Hello.

On a 4-cyl 2.3L 1997 Ford Ranger, what is the correct
sparkplug wiring order starting with the two power
packs and standing in front of the engine.

First, the passenger side of the engine block has two
power packs as you stand in front. The engine has
four cylinders -- four on the passenger side and four on
the driver side. How do I wire the power packs to the
spark plugs?

 

Looking at the engine from the front of the vehicle, the pistons are numbered front to back 1234. The front coil pack starting from the front left moving clockwise is 1423. The rear coil pack starting from the front left clockwise is 2314. The firing order is 1342. Hope that helps.

 

Welcome to FTE!

I recommend you pick up a copy of the Haynes Repair Manual for your Ranger at your local auto parts store. Not that expensive ($14 or so) and it's a good source of this type of information...

 

From your description of the power pack and the firing order, Am I to assume
that there is no rotational pattern to the firing?
That is, in conventional distributors, the rotor turns in one direction firing the
spark plugs in a set pattern through the wire positions such as 1 3 4 2.
The first wire at BTDC is 1 then 3 then 4 then 2.

In the front power pack, the positions is 1 4 2 3, yet the firing order is 1 3 4 2.
How can this be?

 

Correct, there is no rotational pattern to the firing of the coil packs. Each coil pack contains two separate ignition coils for a total of four ignition coils. These coils take low voltage pulses from the PCM and changes them into high voltage pulses which are then sent through the wires to the plugs. The firing sequence is entirely controlled by the PCM, and ignition timing is maintained vis a vis a signal sent to the PCM by the crankshaft positon sensor.

 

I have a Ford 97 Ranger 4-cyl ( 2.3L ) engine and
I still need help in trying to wire my spark plugs from the two power packs,

My Chilton Ford 91-99 Repair Manual has the power packs
labeled as such:
Starting with the front power pack and with the front left power
pack distribution point and going clockwise: 1 - 4- 3- 2

The rear power pack, starting at the front left is: 3 - 2- 1- 4

In running the plugs, I am using the front power pack for the
Driver side plugs and the rear power pack for the passenger
side plugs.


The engine starts and can rev up good but will not idle smooth.
In fact, it idles rough (the engine shaking),.
So, the help I need is to know if my wiring is o.k. and the
trouble is elsewhere?

 

In trying to get help for the firing order of my Ford 97 Ranger,
I recieved this reply from HREED:
"Looking at the engine from the front of the vehicle, the pistons are
numbered front to back 1234. The front coil pack starting from the front
left moving clockwise is 1423. The rear coil pack starting from the front
left clockwise is 2314. The firing order is 1342. Hope that helps."

My Chilton's Ford 1991-1999 Repair Manual has the coil packs different.

Chilton has the front coil pack starting from the front left moving clockwise
as: 1 - 4 - 3 - 2

and the rear coil pack from the front left moving clockwise as:
3 - 2 -1 - 4

Now, can you see my problem? Can any one go check their truck
and tell me how the plugs are wired with respect to the coil packs?
Please !

 

Make sure you check for any hoses or wire connections that may have gotten knocked off while you were doing the plugs & wires.

My '93-'00 Haynes Manual has it as follows for the 4 banger:

 

Thank you Rockledge
Your haynes manual jives with my Chilton manual.
That is the way I am wiring the plugs.

 

https://ricksfreeautorepairadvice.co...-firing-order/