Does anyone have the correct plug location and firing order for the 4.2 v6? There doesn't seem to be manuals available yet for us sometime do it yourselfers. Need block cylinder number locations and plug wiring locations on coil pack.

 

The Coil-pack is numbered. Cylinder numbers start with passenger side front cylinder as number 1. Number 2 & 3 are passenger side, middle then back, respectively. 4, 5, 6 are drvers side from front to back.

If the numbers on your Coil-pack are faded/missing, post back and I will check my truck for you.

 

Don't know if you got my e-mail, but my numbering on the coil pack is gone. Thanks for your quick response, have a great 4th.
Phil

 

Sorry, I left my truck at my Dad's house at the lake, so he could haul some stuff back down state. I didn't think to look at it, either. I think he is coming down Sunday night. Maybe, someone else can help you out before then.

From memory, I think they match up with the way the cylinders are numbered for #1,2,3, and the other side goes (front to back) #6,4,5. I am almost sure, but maybe you should wait until I can confirm it.

On the other hand, I doubt any damage would result from trying [font color=red]{insert standard disclaimer here}[/font]. Just let it idle. If it runs like crap shut it off. This may result in a check engine light and a stored code. If you don't have access to a code reader, unhook your battery to clear it.

On a V6 DIS (distributerless ingition system), such as ours, there are three coils in the coil-pack, with two spark plug leads each. When it's time for one cylinder to fire, the other cylinder attached to that coil fires as well. I think this happens when that cylinder is 360 degrees from when it needs to fire (near the end of the exhaust stroke), so it has no effect. So, if you think about it, the coils can't be connected to cylinders that use the same rod journal on the crank (opposing cylinders can't be at TDC at the same time). If I am right about #1,2,3, that leaves two possible combinations for the other three cylinders (starting to sound like a brain teaser).

Then again, maybe the inconsequential fire doesn't happen during the exhaust stroke, or #1,2,3 go from back to front. Ah well, I wish my memory was better.

BTW, no, I didn't get an e-mail from you. I checked and it is correct, when you click the mail icon above.???

 

Ahh, you sent me a Private Message. I just found it. They should make your inbox flash red or something when someone sends you a message.

 

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 07-Jul-01 AT 05:14 AM (EST)[/font][p]Ok, here you go.

On the coil-pack, passenger side front to back is 1,2,3. Drivers side front to back is 5,6,4.

 

JerryRigged, I think someone has swapped positions of 2 of your coil packs, and that is leading you to incorrectly assume the cylinder positions. The cylinders are as you state them to be on the passenger side (1-2-3 front to back) and 4-5-6 front to back on the driver's side. Since the coil packs are interchangeable, inadvertent swapping of 2 coil packs during a sparkplug change would be of no consequence.

 

No, I don't think so. The coil-pack we are referring to is one unit with all three coils inside. You can't swap them around like you say on my '97 F-150 4.2L (I have been assuming his '98 is identical, though).

I guess it's possilbe to turn the whole unit around, which would move two coils as you say.

My coil-pack has the harness plug on the passenger side. It has a sticker on top with the cylinder numbers on it. If you follow the wire from the coil-pack to the cylinder, you wind up at a cylinder # that corresponds with the # on the coil-pack's sticker.

Maybe, because I spread the info out over a few posts it is easy to misread, so I'll restate it:

The cylinders are numbered front to back, passenger side is 1,2,3, driver's side is 4,5,6. The coil-pack is numbered front to back, passenger side is 1,2,3, driver's side is 5,6,4.

 

Jim, maybe you only read my first attempt to answer his question from memory, where I was wrong. But, I rechecked after you posted and, as far as my truck goes, the info in my last post is correct.

 

OK guys, I have been monitoring this discussion so now I went out and checked my 4.2 V6 98 model and it is passenger side front to rear 1 2 3 and drivers side front to rear 5 6 4.