I browse this forum almost daily reguarding my pick-up. I have found the forum to be invaluable. My question today is reguarding my 1970 cougar with a 351W. The firing order stamped on the intake is 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8. When I place the wires in this configuration the engine barely runs. If I use the other FORD firing order of 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8 the engine runs perfectly smooth.

Could anyone out there help me to understand what modifications to the engine may cause this.

 

Sounds like you may have cam with the 302 firing order. Also make sure you are numbering the cylinders correctly, passenger side front to back 1-4, drivers side frondt to back 5-8. I think you are getting this part though.

 

A buddy of mine has a 71 Cougar XR7 but it has a 351C in it, not the Windsor. Are you sure it is the Windsor and not a Cleveland? I don't know if this changes the firing order though.

 

I had the Intake off and am certain from the intake bolt pattern that the engine is a Windsor.

If I do have a 302 cam, will I have any other problems (other than the firing order).

Thanks for the input.

 

hello, i rebuilt my 351w last fall and i ordered a engine kit from northern auto parts. and i added a bigger cam to the order. i wired it up like a 351w and it would run but like crap , i tryed a 302 order and it runs great. i think some hi perf. cams for the 351 are actually a 302 cam. i have about 12k on my motor and have not had any probs with it . knock on wood. hope this helps.

 

If you took off the intake you would have seen the raised letters WINDSOR on it.... If it is not on there then its not a Windsor, the 351W has the same order as the Windsor 302. Are you sure that is the stock intake? Sounds to me like it might be a Cleveland intake ? But I am not sure if it would fit? Also-

"I browse this forum almost daily regarding my pick-up. I have found the forum to be invaluable"

What do you mean by that? This site is one of the best sources of information for FORD'S on the web.... Are you telling me that you have posted detailed questions about your problem and no one has been able to help you? Because when you say :My 1970 cougar with a 351W. The firing order stamped on the intake is 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8. When I place the wires in this configuration the engine barely runs. If I use the other FORD firing order of 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8 the engine runs perfectly smooth.

And ask :Could anyone out there help me to understand what modifications to the engine may cause this.

You got a straight answer, A different Cam

Different firing order can also be caused by a different ignition system....

Is the engine the same year as the car?

 

I think he meant invaluable as a good thing, meaning he couldn't place a value on the information he found here...

The cam is the thing that dictates ignition firing order. The later model 302 HO motors got the 351W firing order (1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8). Prior to that, they had a different firing order (1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8). The 302's are Windsors, regardless of firing order. I doubt it is a Cleveland motor because I only know of one firing order in that engine family, which is the same as the 351W.

-http://www.classictrucksweb.com/tech...t_alternative/

 

jesus christ. someone get that man a dictionary.

quick.


anyway, the only problem with running a 302 cam in a 351 comes when using a dual plane carbureted manifold. a great many of these manifolds are tuned for the 137 firing order. if you have an EFI intake, or a single plane manifold, its irrelevant.