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Firing Order

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N

Naomi

Jedi Hopeful
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Seems as if when it rains it pours. My 79MGB is broken (which you folks are helping fix) and now the hubby finds something odd about my 80 MGB. He was comparing it with the 79 today and noticed the firing order is 1234. Honest to goodness and I even checked behind him once he showed me. Now he has been going from it to the 79 so he thought he had changed the leads somehow. He then changed it to 1242 and it backfires and doesn't even idle. Changes it back to 1242 and all is well.

How can this be or can it be /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
Say that again? I think you got at least one number wrong in those last 2 firing orders. Can't hit cylinder 2 twice.
 
1342
 
1-3-4-2, dizzy rotor turns counterclockwise. Just start where #1 wire is and check the order around the cap.
 
Egg all over my face. The MGs were pointed in different directions and we were looking at the 80 clockwise. Maybe both of us are punch drunk from working on the 79. Don't know how to make a blush thing but believe me I am /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Couldn't be better put. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/iagree.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
Egg all over my face. The MGs were pointed in different directions and we were looking at the 80 clockwise. Maybe both of us are punch drunk from working on the 79. Don't know how to make a blush thing but believe me I am /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

"Blush Thing"? OH thats easy to come up with its right here:- /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif---Keoke
 
I'm reminded of a friend with a '62 Corvette... he'd put a new cap 'n rotor, points and condenser on, fitted new wires and couldn't get it running. Called me and I went over to find he'd got so absorbed in the diz he'd wired it up: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8!! and as further embarassment, the firing order is CAST into the intake manifold on that engine! That's been thirty years ago and he will NOT live it down to this day. He recently found a Caterham 7, and I couldn't resist: "Uncomplicating things like 'firing order'? Only four of 'em in that, but you can call if you get into trouble." mehheh. Personally, I just like to leave the ROTOR sittin' on the workbench before I try to crank 'em up. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
 
Oh, I/ve done that, hehe.
 
my favorite is forgetting to connect the coil to dist line... on the coil end... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif heheh
 
Or forgetting the hook up the wire to the condenser. Of course my favorite was putting the distributor cap on backwards. Loudest backfire I have ever heard followed by my friends wife checking to see if there was still a garage attached to her house.
 
Leaving the rotor on the bench. And doublechecking for an hour that everything is wired up right. Then pulling the cap to make sure the points are not sticking and viola - no rotor /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
 
And the hubby and my main problem was the the 80 was facing in one direction, the 79 in the other, it was cold, and then I put that dumb post on that ya'll ain't gonna forget--right /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
Well, I've a memory like an elephant... but I can be bought fer peanuts, if that'll help. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jester.gif
 
My Lambo has two six cylinder distributors, one for each bank (how many cars can you have different timing on each half?). Obviously keeping the firing order sorted is paramount.

I was talking to a friend in the business who told me of an apprentice mechanic who was given the job of replacing the plug wires on a 400GT. Now you or I would have reolaced them one at a time, right? This brain trust was found with both caps off the car with all the plug wires pulled out of them trying to figure out what went where.

My friend (who owns the garage) figured he'd have taken about a week to get the thing running again....
 
Turning an inexperienced tech loose on a machine like that seems a bit...err... "irresponsible"? Just my opinion.

Ferrari "boxer" engines are two-dizzy setups as well. Driven at the two intake cams. BTDT. Testarossas. One I got saw the DPW (wrench) put the early cam cover gaskets on a later engine... NOT smart. And left the roll-pins OUT of the dizzy cams! It did run, but seemed horribly "lackluster" to me... new owner scared himself silly after I'd set it right. Sold it a few months (and a few "indiscretions" of legal nature) later.
 
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