You must learn an engine's firing order---the order in which the spark plugs ignite for engine operation---when dealing with any sort of repair dealing with its cylinders. The Ford 302 engine has its own particular firing order.
The Ford 302 has the firing order 1, 5, 4, 2, 6, 3, 7, 8. The cylinders sit on the engine block in a specific order. The left side (your left, while looking at the engine from the front) has cylinders 1, 2, 3 and 4, from front to back. The right side has cylinders 5, 6, 7,and 8 starting from front to back as well. The distributor rotation occurs counterclockwise.
Firing order determines the sequence in which the cylinders in your vehicle's engine receive power. An engine's firing order can attribute to minimizing vibration, which affects the overall life of the engine.
When working on an engine, keep the relationship between the firing order and spark plug wires. The spark plug wires connect the spark plugs to the engine, and you must change them in accordance with the engine's firing order.
