Technical Ford 302. Is it an H.O.? Which firing order do I use??

I bought a 302 engine and after installation realized I don’t know which ford firing order to use to set it up.


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Roller cam is same as 351w. Beware, some 1985 or so 302 was a roller block with flat tappet cam.

 

Is it an H.O ? or It is an H.O ! [your title is misleading]

The H.O is the same as 351 W 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8 [the dizzy turns counterclockwise]

289/ 302 is 1- 5-4-2-6-3-7-8

 

I guess you could pull no 3 and no 5 spark plug and feel which one comes up on compression after no 1.

 

A couple of things to check: does it have the one piece rear main seal, does it have a reverse rotation water pump with a serpentine belt. If it doesn't have either of those, then it isn't an ho but some one may have installed a 351w cam which would need the other firing order. If you pick one and start it and there's a sick sound, change to the other and see if it's better. You won't hurt anything by trying this. If you have the distributor 180 out, it won't start with either firing order.

 

And not all roller engines are a HO, either! I found this out recently, my 5.0 roller carries the 302 firing order. From what I have found out, the non roller HO's came in full sized Crown Vics and some pickups. Mine had a HO FI intake on it which led me to believe it was a HO, but I found out different when I tried to start it. The 5.0 also has a different timing mark, it's not the thick heavy line, it's a faint set of numbers and lines you will probably have to sand off to ever see. The thick heavy line is something like two or three plugs off advanced, it will spit and sputter but will never crank. About drove me crazy until I found the correct timing marks!

 

Wouldn't a block casting number tell you what you have?

 

Firing order should be cast into the intake manifold.

 

Try this as a guide: https://www.enginelabs.com/engine-tech/a-guide-to-ford-v8-engine-block-casting-numbers-1952-1996/ But to really I.D. your block you also need the VIN # see post #5 here: https://www.stangnet.com/mustang-forums/threads/engine-number.904730/

 

Intakes can be swapped....

 

I know the firing orders. I don’t know which engine I have.


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The engine has all aftermarket parts and a 4 barrel carb.
Isn’t there a way to open the valve covers and tell?


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After market intake.


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Yes, but it’s behind the starter and I can’t see it without removing starter which is a real problem. Plus the guy who built the engine may have used a non ho block but installed a modern cam.


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I can see the timing marks but it doesn’t tell me which firing order to use. Ford has two different firing orders for the 302.


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It would help to know what year the motor is. Most 5.0's after 87 were all roller cam HO including the ones in pickups. As mentioned above, some mid 80's 302's were just a crap shoot. An 85 mustang gt got a roller cam and 351 firing order, duraspark with steel gear and a carb. Most all other 302's of that year were all standard flat tappet with standard 302 firing order. The motor should have a two bolt configuration in the lifter galley to hold the "spider" tray that hold the roller lifters down which would tell you most likely to use the 351 firing order.

 

You have a 50 50 chance of getting it right the first time, you will know immediately!

 

What is the magic behind this sequence of digits? I was standing on the toilet hanging a picture when I slipped fell and hit my head on the sink and when I came to I drew this (no not a flux capacitor - but that is cool) but rather a strange correlation between SBC firing order and most Fords I have owned.

The top drawing is a SBC and the familiar firing order we were taught as children. Now renumber the cylinders like a 289 (like the bottom illustration) but apply the SBC firing order you get the correct ford sequence. 1 on the chevy is 5 on the ford, 8 on the chevy is 4 on the ford, 4 is 2, 3 is 6, and so on and so on. The one is on the wrong end but that doesn't change matters.

Is it possible that these are coordinates that make time travel possible?

 

It only works in a worm hole, or is that the same as a time travel hole?

 

Is it possible that these are coordinates that make time travel possible?[/QUOTE]

yes but only with positive ground...

 

Maybe start wearing a helmet or hard hat the next time you decide to decorate!

 

^^^^^^^^^or don't start drinking so early in the morning^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

Easiest way to do it is take off the valve covers. Watch #1 come up on TDC, intake valve closing. Slowly turn engine over with a breaker bar and watch # 3 intake and #5 intake. Which ever one closes first will be the next cylinder to fire---just follow the correct firing order from there.

 

I always wondered if it was the same firing order, just numbered different due to the different nameplate, but I never bothered to put pencil to paper to find out. Thanks for that!

 

What camshaft?? [that dictates the firing order]

If somebody has swapped in an Aftermarket cam it will be 289/302
If it has the Hydraulic roller [or an "E" cam] it is the 5.0 HO

There are other indicators eg: E7TE casting on the heads [E=80'3 7=year]
All HO's had forged pistons up to 92.
On the outside the Forged Piston longblock had a grey painted oilpan [a tip for the U-pull buyers]
After 92 all HO's had Hyper pistons and a black oilpan.

 

The only thing controlling firing order between the 2 engines is the cam. Nothing else changes it. If someone changes the cam it’s anybody’s guess. Pull the valve cover like suggested above and see what valve closes after #1 fires.
SPark

 

No you got it all wrong , a DeLorean is only a V6

You ain't a "Van Gogh" but given the circumstances , I'd say you've drawn a design of some fancy Toilet Roll Holder

 

Either pull the valve covers and check the valves or pull the plugs and spin it to bring it up on number one compression and stop. Stick a finger in either number 3 or 5 and see which one comes up on compression after number one.

 

The newer LS engines have the same firing sequence as the Ford 5.0H.O. and 351W.

 

Any way you could send me a picture or illustration of this??


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