Hi guys!

What's the firing order on a 500 ci in a '76 Fleetwood Brougham please?

Also wwhat isi the static timing.
Plugs are gapped to .050". is this OK?

Got no pull above 60mph and trying to figure out why. Runs well, no misses, choke is wired off but that shouldn't be the problem. Cruises happily at 80mph but take a while to get there from 50/ 60 mp!

Thanks all!
Nick:)

ttt

Hi guys - I see there were 76 views or something last night but any ideas on this please - the car is in the shop and I need it back for my daughter's birthday on Saturday!!!

Apparrently it is running rough [but seemed OK to me].

It seems to run better with the timing at about 40 degrees. I did a search and came up with a blank on firing order for a 500 Cad motor but found conflicting info on static timing - from 10 degrees to 35 degrees.

All advice greatfull reeceived.
Unfortunately I have n't got access to a shop manual at present otherewise I could look it up!

regards & thanks
Nick:)

a quick search found this
http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/533772-post5.html
here
http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/500-472-425-368/39699-new-500-owner.html?highlight=firing
and this
http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/500-472-425-368/44566-firing-order.html?highlight=firing
and yet another
http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/500-472-425-368/7834-whats-firing-order-500-472-a.html?highlight=500+firing+order

wow - thanks - and I searched everywhre. Must improve my sear ch skills.

many thanks
Nick:)

Guys,

A question - firing order 1-5-6-3-4-2-7-8 - fine.

But what does the distributor measured:

Counter from 1: 1-8-7-2-4-3-6-5

Dist. rotates clockwise, and for refrence, the #5 tower is the one by the dwell adjustment window (points distributors only, I think HEI has it on a retainer or something)

mean please? - it seems to me to be conflicting information

thanks, Nick:)

:) Guys,

we got the motor running better but at 40 degrees static timing. Is this right?? The emissions sticker says 6 and it ran truly awful at 6.

What should it be please?

Also is it possible the secondary jets in teh carb are bunged up hampering accelelration over 60mph?>>

thanks all
Nick

Your firing order is correct, since it reads backwards clockwise. I am far from my manuals, so can't help with the timing. You should get a factory shop manual on ebay. If it says to set the timing at 6, are you also following the specific instructions, if they are also given on the emissions sticker? For example, are you supposed to check it in Drive? What is your idle speed supposed to be set at for the timing check? Are you supposed to have vacuum advance disconnected, etc? This stuff would be in the FSM, if it's not on the sticker.

Hi - thanks! The probelm was the vacuum advance was not disconnected

cheers!
nick

The firing order is definitely 1-5-6-3-4-2-7-8.
I looked it up in my 1975 Clinton's book. (1976 should be the same specs.)

Hi Fleet - that's great seemed to do the trick.

Hi guys, Thanks - got the motor running much better.

I got a set of HT leads [sorry spark plug wires - we call them HT leads!] from my friendly Cadillac dealer; Capital Cadillac in Atanta. Original delco parts in what looks like the original box and and instruction sheet dated March 89! All for $45.

However I think I may have them on wrong. I put them on replacing the old ones one at a time but I'm left with one lead too short so I guess I made a mistake putting them on or goofed in some other way. I haven't started the car yet. So I don't know how it runs. Don't want to really until I know I have them in the right order.

What confuses me is the HEI distributor seems to have 4 terminals designed to point to one side and 4 terminals designed to point to the other side. I have 3 leads on the upper hand side going to the right bank and have 3 leads on the lower hand side going to the left bank. One lead from each side crosses over. I think this is wrong.

I know [from your above replies] the firing order is 1-5-6-3-4-2-7-8 and counter.

Does this mean the distributor rotates counter clockwise? Where is #1 cylinder on the engine - front left? [when viewing the car from the back]
and where is #1 on the distributor cap please?

The previous owner marked the cap up but I would like to check it.

So if the firing order is 1-5-6-3-4-2-7-8 does this mean all the right bank fires first and then all the left bank? Seems a bit odd for balance of the motor or is this normal. is this what you mean by 'the famous Cadillac firing order'?

If this is the case then I should have 4 wires going from one side of the distributor to that side cylinder bank and 4 wires going from the other side of the distributor to the other side cylinder bank, no?

If this is the case then all the wires would be long enough to fit and would make for a neater looking install.

I also put a post in the Fleetwood Brougham section so apologies for the duplicity but I guess this is where it best fits.

Please advise which way my leads should go on and if anyone has a picture of their distributor/ diagram of the wires that would be great!!

thanks all, Nick :)

"Hi guys, Thanks - got the motor running much better."

