Ford firing order for the 260/289/early 302 = 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8

Ford firing order for the 351W/late 302 = 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8

Ford firing order for the FE/429/460 = 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8

SBC firing order converted to Ford # = 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8

According to some reading I've done on this - the Ford 351W system shows a mathematical and dyno power advantage in a V8- like a couple of percentage points (over the 289/FE version). The big boys in prostock and NASCAR are apparently believers - there are (some) special cams that utilize this scheme available for chebbies and others. Has anyone ever installed this firing order in a Y-block? While the consecutively firing 1 and 2 cylinders makes the Y-block sound we love - a cam with lots of ovelap will do much the same thing. Is there power to be found by making the change? Like more than a couple of percentage points? I'm sure the Y set-up is probably an antique - what do you suppose we are losing? Are there cam blanks available to do this sort of thing (or is it billet only)?

FOMOCO went from the 289/Fe arrangement to the 351W/mod motor arrangement (1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8) - apparently for a mechanical advantage of some sort (and from what I understood its power not harmonics). They didn't go back to the Y/Flattie set-up. What I was reading, was that the GM guys were now going to the later model Ford pattern to get this same mechanical advantage.

When you shift the (new Ford) pattern one place to get the jist of it.....(3-7-2-6-5-4-8-1)..it is firing the cylinders of the two center throws sequentially..3-7 then 2-6. Then it goes odd to the front throw (5) then sequential again 4-8 at the rear throw - then back to the front (1). I think the odd firing favorably alters the shaft harmonics.

Shift the FE pattern around to get the same look....(2-6-3-7-8-1-5-4) ...it fires the center throws .. sequentially 2-6 then 3-7. Then it goes odd to the rear throw (8) sequential front 1-5 and odd to (4) at the rear. I'm having trouble understanding what I know about this..... either one should have about the same effect. Out of the possible four - there are three sequential crank throws where power from a firing cylinder is directly compressing an adjacent cylinder. This seems to be directly equal to the 351W/mod motor set-up.  

The Y/ flattie set-up is sequential at the front throw 1-5 then sequential at the rear 4-8 - then odd four times in a row (6) - (3) - (7) - (2) on the center throws. I think this is a disadvantage to both of the other patterns where a firing cylinder is directly compressing the common throw. Wrong?  

Found a mistake for sure 3-7 in the Y-block is sequential - so there are three there too.....

There are many engines built with (and these are using Ford's cylinder location numbers) the 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8 firing order. This includes small and big chebbies, chrysler products, and Ford FE, 289, 460, Pontiac - dunno how many more.

The Ford Y-block and flathead engines use the 1-5-4-8-6-3-7-2 firing order - and if you do the "4-7 swap" (GM numbers here) Ted mentioned, on a chebbie - you can get this same arrangement.

Every cylinder that fires - is compressing another cylinder - which is a direct (but variable) subtraction. The relative location of these two cylinders determines where the resulting torsional deflections are resolved in the crankshaft. The maximum possible deflection value is the same for both orders (the worst case loading) - but the "mean" - average - in two revolutions is less by a significant amount with the Y/flathead scheme.

The late Ford firing scheme is 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8 and it has an identical max/mean deflection value to the FE/289/460 set-up ..............I'm still chewing on that one.