Number 1 cylinder on V8

[marty in Ohio]

We are working on a Ford V8 flathead engine. We have the heads off and a lively discussion was had about the number one cylinder. Is the number 1 in the front on the driver's side or on the passenger side? There is a bet riding on this one. Also we can't find torque specs for the heads and the intake manifold.
Thanks for your help.
Marty

[41Joe]

I believe #1 is on the passenger side at the front.

[48-710]

Marty,the winner is...big drum roll......*PASSENGER*. It's an odd beast in that the leading cyl, that is the first conrod on the crank ,is not the first one in the firing order.
Gary

[Thaplumbr]

[Kube]

Originally Posted by 48-710

Marty,the winner is...big drum roll......*PASSENGER*. It's an odd beast in that the leading cyl, that is the first conrod on the crank ,is not the first one in the firing order.
Gary

Gary, this depends on which side is the passenger side.

To avoid confusion, the #1 cylinder on a flathead Ford engine is always on the right side of the vehicle.

[flatjack9]

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Head bolts should be torqued to 45 - 50 ft. lb.

[petehoovie]

Go to this link for torque specs. > http://www.vanpeltsales.com/FH_web/f...rque-specs.htm

[APDAVE]

Passenger bank 1-2-3-4 driver bank 5-6-7-8 in the USA , unlike gm cars! Dave

[chap52]

Originally Posted by APDAVE

Passenger bank 1-2-3-4 driver bank 5-6-7-8 in the USA , unlike gm cars! Dave

It has happened where a person didn't follow the above sequence(front to rear) when placing plug wires on the distributor. Don't ask how I know.

Also your firing order will be:1-5-4-8-6-3-7-2

[37 Cab]

Modern Ford`s are still numbered the same. 1 2 3 4 on the right side.

[marty in Ohio]

Thanks guys. We got the engine out tonight and the advice you all gave me will help more than you know. Also, this Van Pelt site has lots of good information.
Thanks again,
Marty

[marty in Ohio]

Oh, and by the way, I won the bet.
Marty

[deuce_roadster]

I believe that the Ford flathead v8 is the outlier in that in almost all instances -- the cylinder farthest forward is #1. I don't know of another v8 engine other then our flathead 8 where #1 isn't the farthest forward. Anyone out there know of another?

[Jack E/NJ]

Kube>>>To avoid confusion, the #1 cylinder on a flathead Ford engine is always on the right side of the vehicle.>>>

To avoid further confusion, which is the right side? And is the #1 cylinder the first cylinder on the right side in the back or the last cylinder on the right side in the front? 8^)

For some reason I can only remember the flathead firing order as 18736542 and the GM-Chrysler firing order 18436572 with the cylinders numbered 1 to 8 front to back as they should be. Except of course some modern GM engines that went to the old flathead firing order for some insignificant reason that really escapes me.

Jack E/NJ

[outlaw]

IMHO; Automotive wise,left or right is always derived from sitting in the drivers seat, not from standing in front of the vehicle looking at it.

[V12Bill]

When I went to wire up my Ford V 8, I used my past experience with Lincoln
V 12s. In the lincoln V 12 the furthest cylinder forward is #1 and that entire bank is odd numbered 1-3-5-7-9-11. I learned quick the the Ford is a different animal.

[Bored&Stroked]

Originally Posted by Jack E/NJ

Kube>>>To avoid confusion, the #1 cylinder on a flathead Ford engine is always on the right side of the vehicle.>>>

For some reason I can only remember the flathead firing order as 18736542

Jack E/NJ

Only problem Jack - that isn't it! LOL

It is 15486372

[Jack E/NJ]

Bored&Stroked>>>It is 15486372 >>>

Yes, with the cylinders numbered 51627384 front to back, 15486372 is then correct. But with the cylinders numbered 12345678 front to back, 18736542 is still correct. 8^) Jack E/NJ

[Straightpipes]

How about a flathead running a 180 degree crank. Order is 18364527. Sounds like 2 four bangers. Lots of fun......

[Kube]

Originally Posted by Jack E/NJ

Kube>>>To avoid confusion, the #1 cylinder on a flathead Ford engine is always on the right side of the vehicle.>>>

To avoid further confusion, which is the right side? And is the #1 cylinder the first cylinder on the right side in the back or the last cylinder on the right side in the front? 8^)

For some reason I can only remember the flathead firing order as 18736542 and the GM-Chrysler firing order 18436572 with the cylinders numbered 1 to 8 front to back as they should be. Except of course some modern GM engines that went to the old flathead firing order for some insignificant reason that really escapes me.

Jack E/NJ

The side of a car is determined by how you, the driver, would have it when sitting in the vehicle. THAT industry standard avoids all confusion whether the car was destined for domestic or non-domestic use.

[Kube]

Originally Posted by outlaw

IMHO; Automotive wise,left or right is always derived from sitting in the drivers seat, not from standing in front of the vehicle looking at it.

Exactly!

[1942deluxe]

When I was in the USAF I was a firefighter. If you had a F4 come in with hung ordinance it was real important that everyone agreed which side was left or right. The USAF used "pilots left or right as they are sitting in the cockpit". Ford to this day uses the same but as you are sitting in the drivers seat.

[dude]

"lively discussion" was had by all..

[Ronnie]

The left wing is always the airplane's left wing, no matter which way YOU are facing.

R

[Ronnieroadster]

Originally Posted by jack e/nj

bored&stroked>>>it is 15486372 >>>

yes, with the cylinders numbered 51627384 front to back, 15486372 is then correct. But with the cylinders numbered 12345678 front to back, 18736542 is still correct. 8^) jack e/nj

wrong !

