So I was pulling away in my xj6 and it stopped running. I took it to a rough looking shop to have it diagnosed and they couldn't figure out what was wrong with it. When I went by the shop the distributed was in pieces. They said the starter was drawing to much current and the computer was not turning on. I said I would take it back and put the starter in it. At that point it was poorly reassembled when I got it home. I found there was water in the fuel lines. I cleaned it good new hoses blew out the injectors and drained the tanks. Still no start after a million different tweaks. I had spark, I had fuel. So I reran the spark plug wires. In the 153624 order, the number one plug on the distributer being at the 11'oclock position if you standing over the passenger side fender, #1 spark plug at the fire wall 123456 to the front of the engine. Is this right?? I cranked it and the AFM blew off. Any ideas??

 

Two sources of information tell me it's like you say. 153624 and #1 at the rear. I would make sure that when number one is at TDC on the compression stroke, the rotor is pointing in the direction of your #1 plug wire on the dist. cap.

Also make sure that you have the plug wires on the cap following the correct direction of rotation. My info says the rotor turn CCW. You can verify by cranking and watching which way the rotor moves.

Good luck.

 

So the diagram I found online was wrong, someone with more experience using Microsoft paint that automotive knowledge had it clockwise. Thank you it was CCW, #1 was TDC at 11'oclock. But it still won't start. Could running the plugs backwards have done any perminant damage. AFM, Head gasket? Ect. Thanks

 

The firing order is 153624: #1 cyl is to the rear of the engine. The AFM blew out because the engine backfired with the intake valve/s open. Maybe when you first wired the engine up you had the firing order incorrect. This would account for it backfiring. More seriously though would be if the distributor was put back together properly. Verify that you have the proper air gap at the reluctor. This is a 6-teeth ring located under the rotor.

 

XJ-6 4.2 firing order

 

Yea that was the pic that got me into trouble. That diagram is going clockwise, it is supposed to be CCW. The rotor on the distributer spins CCW so that firing order is 1-4-2-6-3-5. That's when my AFM blew off. I don't like to correct help (and I could be wrong) but that diagram is wrong, right?

 

I've used it in my own car when I changed plug wires and I had no trouble with it.

 

I can understand how confused you must be.

The diagram in Jose's post sure is pretty. I like it. What I don't like is that it does seem to contradict what I saw in 2 different information systems. It's not unusual for a source to be wrong on occasion. I don't know for certain which is incorrect.

If I had no manual at all and I had to determine the firing order, it could be done. Time consuming, but, possible. I hope you have already resolved you problem. If not, try this if you like.

1.) Determine the direction of engine and distributor rotor rotation. I'm pretty sure you already determined this by cranking it with the starter while watching the harmonic balancer and distributor.

2.) Determine #1 cyl. TDC Compression. There are 2 TDC's on every 4 stroke combustion cycle. TDC compression and TDC exhaust. TDC should be verified visualy at the plug hole and at the timing marks. As you approach TDC it should be pushing air with considerable force out of the plug hole. Assuming of course that you're turning the engine in the normal direction of rotation.

3.) Deteremine which plug wire tower on the cap, the rotor is pointing to, when #1 cyl is at TDC on the compression stroke. When #1 is at TDC compression, the rotor is normally not pointed exactly at the #1 tower on the cap. It will be slightly past, but still pointing more to #1 than to the next tower in the firing order. This is because the spark normally happens before top dead center. When you put #1 at TDC you wil have passed the point where it would have fired that cylinder so the rotor will be slightly past the #1 tower.

4.) Determine the next cylinder in the firing order. If #1 is sitting at TDC compression, and you turn the engine by hand in the normal direction of rotation, verify that #5 is the next cylinder to reach TDC compression. You will need to put your finger on the #5 plug hole or put a compression guage adapter in the hole and feel for the compression stroke. You should feel the compression as the rotor moves toward the next tower on the cap. If it skips a tower or more before #5 reaches compression, #5 is not the next cylinder in the firing order. You will need to move it back to #1 TDC compression and then turn the engine in the normal direction of rotation and find the next cylinder in the firing order.

5.) Verify the remaining cylinders in the firing order. As you reach TDC compression on each cylinder. The rotor should be pointing to the corresponding plug wire tower on the dist. cap for that cylnder.


I know this is long winded and may be hard to follow so please forgive me. I just don't know for certain what the correct firing order is. Hopefully this post will help you confirm what it is. This is what I would do if it was my car or a customer's car and I was presented with contradicting info.

Hang in there. Good luck.

p.s. I was taught this firing order many moons ago by using the following. 15 too young, 36 too old, 24 just right. This is the only firing order that I know of for a straight six. The curve ball here is that this Jaguar called #1 the rearmost cylinder on this engine. All other I6's I know of have #1 at the front.

 

Yes, the rotor turns CCW, 1-5-3-6-2-4, #1 at rear

The diagram does seems wrong to me as well but I'll admit that I was having a very hard time tracing the wire colors back to the cap. Old age and bifocals :-)

Sorry I can't remember where #1 plug wire traditionally resides on the cap but, of course, you can put it anywhere you like so long as the order is correct and you start with #1 cyl at TDC compression stroke as described

(It seems to me that the distributor caps ....at least the Lucas ones.....were marked "1" to show where the #1 wire was tradtionally intended to go, but my memory isn't always that great)

Anyhow, in these situations I always find it best to simply go right back to square one and get #1 cylinder at TDC compression and work from there.

Cheers
DD

 

Is their a way to check my AFM with a multi-meter to see if its functional?

 

And, once the wire issue is cleared up. Make a diagram and put it in the handbook or manual.