Ford 302 firing order: standard vs 5.0 HO
The Ford 302 / 5.0 V8 (Windsor) fires Standard 302: 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8 and 5.0 HO and 351W: 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8. Cylinder 1 is the front cylinder on the passenger side (bank 1, right bank).
Drag to turn the engine, scroll or pinch to zoom. Orange = the cylinder firing now; the numbers on the coils are cylinder numbers. Driver and passenger sides are for left-hand-drive vehicles.
Firing order diagram
Where each cylinder is
| Cylinder | Misfire code | Location | Place in firing order (STD / HO) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | P0301 | The front cylinder on the passenger side (bank 1, right bank) | 1st, 1st |
| 2 | P0302 | The second cylinder from the front on the passenger side (bank 1, right bank) | 4th, 4th |
| 3 | P0303 | The third cylinder from the front on the passenger side (bank 1, right bank) | 6th, 2nd |
| 4 | P0304 | The rear cylinder on the passenger side (bank 1, right bank) | 3rd, 7th |
| 5 | P0305 | The front cylinder on the driver side (bank 2, left bank) | 2nd, 6th |
| 6 | P0306 | The second cylinder from the front on the driver side (bank 2, left bank) | 5th, 5th |
| 7 | P0307 | The third cylinder from the front on the driver side (bank 2, left bank) | 7th, 3rd |
| 8 | P0308 | The rear cylinder on the driver side (bank 2, left bank) | 8th, 8th |
Bank 1 is always the bank that contains cylinder 1, so for this engine bank 1 is the right bank with cylinders 1-2-3-4; bank 2 is the left bank with cylinders 5-6-7-8. Oxygen-sensor, camshaft and catalyst codes that name bank 1 or bank 2 use the same split.
Coils, plugs and wires
- Distributor ignition; the rotor turns counterclockwise seen from above. Both orders use the same No. 1 terminal and cylinder numbering, so only the wires for 3, 4, 5 and 7 change places.
- The firing order is set by the camshaft. An engine with an HO-pattern camshaft must be wired 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8 whatever block or badge it has; check which camshaft is fitted before setting the wires.
How to find a cylinder on this engine
- Find the front of the engine: the end with the drive belt and pulleys.
- Find bank 1, the right bank that holds cylinder 1. On this engine it is the passenger side.
- Count from the belt end. Cylinders 1-2-3-4 run along bank 1 and 5-6-7-8 along bank 2, each starting at the belt end.
- Match the code: P0301 is cylinder 1, P0302 cylinder 2, and so on. P0300 means a random or multiple misfire and does not name a cylinder.
Which engines this covers
Ford 289/302 (5.0) Windsor V8s. Standard engines fire 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8; the 5.0 HO (High Output) and 351 Windsor fire 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8. Numbering and distributor rotation are the same for both.
- Ford F-150 5.0 (1990 verified: standard order)
- Ford Mustang 5.0 HO (1990 verified: HO order)
- Rebuilt or swapped 302s: the camshaft decides which order applies
Questions
What is the Ford 302 / 5.0 (standard and HO) firing order?
Standard 302: 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8; 5.0 HO and 351W: 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8.
Which side is cylinder 1 on?
Cylinder 1 is the front cylinder on the passenger side (bank 1, right bank).
Where is cylinder 4 (code P0304)?
Cylinder 4 is the rear cylinder on the passenger side (bank 1, right bank).
Which bank is bank 1?
The bank with cylinder 1: the right bank, cylinders 1-2-3-4.
How do I know if my 302 is standard or HO?
Mustang 5.0 engines sold as HO use 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8, as does the 351 Windsor; Ford's own service manual for the 1990 F-150 5.0 lists 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8. The camshaft decides: an engine rebuilt with an HO-pattern camshaft needs the HO wiring. When in doubt, check the camshaft part number or the build records.
Why are Ford cylinders numbered differently from Chevy?
Ford numbers the right (passenger-side) bank first, 1-2-3-4 from the front, then the left bank 5-6-7-8. GM alternates sides, with the odd numbers on the driver side.
Sources
The firing order, the cylinder numbering and the position of each bank in the vehicle were each checked against at least two of these sources, and they agree.
- Ford service manual, 1990 Mustang 5.0L HO, Firing Order (via Operation CHARM). “V8 Firing Order: 1 3 7 2 6 5 4 8. Diagram: front of vehicle at the bottom; 1-2-3-4 on the passenger-side bank, 5-6-7-8 on the driver side.” Factory / manufacturer
- Ford service manual, 1990 F-150 5.0L, Firing Order (via Operation CHARM). “Firing Order 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8. Same cylinder diagram: 1-2-3-4 passenger side.” Factory / manufacturer
- Ford Performance, 5.0L HO engine installation instructions M-6007-B50. “Distributor: ... use 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8 firing order.” Factory / manufacturer
- Engine-build.com, Ford 302 / 289 (non-HO) firing order. “Firing order: 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8. Right bank 1-2-3-4 front to rear, left bank 5-6-7-8; #1 is right-front.” Independent reference
- Engine-build.com, Ford 5.0 HO firing order. “Firing order: 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8. Same as all Ford V8s: right bank 1-2-3-4, left bank 5-6-7-8.” Independent reference
- Off-Road International, Ford 302 and 302 HO firing order. “The firing order for a Ford 302 engine is 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8 ... cylinders 1, 2, 3, and 4 are on the front passenger side ... 302 HO ... 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8 ... distributor rotates in a counter-clockwise direction.” Independent reference
Last reviewed 15 November 2026 · How the data is sourced and checked