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1972 CC Lancer 350QL

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Temple2426

Member
New guy here.
I rebuilt a CC 350QL engine and can not figure the firing order. I need help I have looked on the web and tried every imaginable combination. It is a reverse rotation engine. The firing order on the tag doesn’t work. Can someone who knows what they are talking about help. I have seen reading other post that there seems to be a wide range of those who know and those who think they know. I am not a marine engine guy but thanks to this forum and the advice of some who have posted similar questions I have been able to avoid problems up till now. I used this to wire it up but didn’t get a hit. And yes I have checked to see if I have spark. Please help!
 

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It is a reverse rotation engine.
Click to expand...

Ayuh,..... Then use this firin' order,.. ^^^....

Did you time the distributor when you dropped it in,..??

Did you properly time the cam to the crankshaft when you put the timin' gears on,..??
 
.................
Temple2426 said:
New guy here.
I rebuilt a CC 350QL engine and can not figure the firing order.
I need help I have looked on the web and tried every imaginable combination. It is a reverse rotation engine. The firing order on the tag doesn’t work. Can someone who knows what they are talking about help. I have seen reading other post that there seems to be a wide range of those who know and those who think they know.
Be careful..... there is an abundance of misinformation out there!

The LH and RH rotation SBCs use the same crankshaft.
In order to maintain dynamic balancing and vibration control, the firing order must be maintained with regard to the separation between cylinder firing.

The Std LH Rotation engine firing order is 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2.
The firing order for the REV RH Rotation engine is simply reversed but begins with #1.
In other words, for the Std LH engine, when the #1 cylinder fires upon the completion of C/S, it is followed by #8, 4, 3, 6, 5, 7 and 2.
Whether LH or RH rotation, #1 is always used for the initial indexing of components.

So.... when we reverse the rotation, #1 fires first, and is now followed by #2, 7, 5, 6, 3, 4 and 8.

I am not a marine engine guy but thanks to this forum and the advice of some who have posted similar questions I have been able to avoid problems up till now. I used this to wire it up but didn’t get a hit. And yes I have checked to see if I have spark. Please help!
Click to expand...

NOTE: engine rotation is determined as though viewing the engine from the flywheel end of the crankshaft!

Keep in mind that when we reverse rotate the engine, the ignition distributor and oil pump rotation remain the same.
The camshaft profile is reversed for the RH rotation engine... whether chain/sprocket driven or twin gear driven!



The image that you posted is incorrect regarding the cylinder numbering in relationship to the distributor's physical location. The cylinder numbering is actually being shown as though Up-Side Down.
(see my image below)

If you used your manual page distributor location to orient the cylinder numbering, you may have made a mistake that caused you to incorrectly place your spark plug cables into the distributor cap.


In other words, both the Std LH rotation and REV RH rotation engine distributors rotate CW when viewed from above.
The #1 cylinder distributor cap post remains the same.

Bottom line..... the firing order for your Std LH engine will be 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2.
The firing order for your REV RH engine will be 1-2-7-5-6-3-4-8.



Chris Craft 350QL firing order.jpg
 
To further this...........

On your REV RH rotation engine, bring #1 piston up to TDC on the Compression Stroke. (it must be on the C/S for this)
Be sure to rotate the crankshaft in the RH direction..... or, CCW if viewing from the front of the engine.

Remove the distributor cap, and look to see where the rotor is aiming.
Most of us will index the distributor so that the rotor is aiming towards the physical location of #1 cylinder...... although this is not imperative!
If need be, you can lift the distributor up and rotate it as to correct the position of the rotor.
Again..... not imperative if you follow the rotor indexing.

Place the #1 spark plug cable into the corresponding cap tower.

Follow that by placing the #2 plug cable into the next cap tower in the CW direction.

Continue right on down the REV RH engine firing order with cylinders 7-5-6-3-4-8.


If your camshaft has been indexed correctly, and if all else is OK..... the engine should fire up.

As soon as you get it fired up, set the BASE advance to specs!



.


 
RicardoMarine,
Thank you very much for a very professional reply to a specific question. I have gained a lot of knowledge from other post you have posted. Thanks again. Matt
 
Temple2426 said:
RicardoMarine,
Thank you very much for a very professional reply to a specific question. I have gained a lot of knowledge from other post you have posted. Thanks again. Matt
Click to expand...

You are certainly welcome.
Please post back and let us know if you were able to get that engine running properly!

Don't forget to not only set BASE or Initial advance, but to also look at what the progressive and total advance are doing!
The progressive and total are much more important!


.
 
So I don’t see a scale on the flywheel just a dimple and to the side of it an R. How would one go about timing this engine with a timing light.
 
Temple2426 said:
So I don’t see a scale on the flywheel just a dimple and to the side of it an R. How would one go about timing this engine with a timing light.
Click to expand...

Due to the seawater pump placement, and possibly other items that are attached to the front of the engine, they must have designed this to be timed via the flywheel marking against corresponding marks on the flywheel cover (what some call a bell housing).

If the flywheel is marked off in increments up to 35* or so, you can look at the progressive advance with your standard style strobe light.
You will strobe the markings while increasing engine speed up to 3,200/3,500 RPM.
If not, you will be using a digitally advancing timing light.... of which I do not prefer. I prefer to see the advance in Real Degrees and in Real Time.


Temple2426 said:
By the way, it runs great!
Click to expand...

It may run great without a load on it, and by just using BASE or Initial advance........., but you may put your engine at risk if you do not verify the Progressive Advance and the Total Advance as per OEM specs per RPM.

In 1972, there is a good chance that your 350 was fitted with the GM Full Dished pistons.
This piston (when used in a SBC Marine application) is a poor choice, and makes this engine much more prone to "detonation".
Detonation and Pre-ignition are not the same.
Detonation is not very audible, and can cause severe engine damage.

It is imperative that your engine does NOT see more than 28* of advance @ 3,200 RPM..... of which is also why we do not want to use automotive ignition advance specs for the Marine version SBC.




.
 
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