I have a 1988 Volvo 780 B280 with 230,000 miles. The car is not running

>properly (running very lean). I've had a couple of mechanics work on it with no success. A friend of mine questioned whether the ignition wires are now configured properly from the distributer cap.

I haven't been able to find anyone with documentation on this issue. All I

can find is that the firing order is 1-6-3-5-2-4 but I can't identify which cylinder and which distributer wire is which.

Could anyone communicate the configuration of your ignition wires from the distributor to each cylinder??

Any help you could provide would be appreciated.

>Thanks

Dan any decent machanic will know the fireing order, and its take really a dumb ass to put them back in the wrong place. best thing to do is if it runs and it doesnt seem like it is missing and you should know what a real mis feals like to a fake one your okay, and it probly is just a bad spark plug or wire. i would even go as far as takeing the cap and rotor out and replacing them yourself its a pretty simple and fast job. then you will know its something else. which if it continues after that check your cars computer and other electrical. but really if it runs on a 6 and you have a misfire it probly wouldnt run at all. please post more info to your question next time and youll get a better responce.

jason

I've replaced the distributor cap and rotor as well as the spark plugs. The vacuum hoses to the engine have also been replaced. The new spark plugs became fouled (blackened with fuel?) almost immediately. The engine runs rough and emits black/blue smoke. My next step will probably be to clean out the fittings where the vacuum hoses connect to the engine and valve covers in case they have become clogged. The only other thing I can think of is to replace the ignition wires.

Any thoughts??

Do you have a problem with oil? allot of times when you get black spark plugs it because theres oil being burned. If thats the case then your problem is bad rings. which would explain all your current problems. a bad ring causes loss of compression and of course the car wont run right.

/// You did not post the correct symptom for a mis-wired distributor. The engine would misfire on two cylinders and shake badly. Stop taking advise from that friend.

FYI some Volvo engines have the firing order cast into the block. Raised numbers. It is usually near the distributor. Make sense? I don't know which do and don't.