Number 1 Cylinder - left or right?

Some of you may laugh but I'm confused (and more than a little embarrassed) and need your help.

I hope this is the right place to ask this question if not could you direct me to someone who I might be able to ask? My friend says the left bank has the number one cylinder but the manual says that the number one is on the right bank.

I'm new to all this but not new to V8's. As I stand at the front of the car looking into the engine bay which is the number 1 cylinder on a 1965 401 Nailhead V8? Is it the one on the left bank (under the air conditioner) or is it the one on the right hand bank (under the power steering pump). I'm confused and am arguing this with one of my friends so I said "I'll go onto the internet and ask someone.



This is what the manual says...

Cylinder numbers - Front to rear - Left bank 2-4-6-8
Cylinder numbers - Front to rear - Right bank 1-3-5-7

I'm confused.

Bob.

 

Bob,

Nailheads have the number one cylinder in the front on the passeger side.

Cheryl

 

A good rule of thumb that works on almost every engine is to look across the engine. You will see one head is farther forward than the other, and that is the side that has the number one cylinder. :eek2:

 

yep, nailheads are opposite of most engines with the number one cylinder by the AC Compressor.

 

When the manual states left and right it assumes you are setting in the drivers seat

 

Thanks

I never knew that.

Thanks for all the help.

Bob

 

...and Welcome to the V8 Board too, always good to have another Nailheader around.:bglasses:

 

The Right Bank

One other item to indicate the #1 is on the right is the location of the timing mark. It lines up @TDC (top dead center) on the same side as the #1 cylinder.
I had forgotted about this one time when looking at a car. the 80 year old owner changed plugs and wires but forgot how the wires went back. Another mechanic tried to help and had given the firing order translated so #1 was on the driver's side. I saw the order was wrong(compared to my Riv's valve cover!!), so I "fixed" it. Unfortunately, this is where I forgot about the old switched #1, so I made it worse.
Turns out the carbs were full of varnish and the plugs were fine after getting the timing straight.
I ended up buying the car 6 months later-its a 65 Wildcat convertible Super Wildcat LX with just about every option...

 

Works on most engines, don't try it on a pontiac though.
number 1 is on the driver's side, but the furthest forward cylinder is on the passenger side. Jim Burek

 

The furthest foward head rule works on a 429-460 Ford, but the other rule doesn't--the timing indicator mark is on the drivers side, and the #1 cylinder is on the passenger side.

 

Over the years I have bought a couple of Naileads from chebby mechanics who could not get cars running. