Alternate Supercars American V8 Firing Orders

American V8 Firing Orders

There’s nothing more frustrating than finishing up a build late at night and not remembering the firing order so you can install the plug wires and fire that baby up. Most of us naturally know the firing order for engines we are familiar with, but that doesn’t make much difference if you’re a Chevy guy and you’re helping a buddy finish his ’57 Caddy build and you’re hoping to hear it run before your wife makes you come in from the garage at 1:00 am. This handy chart should help you out so feel free to copy it and tape it in the top of your tool box.

Click here to download PDF for print

ENGINE	Distributor Rotation	Firing Order	Cylinder Banks, FRONT TO BACK Left = Driver's Side Right = Passenger Side
AMC V8 (all)	Clockwise	18436572	Left: 1-3-5-7, Right 2-4-6-8
Buick V8 Most V8s except HEI	Clockwise	18436572	Left:1-3-5-7, Right: 2-4-6-8
Cadillac up to ‘67	Clockwise	18726543	Left:1-3-5-7, Right: 2-4-6-8
Cadillac ’68-74	Clockwise	15634278	Left: 2-4-6-8, Right: 1-3-5-7
Chevrolet V8 (all)	Clockwise	18436572	Left: 1-3-5-7, Right 2-4-6-8
Chevrolet V8 Gen V, VI	No Distributor	18436572	Left: 1-3-5-7, Right 2-4-6-8
GM LS V8	No Distributor	18726543	Left: 1-3-5-7, Right 2-4-6-8
Chrysler V8 (small blocks)	Clockwise	18436572	Left: 1-3-5-7, Right 2-4-6-8
Chrysler V8 (big blocks & Hemi)	Counter- Clockwise	18436572	Left: 1-3-5-7, Right 2-4-6-8
Chrysler 5.7L Hemi V8	No Distributor	18436572	Left: 1-3-5-7, Right 2-4-6-8
Desoto V8	Counter- Clockwise	18436572	Left: 1-3-5-7, Right 2-4-6-8
Early Ford V8 272,292,312	Counter- Clockwise	15486372	Left: 5-6-7-8, Right 1-2-3-4
Most Ford V8	Counter- Clockwise	15426378	Left: 5-6-7-8, Right 1-2-3-4
Ford 5.0L HO, 351W, 351M, 351C, 400	Counter- Clockwise	13726548	Left: 1-2-3-4, Right 5-6-7-8
Most Ford Modular V8 4.6/5.4L	No Distributor	13726548	Left: 1-2-3-4, Right 5-6-7-8
Ford 5.0L Coyote	No Distributor	15486372	Left: 1-2-3-4, Right 5-6-7-8
Ford Flathead V8 1932-53	Clockwise	15486372	Left: 5-6-7-8, Right 1-2-3-4
Hudson V8 1955-57	Clockwise	184436572	Left: 1-2-3-4, Right 5-6-7-8
Lincoln V8 1949-51	Clockwise	15486372	Left: 5-6-7-8, Right 1-2-3-4
Lincoln V8 1952-76	Counter- Clockwise	15486372	Left: 5-6-7-8, Right 1-2-3-4
Oldsmobile V8 1949-64	Counter- Clockwise	18736542	Left: 1-3-5-7, Right 2-4-6-8
Oldsmobile V8 1961-64 F85	Counter- Clockwise	18436572	Left: 1-3-5-7, Right 2-4-6-8
Oldsmobile V8 1965-76	Counter- Clockwise	18436572	Left: 1-3-5-7, Right 2-4-6-8
Pontiac V8* 1955-81	Counter- Clockwise	18436572	Left: 1-3-5-7, Right 2-4-6-8
Pontiac 307 (Chevrolet engine)	Clockwise	18436572	Left: 1-3-5-7, Right 2-4-6-8
Packard V8 (all)	Clockwise	18436572	Left: 1-3-5-7, Right 2-4-6-8
Studebaker V8 (all)	Counter- Clockwise	18436572	Left: 1-3-5-7, Right 2-4-6-8

Note:

All American V8s have offset cylinder banks to accommodate side-by-side rod pairing on the crank throws. In the absence of published information, the number one cylinder will almost always be the one that is farthest forward regardless of which bank it is on.

* The exception to this rule is the Pontiac V8 where the forward most cylinder is on the passenger side. The number one cylinder is still on the front left side, but it is not the most forward cylinder on the block.