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Firing Order, Where To Start


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I lost control of the spark plug wires. One of those "what was I doing" moments.

I have the firing order down ok. 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2

Where do I start on the distributor?

Is this photo correct for the Monsoon II?

distributor.png

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I lost control of the spark plug wires. One of those "what was I doing" moments.

I have the firing order down ok. 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2

Where do I start on the distributor?

Is this photo correct for the Monsoon II?

distributor.png

Boz...the firing order you show seems correct, or at least it does in terms of my 1997 Indmar manual. I think, according to the Clymer manual anyway, that cylinders 1, 3, 5, 7 should be on the port side, front to rear. If that's the case, then the photo you attached would be correct assumed the bottom of the photo is the front of the engine as it appears it is in the photo.

Edit: My plug wires, as well as the replacements I ordered, all all numbered FWIW. Otherwise can't help on where to start on the distributor. I'll keep reading in Clymer and let you know if I find it.

Edited by inlandlaker
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Thanks, I have that book, but haven't found the answer. Some say starting point on distributor does not matter as long as order is correct, others show the number one post on distributor starts where two is shown. My plug wires are numbered, but I had read the wrong line in the book, the firing order for right rotation doesn't work well in the standard rotation Monsoon. (bad mistake)

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Thanks, I have that book, but haven't found the answer. Some say starting point on distributor does not matter as long as order is correct, others show the number one post on distributor starts where two is shown. My plug wires are numbered, but I had read the wrong line in the book, the firing order for right rotation doesn't work well in the standard rotation Monsoon. (bad mistake)

The starting point will matter, there should be a mark next to the number one post. However IIRC it looks like it is dead center between two posts.

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Starting point shouldn't really matter. You can pull the distributor out and drop it back in pointed wherever you want, but my advice is not to do that if you didn't have it out in the first place. You can fine tune exactly where it needs to be by rotating the distributor to adjust the timing. But it sounds like none of this will be necessary if all you did was take your wires off and forget where they were.

Pull your #1 spark plug and make sure your piston is at TDC of the compression stroke (as far up as the piston will go). You will have to rotate the engine by hand to find the exact spot. Each piston comes up twice....compression stroke and exhaust stroke. If you are on the compression stroke, your rotor will be pointed very close to the #1 plug wire. Worst case if you are on the exhaust stroke is you are off 180 degrees and you do it again. Once you have identified #1 on the cap, just follow around with your wires in the firing order in the direction the rotor spins when you crank it. And FWIW, the firing order might be cast into the top of the intake manifold on one of the runners.

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Starting point shouldn't really matter. You can pull the distributor out and drop it back in pointed wherever you want, but my advice is not to do that if you didn't have it out in the first place. You can fine tune exactly where it needs to be by rotating the distributor to adjust the timing. But it sounds like none of this will be necessary if all you did was take your wires off and forget where they were.

Pull your #1 spark plug and make sure your piston is at TDC of the compression stroke (as far up as the piston will go). You will have to rotate the engine by hand to find the exact spot. Each piston comes up twice....compression stroke and exhaust stroke. If you are on the compression stroke, your rotor will be pointed very close to the #1 plug wire. Worst case if you are on the exhaust stroke is you are off 180 degrees and you do it again. Once you have identified #1 on the cap, just follow around with your wires in the firing order in the direction the rotor spins when you crank it. And FWIW, the firing order might be cast into the top of the intake manifold on one of the runners.

If the distributor has not been moved or removed, do I have to go through the TDC routine?

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martinarcher

REW is right. If you haven't removed your distributor (which is a good thing because your timing will still be fine), you need to find the #1 spark plug. It certainly matters. The distributor should be marked for #1 spark plug wire. If your not sure or there's no mark, roll the engine with a breaker bar until #1 piston is at TDC and then pull your distributor cap. The #1 distributor cap post is the one your rotor is pointing at/contacting.

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Glad some people could offer some help here to you Boz. I am getting ready to replace my cap, rotor, plugs, and wires in the next couple of days so it's helping me as well. I am going to mark my #1 before I do anything so I can be sure to get it back together correctly.......or so I hope.

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Thanks to everyone for the input. I will let you know after I get back to it.

Good luck Inlandlaker, it's not hard, but if you get distracted and turn your back for a min, the wire gypsys will reek havoc

Edited by Bozboat
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Thanks to everyone for the input. I will let you know after I get back to it.

Good luck Inlandlaker, it's not hard, but if you get distracted and turn your back for a min, the wire gypsys will reek havoc

Lol....

Good luck to you as well.

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