I have a 1972 Lincoln Continental with a 460. I know it's not a truck but the engine's should be the same.

I replaced spark plug & wires thinking I would replace them by firing order(I did not note the order when I removed them). I put them back 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8

Now it won't start and backfires. What other firing order works with 460? I know sometimes different firing orders will work with 302/351

 

Even if the firing order is correct, it's also possible to have them installed on the distributor cap incorrectly and will have the same symptoms. Jus' Sayin'

 

289/302 and non-H.O. 5.0L engines have the same firing order. 15426378. Cylinder #1 is the first cylinder at the front of the right engine bank. #1-4 are on the right side of the engine. #5-8 are on the left side of the engine.

H.O. 5.0L and all 351Ws have a 13726548 firing order.

Was the engine running prior to removing the spark plug wires and has the distributor been removed/reinstalled just prior to this happening?

If the distributor has been removed, it could be 180° out of phase.

 

It was running good. I was changing both because it's been a few years since I put on new plugs/wires.

Distributor rotates counter clockwise.... correct?

 

Correct. On Ford the rotor rotates counterclockwise, therefore turning distributor body clockwise direction will increase (advance) ignition timing.

Move #1 piston to TDC compression stroke observe where rotor points.

 

I will stay at it and maybe get it back running.

Thanx!