c-1 timing / firing order

[John Araujo]

I need some help with in determining the proper order for plug wires. To make sure I have my information straight, I have a 62 with engine stamp F0601RC which should be a standard 250HP 327. The firing order on the manifold is 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2. The cylinders starting front to back on the left side should be 1-3-5-7, and on the right side 2-4-6-8. The distributer should have the number 1 just slightly to the right of the front center line. The car has been running fine but recently started to idle a little rough so I thought I'd check the timing. It seems the my plug wires are laid out starting from slightly to the right front of the center line 4-3-6-5-7-2-1-8. I tried switching the wires to the configuration it should be and the car didn't even run. I switched them back and it runs fine. How can this be possible? Could I have the wrong distributer? Also to note: the timing light only lights up the timing mark when on the number 1 plug wire,( which is in what should be the # 7 position on the distributer) and on the number 6 wire, (which should be the # 4 position). Am I missing something? I hope I described this well enough, please let me know if anyone has run into this.
Thanks
John

[William C.]

Re: c-1 timing / firing order

Your distributor was installed incorrectly and the wires moved to correct the problem, the sequence is still the same, don't worry about it.

[John Araujo]

Re: c-1 timing / firing order

Thanks Bill,
I thought the same thing, not to mess with it as it is running good. The only problem I could run into is that I can't advance the timing past a certain point because the vaccum advance hits the coil. Should the vaccum advance be in front of the coil or behind it? Also should it be 4 degrees or 8 degrees BTDC.
John

[William C.]

Re: c-1 timing / firing order

In front of the coil, '62 timing for a 250hp is spec'd as a range-6 to 10 degrees whatever the engine will tolerate without detonation on the fuel being used. Generally 10 is better if the engine will tolerate it.

[Duke W.]

Re: c-1 timing / firing order

This has been discussed a zillion times, so I suggest you search the archives, but with OE cams the dimple on the distributor gear must face the same direction as the rotor tip, then index the wires per the service manual and you should be able to set the timing in the range for OE engines with the VAC about halfway between the interference points and the cap window approximately normal to the cranshaft axis.

So you should remove the dist. and check the dimple. Do this with the crank balancer notch opposite the correct initial timing point on the tab, BTDC #1. Pull a plug and check for compression to verify #1 if you have even the slightest doubt. Reinstall the dist. with the dimple properly indexed and rotate the housing until the points just barely begin to open then back a hair. Now your engine is static timed and should start right up with the initial timing within a degree or two of target.

Recent anecdotal evidence indicates that some aftermarket cams may not have the same cam gear indexing as OE and may require the dimple to be indexed "backwards".

Duke

[Verne Frantz]

Re: c-1 timing / firing order

Duke,
"Recent anecdotal evidence indicates that some aftermarket cams may not have the same cam gear indexing as OE and may require the dimple to be indexed "backwards". "

Would you care to mention which manufacturers may have the gear indexing screwed up?

Thanks
Verne

[Duke W.]

Re: c-1 timing / firing order

I don't know. As stated, the information is "anecdotal" and much of it is from recent posts on this forum.

Answers to my followup questions on the cam details (mfg., part number, OE clone or aftermarket design) were either unknown or there was no response to my query.

Duke