firing order

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

left bank right bank?

you must have had the book upside down. keep swapping them round 'til it starts.

2nd post
http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f10/no-start-after-plug-lead-change-gems-125440.html

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

As Ragtag said, you need to see where the rotor arm is pointing to set plug No.1.

The firing order from memory should be 1,8,4,3,6,5,7,2. Make sure all the leads are properly routed and clipped. No HT leads should be touching.

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.

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

If youve changed the distributor could it be 180 out? or did ya mean the cap?

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

Cant go wrong with this diagram..... surely

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

where are you hennas?

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?