"What confuses me is the HEI distributor seems to have 4 terminals designed to point to one side and 4 terminals designed to point to the other side. I have 3 leads on the upper hand side going to the right bank and have 3 leads on the lower hand side going to the left bank. One lead from each side crosses over. I think this is wrong."

[Well you're not wrong. Sounds right to have 3 going right and 3 left, and one from each side crossing over if i am understanding you. Remember the numbering of the cylinders. On the passengers side they are 1-3-5-7, starting from the front, and they are 2-4-6-8 on the drivers side also starting from the front. Once again the firing order is 1-5-6-3-4-2-7-8. Learn it live it love it. It may seem odd as to how that provides for a balanced engine, but there you have it. Smarter people than us determined that was a good firing order. So, in terms of drivers/passengers, the firing order hits D-D-P-D-P-P-D-P. The beginning of the firing order is heavily favoring the drivers side and the second half heavily favors the passengers side. That kind of explains your observation that 3 should go to each side and one from each side should "cross over".]

[Firing order is 1-5-6-3-4-2-7-8. That means that is the order on the distributor CLOCKWISE. Your distributor spins _CLOCKWISE_. I think theres a little confusion because earlier you asked for the numbering on the cap CCW. The poster was right, If you looked at it clockwise it would go 1-8-7-2-4-3-6-5. See that's just the same thing as 1-5-6-3-4-2-7-8 BACKWARDS. First you have to get your engine to TDC on the #1 cylinder. The way I did this was to insert a drinking straw down in the #1 cylinder, gently touching the piston. Then had a friend bump the starter until the straw indicated that the piston was at its highest point. At this point the timing marks on the crankshaft pulley should also be aligned. Nor the disributor rotor will be pointing at the position on the distributor cap whre the #1 plug wire needs to be connected. Hook up this spot on the distributor to the front-most passenger side cylinder, which is the #1 cylinder. On the cap the next spot clockwise on the cap, hook that one up to #5 cylinder (Third one back passengers side). On the next connection clockwise on the cap, hook it up to #6 (third one back on passengers side. And so on, 1-5-6-3-4-2-7-8.]

So if the firing order is 1-5-6-3-4-2-7-8 does this mean all the right bank fires first and then all the left bank? Seems a bit odd for balance of the motor or is this normal. is this what you mean by 'the famous Cadillac firing order'?

[NO!]

If this is the case then I should have 4 wires going from one side of the distributor to that side cylinder bank and 4 wires going from the other side of the distributor to the other side cylinder bank, no?

[NO!]

If this is the case then all the wires would be long enough to fit and would make for a neater looking install.

[When I ordered plug wires one was too short. I don't remember which one it was. I called them up, they asked me how much it was too short by, I told them about 6", and they sent me a longer one. Later I realized I could have paid a little extra to get a set that is extra-long, specially made to go around the engine block rather that up over top of everything. I will definitely get these next time. Talk about "neat looking"!]

Please advise which way my leads should go on and if anyone has a picture of their distributor/ diagram of the wires that would be great!!

[Camera is busted or I would send a picture.]

I know [from your above replies] the firing order is 1-5-6-3-4-2-7-8 and counter.

[No, not counter]

Does this mean the distributor rotates counter clockwise? Where is #1 cylinder on the engine - front left? [when viewing the car from the back]
and where is #1 on the distributor cap please?

[It rotates clockwise. #1 spark plug/cylinder is front right when viewing the car from the back. Front passenger side. #1 on the ditributor is which terminal the rotor is pointing at when the #1 cylinder is at Top Dead Center.]

The previous owner marked the cap up but I would like to check it.

[Well you're definitely going to want to set the timing, regardless of what marks the previous owner put on the cap. Sounds like you have that solved, 6 degrees while idling at 600 rpm. Although apparently it is to be set at 12 degrees if you have Electric Fuel Injection as opposed to a 4bbl carb. I am actually surprised that your spec says to only to set at 6 since you have HEI. When I converted to HEI, I changed my timing from 5 to 10 BTDC. Good luck.]

Hi BrotherB,

After thinking about my post in bed after I had posted it at about 1am here I realised I was wrong in thinking 4 leads shoudl go to one bank and 4 tyo another. What you say makes sense, thanks, and checks out my logic.

It's good to know you got a lead set on which one was 6" too short. The same case as mine which led to the post. I was looking at it all over and was figuring out I had to have misplaced a lead somewhere becuase at one part of the process I had 2 leads off although I was sure I remembered exactly where they came from.

So I was right, you are right and it's a call to the dealer in the morning!

Thanks v much, Nick:)