A few simple questions?

Hi all

I have a few questions regarding a 4.2 (actually they are pretty silly) -

1. Which is cylinder number 1? the one nearest the front of the car or nearest the firewall?

2. How do I know which plug lead goes to which hole on the distributor - does someone have a diagram?

Thanks

Wayne

Number 1 cylinder/piston is the one next to the firewall (or bulkhead as we say in the UK ! ) at the rear of the engine.

If you have pulled all the plug leads out of the distributor before marking
them, (big mistake), here is a way of finding when number 1 cylinder is about to fire:

Remove all 6 spark plugs.

Remove the distributor cap. Leave the rotor arm in place.

Turn the engine (either with a spanner on the crankshaft pulley nut, or by quick, very short turns of the key - until you are satisfied that number one piston is at the top of its stroke. You can do this by poking something soft, like a drinking straw, down number 1 plug hole. When this is at its maximum height, number 1 piston is at its firing point. You may need a helper for this. Stop turning the engine there.

Then observe the position of the rotor arm in the distributor, relative to the distributor cap when offered in its correct position. Where the rotor arm rests, the adjacent brass contact in the cap feeds number 1 cylinder.

Put the plug lead from from number 1 cylinder (the one at the rear of the engine) to into the hole adjacent to the rotor arm. AND MARK IT.

The firing order is cylinder 1 : 5 : 3 : 6: 2 : 4:

So now work round the distributor cap in a clockwise direction, puttiing number 5 plug lead in the distributor hole next to number 1, and so on. And mark them !!

I'm sorry that this goes on a bit, and others may have a simpler way, bur I hope it is helpful.

Regards

Paul W.

Thanks for the help. Much appreciated.