Help!!! Ignition wire mixup.

[Ern36]

Ok, I feel like a complete idiot already so don't anyone add to it for me.

It's a 1986 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera V6 2.8L Carb.

I was changing my sparkplugs today with a friend and while putting dielectric grease on the spark plug boots at the distributor end we crossed #1 and #2 ignition wires with each other when putting the boots back on. We had to take more than one boot off at the same time so we could get at them properly.

I'm still trying to figure out how it happened since I am usually pretty careful and I have labeled the ignition wires and the distributor cap with the corresponding cylinder numbers. I started the car several times after we were finished and it kept stalling which I thought nothing of since it has a sticky choke and it does this sometimes.

I just kept trying to start it and it shuddered and stalled. I never put it in gear. I then figured out there was something wrong so We went back and checked the ignition wires and found out #1 and #2 were switched with each other.

Here is the cylinder arrangement.

Back 1-3-5
Front Left 2-4-6 Right

The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6 so it was firing 2-1-3-4-5-6.

What damage have I done? The car runs fine now I have corrected the situation.

 

[Steve S]

Probably no damage but don't feel bad as mixing the firing order can and does happen to everyone at least once or twice.

 

[QuadDriver]

quote:

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Originally posted by Ern36:
Ok, I feel like a complete idiot already so don't anyone add to it for me.

It's a 1986 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera V6 2.8L Carb.

I was changing my sparkplugs today with a friend and while putting dielectric grease on the spark plug boots at the distributor end we crossed #1 and #2 ignition wires with each other when putting the boots back on. We had to take more than one boot off at the same time so we could get at them properly.

I'm still trying to figure out how it happened since I am usually pretty careful and I have labeled the ignition wires and the distributor cap with the corresponding cylinder numbers. I started the car several times after we were finished and it kept stalling which I thought nothing of since it has a sticky choke and it does this sometimes.

I just kept trying to start it and it shuddered and stalled. I never put it in gear. I then figured out there was something wrong so We went back and checked the ignition wires and found out #1 and #2 were switched with each other.

Here is the cylinder arrangement.

Back 1-3-5
Front Left 2-4-6 Right

The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6 so it was firing 2-1-3-4-5-6.

What damage have I done? The car runs fine now I have corrected the situation.

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#1 fired 60 degrees late meaning it barely made power, #2 fired 60 degrees early meaning under a load you could have bent a rod easily. but if it runs ok now, ignore it. what is more impressive is that you have a 2.8v6 with a carb still running.

 

[Ern36]

quote:

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#1 fired 60 degrees late meaning it barely made power, #2 fired 60 degrees early meaning under a load you could have bent a rod easily. but if it runs ok now, ignore it. what is more impressive is that you have a 2.8v6 with a carb still running.

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Do you think an oil analysis would show any evidence of any damage or would it not show up? Do you think I could have shortened the life of the engine?

More impressive that it runs after I switched ignition wires accidentally or for some other reason?

 

[Mike_dup1]

quote:

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What damage have I done? The car runs fine now I have corrected the situation.

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None what-so-ever, forget about it. Oil analysis will tell you nothing about the misfires.

About the only damage that could occur is from handling the spark plug wires. They have to be handled gently and never pull on the wire to remove, always pull on the boot. If these are the original wires, you may want to replace them. Plug wires break down with age and miles.

[ September 13, 2003, 09:12 AM: Message edited by: Mike ]