What was the firing order of the Ford Model T engine?

The Ford Model T engine’s firing order was 1-2-4-3. That sequence identifies the order in which the four cylinders delivered their power strokes during the engine’s four-stroke cycle.

The T used a 177-cubic-inch, side-valve inline-four gasoline engine. In a four-stroke engine, each cylinder completes intake, compression, power and exhaust over two crankshaft revolutions. The cylinders therefore fire at 180-degree intervals, with the complete sequence repeating every 720 degrees.

The order is easy to confuse with more familiar four-cylinder patterns such as 1-3-4-2 or 1-4-2-3. Those sequences belong to other engines; they are not interchangeable on a Model T. The firing order must match the camshaft timing and the connections from the ignition timer to the coils and spark plugs.

Model Ts used a distinctive timer, or commutator, rather than the distributor arrangement found on many later cars. Correct cylinder numbering also matters: number 1 is at the front of the engine, nearest the radiator. Reversing cylinders 3 and 4 would prevent proper operation.