Wrong Firing Order, But it Runs

[cglax6]

Well, at least you got to the bottom of it. Definitely swap out the gears with that chain. They usually sell as a kit anyway.

Also, be sure to use anti-seize on those timing cover and water pump bolts...although you never want to have to do something like this again, it's cheap insurance against shearing off a bolt in the block.

Good luck!

 

[jp360cj]

Sorry I'm late on this. Each wire was moved ahead two positions on the distributor cap, so same firing order in a sense, just advanced by two. Turns out someone did it to keep it running with a badly stretched chain.

Interesting that the chain was let go like that and a cobby repair was done when the rest of the motor seems quite strong. At some point somebody stopped loving this Jeep.

So the firing order was correct, but the ignition timing was wrong.

Since the distributor is driven from the camshaft, which is in turn driven from the timing chaing, wouldn't that mean the cam and ignition were both ~ 45* retarted relative to the crankshaft? Seems like a hell of a lot and I would be surprised if it ran at all.


How did you determine where the #1 cylinder should be?

I'm not disputing that the stretched timing chain may be your issue, but If you aren't using the correct reference for which terminal should be cyl #1, then it's going to run after you replace the timing set.

 

[Arc 21]

How did you determine where the #1 cylinder should be?

I'm not disputing that the stretched timing chain may be your issue, but If you aren't using the correct reference for which terminal should be cyl #1, then it's going to run after you replace the timing set.

The distributor cap has a number one by one of the eight terminals, I went by that. I'm also a bit of an old Ford truck guy and Ford has always done the same thing with their distributor caps and that has worked for me in the past.

 

[jp360cj]

The distributor cap has a number one by one of the eight terminals, I went by that. I'm also a bit of an old Ford truck guy and Ford has always done the same thing with their distributor caps and that has worked for me in the past.

Just verify TDC compression stroke on #1 when you reinstall the distributor. You can install the distributor so that the #1 on it cap is actually #1



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Heavychevy]

One way to determine where number 1, is to remove spark plug on number 1 and put a plastic drinking straw in cylinder. Bump starter until you feel the piston contacting the straw. Remove dist. Cap and rotor will be pointing at number 1 on dist cap.