QuestionI have a 1927 roadster with a 4 cyl engine.When I bought the car someone had removed the plug wires from the distributor.Can you tell me the firing order or how i can get the plug wires in the correct position.thanks
AnswerI believe that the firing order is 1-3-2-4 - but I am not certain of that, since my books don't go back that far.
You can determine the firing order yourself, but it will take a bit of work. The way to do that is as follows:
1. Remove all 4 spark plugs, then tear off 4X4 inch pieces of toilet tissue or kleenex tissue and lay one piece over each of the 4 spark plug holes.
2. Using the hand crank, rotate the engine crankshaft 180 degress clockwise (as viewed from the front).
3. One of the tissues will puff up when you do this; Make note of which is the first cylinder to do that.
4. Then, rotate the engine another 180 degrees - another tissue will pop up - note which cylinder that is.
5. Continue this process until all 4 have popped up. Now you know the order in which the cylinders fire; For instance, if #3 was the first to puff up, then #2, then #4, and finally #1, we know that the firing order is indeed 1-3-2-4.
Now, you need to figure out which hole in the distributor cap gets #1's plug wire. The way to do this is to rotate the crank as above, still clockwise, while you watch the rotor inside the distributor to determine which way it turns - you'll need to know that for the next step.
Put the tissue back on #1 hole, and crank until it puffs up - now you know you are on #1 compression stroke. Look at where the rotor is pointed now - that is the hole that gets #1's plug wire - then install the other 3 in order, following the rotation direction of the rotor around the cap.
I hope this is clear enough - if not, write me a "follow-up" to this question and I'll try harder.
Dick