[Jack E/NJ]

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OK, let me say it differently. The 15486372 firing order in the Ford V8 cylinder numbering convention is the same as 18736542 in the GM/Xler V8 cylinder numbering convention. How does that sound? Jack E/NJ

[Jack E/NJ]

Originally Posted by Ronnie

The left wing is always the airplane's left wing, no matter which way YOU are facing. R

Hmmm. That must also mean my left arm is always my left arm, no matter which way YOU are facing. That's easy enough for me to remember. But what about my right arm? 8^) Jack E/NJ

[Bored&Stroked]

Originally Posted by Jack E/NJ

OK, let me say it differently. The 15486372 firing order in the Ford V8 cylinder numbering convention is the same as 18736542 in the GM/Xler V8 cylinder numbering convention. How does that sound? Jack E/NJ

We're having some fun here . . . so I'll have to step in once more.

I won't go into listing all the cylinders - we'll just start on the front 2. In a flathead ford, the first cylinder on the passenger side fires first (#1), then the first cylinder on the driver's side (#5) - by Ford's numbering scheme.

Number '8' will never be the first cylinder on either side - no matter which numbering scheme you use.

Ford: Firing order = 1-5-4-8-6-3-7-2

FordNumbering.jpg

Chevy: Typical SBC firing order = 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2

ChevyNumbering.jpg

[Jack E/NJ]

>>>In a flathead ford, the first cylinder on the passenger side fires first (#1), then the first cylinder on the driver's side (#5)>>>Ford: Firing order = 1-5-4-8-6-3-7-2


Without numbering the cylinders, I prefer to say that the 1st cylinder on the driver's side fires 1st. Then the 4th cylinder on the passenger side fires next. Then the 4th cylinder on the driver side fires next but only for a typical Ford V8 --- it'd be the 2nd cylinder on the passenger side for a typical Chevy/Xler V8. Of course, for a right hand drive vehicle, I'd have to revise what I just said. 8^) Jack E/NJ

BTW, as mentioned by V12Bill in an earlier post, the Lincoln V-12 numbering convention is similar to the Chevy/Xler logic with the designated #1 cylinder being the furthest cylinder forward, #2 the 2nd furthest forward and so forth and so on ad nauseum.

[oldford2]

This post sounds like an old Laurel and Hardy comic "who is on first" So many posts on Fordbarn by flathead owners that don't first get a manual on their car to do some basic research.

[V8COOPMAN]

Originally Posted by oldford2

This post sounds like an old Laurel and Hardy comic "who is on first" So many posts on Fordbarn by flathead owners that don't first get a manual on their car to do some basic research.

Speaking of basic research........"Who's on First" was Bud Abbott and Lou Costello......NOT Laurel and Hardy. DD

[Lanny]

I did some BASIC RESEARCH and came up with "Who's on First"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTcR...cRRaXV-fg#t=26








.

[V8COOPMAN]

Here ya go, so nobody forgets your flatty's firing order! DD

[Drbrown]

v8coopman .... I have my Dad's 1938-ish Keystone (became "Firestone") 8mm home movie projector along with a short black and white silent sub-titled movie film by Abbott and Costello, doing their "Who's on First" routine. Still funny (to me) after almost 80 years. Only us old dogs remember such.

Maybe we should transcribed into a video and send it to oldford2 for his research

[V8COOPMAN]

Originally Posted by Drbrown

v8coopman ....

Maybe we should transcribed into a video and send it to oldford2 for his research

Ahhhh.......He seems to already know pretty-much everything. And yeah, I still laugh my ass off every time I hear their "1st Base" skit! DD

[Ronnieroadster]

Originally Posted by Hoop

If you are stamping numbers on the big ends of the piston rods, which one is stamped #1?

Which one is stamped #2?

... it could get confusing especially with the engine upside down.

Now that I can understand. But what if your located down under?

[B-O-B]

left or right???Why not just use port & starboard?

[Ronnie]

I use port a few times a week. Have a few go to favorites.

R

[skylarkman2]

I love this site.
Only a group of old car guys could go from number 1 cylinder to Abbott & Costello.

[paul2748]

Y blocks are the same

Originally Posted by deuce_roadster

I believe that the Ford flathead v8 is the outlier in that in almost all instances -- the cylinder farthest forward is #1. I don't know of another v8 engine other then our flathead 8 where #1 isn't the farthest forward. Anyone out there know of another?

[dude]

boy , if you weren't confused before ,you should be now. what was the original question ???

[Ronnieroadster]

Originally Posted by dude

boy , if you weren't confused before ,you should be now. what was the original question ???

I think it was who's on first!

[Jack E/NJ]

And I'm still trying to find out if my right arm is still my right arm no matter which direction somebody else looks at it. Jack E/NJ

[Ronnie]

I have a glass of port in my right hand. Later tonight I won't care what hand it is in as long as it's port.

R

[V8COOPMAN]

Originally Posted by Ronnie

I have a glass of port in my right hand. Later tonight I won't care what hand it is in as long as it's port.

R

I thought PORT was left, and STARBOARD was right. DD

[Paul Bennett]

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Originally Posted by V8COOPMAN

I thought PORT was left, and STARBOARD was right. DD

Red right returning

[Ronnie]

Originally Posted by V8COOPMAN

I thought PORT was left, and STARBOARD was right. DD

"It is" I'm drinking and don't care what hand it is in nor what color as long as it is good port. "LOL" and some fine cheese.

And left is the one with your watch on it.

R

[Bored&Stroked]

Any PORT in a storm . . .

[Ronnie]

Originally Posted by Bored&Stroked

Any PORT in a storm . . .

Good one "LOL"

R