Spark plug wires gone 'haywire'

[198686d]

Diehard BE mentors:


Just installed new sprk plg wires in new side fit dist. cap on 61 BE. Why? Car was starting/running fine. Needed to get out to dtched garage to escape. Anyway. New wires, new cap.....now great running car is coughing, bkfiring, and wife is asking what this is gonna cost. Fun.

Is there a specific order to wires related to the holes on the dist. cap. Of course, I didn't keep track.

help me solve problem to avoid marital blitz.

dave in University City, MO

 

[dklawson]

There is indeed an order.

Looking at the cap, top down as installed and reading from left to right...
Bottom Row: 3 1
Top Row: 4 coil 2

 

[198686d]

O.K. thanks:

That is a big help. Is the numbering from the front of the car to the back or vice versa? Really appreciate it.

dave

 

[nomad]

Cylinder numbering is front to back. 1to 4. Firing order is 1342. dklawson's description should work unless someone has messed it up over the years.
KA

 

[Bugzy59]

No 1 cylinder is in the front. No. 4 is in the back. Not all distributors have no. 1 in the same spot so if it does not run right, you can switch them around. The firing order is 1 3 4 2. So clockwise looking down at the dizzy, the wires should go in that order.

 

[198686d]

Dougl:

You saved the day. Went out to deetched garage @ 18F. in plaid pj bottoms, AH T-shirt and bathrobe. Wife now knows she is my legal rep. Followed your directions....she fired up like a bottlerocket.

Thank you, thank you...you saved the day.

dave in uNIVERSITY CITY, MO

 

[bugimike]

Hehehe...Methinks dave has the LBC bug for sure!!!

 

[Bayless]

Boy, I would have at least put some clothes on.

 

[dklawson]

Oh... I don't know, flannel PJs can be pretty warm.

I had one of those moments many years ago. I'd screwed up something on m my sister's car and it wouldn't start. Lying in bed at 11:30 at night I was thinking about the problem and the answer came to me. Within a minute I was outside, on my back, under the car in my bathrobe and PJs. After re-connecting some wires I disturbed her car fired right up and I did the happy dance to bed. Sometimes you can't wait even to get dressed.

I'm glad you got it sorted so easily. BTW, a common thing to do is replace the wires one at a time and while you have them off, do something like put cable ties on each wire (1 cable tie for plug 1, 2 for plug #2...)

 

[jvandyke]

My PO had put little dots on the boots (plug end) One dot for cylinder 1, two for two... Looks a little silly but works. Probably should do the same to the dizzy end and the cap and then all is covered.

 

[nomad]

I've always used strips of electrical tape. 1 thru 3 and number 4 is understood.
KA

 

[RickB]

Your pic made me smile.

It's like uh... see it's plugged into #1 and it has one dot... :wink:

I know that helps when you're replacing plugs if you want to do them all at once but unplugging from the cap would be a problem. Yes, doing the other end would be helpful.

Personally I just always try to only unplug one at a time.

 

[jvandyke]

Yeah, I didn't do it and wouldn't but, well, there ya go, inherited from PO. I'm getting ready to rewire the whole car. She came with a new harness and the old stuff is RATTY, no wrap anywhere, fuse block bypassed, another story.....

 

[RickB]

...fuse block bypassed, another story.....

SCARY

 

[198686d]

Yuz guys helped alot. New wires (in order now), new "platinum" (wow) plugs & 'properly gapped, rotor...next week doing condensor and points...and no, I haven't done this before, but a friend who knows is 'helping' me.

But, it runs great now. Purrs. It actually does. It's a good sound.

thnx,

dave

 

[Pythias]

I'm not positive and speaking for others is usually the path to problems, but I think most of us recognize NGK as the best plugs for these engines. It will be interesting to know your experiences with platinum plugs. May I ask which brand and the numbers on them?

 

[jlaird]

Ohh yea. When tuned properly they sound so fine.