the #1 plug wire should be in relation to anything in the engine bay, other than the #1 cylinder's piston position (TDC).
Does this do it? If I confused anybody, let me know. I could've shown it with two pictures much easier.
Note, of course, that sure, GM may make these cars' distributor's point all the same way. But after previous owners and garage work, the position of the #1 plug wire on the cap compared to parts in the engine bay should never be taken for granted.
------------------
-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!
[This message has been edited by TomP (edited January 31, 2001).]
[This message has been edited by TomP (edited January 31, 2001).]
Alright. Here comes an explanation as to "why the #1 plug wire is NEVER in the same spot on a distributor cap".
-----------------------------------------------------
Okay- there's two things that spin as regards ignition timing: The distributor housing and the distributor's rotor. There's one major thing that needs to be addressed for ignition timing: The distributor's rotor must be in the firing position for the #1 cylinder when the #1 cylinder is at top dead center.
Here's why "you can never tell where a #1 plug wire should be on a distributor cap by looking at it's position in the engine bay."
The distributor housing ITSELF, cap and all, can be rotated!!
(Ugh, how do I explain this without pictures...)
Say I have two 2.8l engines, "A" and "B", both of which I've set their #1 piston to TDC of the compression stroke. By saying this about TDC, this means that the only engine part I need to concentrate on is the distributor.
Say I've pulled their distributors. Now, say I hold both of the distributors so the spark module connections face to the firewall.
Say I use white-out to mark the passenger-side-most terminal on engine "A"'s distributor cap to be the "#1 cylinder".
Say I label the driver-side-most terminal on engine "B"'s distributor cap to be the #1 cylinder.
I now drop the "A" distributor into engine "A". I make sure that when the distributor is fully seated, the rotor points to the extreme passenger-side-most terminal on the cap.
I now drop the "B" distributor into engine "B". I make sure that when the distrib is in the motor all the way, the rotor points directly to the driver's side.
Now, I install the distributor caps.
Engine "A"'s distributor's rotor is pointing to the passenger side. It lines up with the #1 cylinder mark I made on the distributor cap, which was the terminal pointing to the passenger side.
Engine "B"'s rotor points to the driver's side, to meet exactly with a distributor terminal.
On both engines ("A" & "B"), I now run the spark plug wires clockwise. I use the mark I made on their caps as a reference for the #1 plug wires, and therefore, ALL of the plug wires. Looking at the top of the distributors, the wires coming from the cap are:
-----------------------------------------------------
"Engine A", rotor pointing: <<----
...2...3...
1....c....4
...5...6
-----------------------------------------------------
"Engine B", rotor pointing: ---->>
...5...6... "Engine B"
4....c....1
...3...2
-----------------------------------------------------
Both engines are now timed, as I first said, so that the distributor's rotor must be in the firing position for the #1 cylinder when the #1 cylinder is at top dead center.
And this is why you can not determine where the #1 plug wire should be in relation to anything in the engine bay, other than the #1 cylinder's piston position (TDC).
Does this do it? If I confused anybody, let me know. I could've shown it with two pictures much easier.
Note, of course, that sure, GM may make these cars' distributor's point all the same way. But after previous owners and garage work, the position of the #1 plug wire on the cap compared to parts in the engine bay should never be taken for granted.
------------------
-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!
[This message has been edited by TomP (edited January 31, 2001).]
[This message has been edited by TomP (edited January 31, 2001).]
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