firing order

This site contains affiliate links for which LandyZone may be compensated if you make a purchase.
H

hennas

New Member
Posts
17
Hi can anybody help I changed the plugs leads distributor and rota arm on my 3.9 discovery, I have put the plug leads on the correct plugs according to my land rover book but the car will not start, it is just backfiring. I didn't keep a note of which leads went to which plugs as I had new ones and the land rover diagram, is there any other way that the plug leads can go as I am pulling my hair out or have I just done something blatantly stupid
thanks
 
Standing at the front of the car the drivers side is 2,4,6,8 and the passenger side is 1,3,5,7, the distributor ,at the bottom clip the left side of the clip is plug 8 and the right side is plug 1, is this correct, would the car start if there were a couple of leads wrong or does it sound like I have quite a few wrong
thanks Ian
 
If the leads aint right it aint gonna fire right :doh: check ur firing order off the diagram off that thread and make sure the leads are seated correctly.
 
hennas said:
the distributor ,at the bottom clip the left side of the clip is plug 8 and the right side is plug 1,
Click to expand...

Yes in theory but you can't depend on it. You need to establish where 1 is on your distributor. The only way to do this is to take the cap off, turn the engine over until the timing marks on the crank pully line up with the pointer (if you are lucky, there may be a white mark at the correct point) and then see where the rotor arm is pointing. It should be pointing roughly in the direction of 1 on Nathans diagram or 180 degrees opposite. If it is the latter, turn the engine over another full rotation of the crank. Where the rotor is pointing, that is your number one. Work off that using the correct order and you should be fine.

Did you use genuine cap and rotor arm? If not, this could be a source of your problem. Non genuine rotor arms can be ****.

Cheers

Chris
 
Hi, thanks for all the advice ,I have followed the last instructions and found that my no1 is 2 to the left of where it should be but unfortunatley it still won't start now there is nothing at all the engine turns over but there is no back fire or anything, should I try a new distributor and rota arm or is it something more serious any suggestions ?
thanks Ian
 
Are you now confident that your leads are in the correct order?

If not, I have a disco engine fitted to my 90, I could check the lead sequence for you.

If you are happy that they are all in the correct place, have you checked that you have a spark at all?

Simpliest way to check is to connect one of the HT leads to a spark plug, connect the spark plug with jump leads to a good earth.
 
In case it helps.

On my engine, no. 1 position is immediately to the anti-clockwise of the front clip of the Distributor.

Attached is a picture of my Distributor, the top white line showing the No 1 position, the lower showing the clip for reference.

Also attached is a firing order chart, this matches the wiring order on my wagon.

Good luck, keep us in touch.
 

Attachments

  • Disty.jpg
    Disty.jpg
    63.2 KB · Views: 5,711
  • Firing Order.jpg
    Firing Order.jpg
    32.9 KB · Views: 14,152
Hi, thanks i'll try that but it was running fine until I chaged the plugs leads and distributor
thanks
 
Hi thanks for the photos, I lined the crank pulley up to the marker and this showed me that my no 1 is 2 places clockwise to the correct position which yours is, but I have tried it in both ways and still no luck, but now it's not showing any signs at all of starting whereas at first it was backfiring
thank
 
Have you checked for a spark of any kind?

Apart from the leads what else have you changed?

Out of interest, why did you change the leads - if it was just as a service item, why don't you strip the HT leads and cap comletely. Then re-fit the originals.

Good luck
 
Hi, the leads were very worn with split caps etc, plugs were black so I thought I would treat it but I wish I had left it, the diagram shown is the one I was working off but it does not work on mine according to the crank pulley my no 1 is 2 places clockwise. I have refitted the original distributor cap and rota arm but these are pretty worn but still no joy with leads in the factory position or the new position
thanks
 
Hi I am in gateshead tyne and wear, I am going to try a different distributor cap and rota arm, is there any thing else that I could have knocked or any wires that could have come off as this is driving me mad
thanks
 
Maybe theres someone local who'd pop round n av a look?
if it worked before and misfired after parts were fitted and then not after you had anuther mess id say its firing order tbh....you have checked the firing order and checked each plug for spark?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

cappers
3.5 hotwire efi won't start - solved, poor connection to coil -ve!
Replies
14
Views
2K
AllanWorms
AllanWorms
S
refit rotor arm
Replies
4
Views
556
Hicap phill
H
Tim_AM
S3 bogging on full throttle
Replies
8
Views
794
tottot
tottot
D
Series 3 Ex MOD ignition timing
Replies
8
Views
1K
Diggerat35
D
N
1.8 Freelander cranking but not firing
Replies
1
Views
1K
niccage
N
Back
Top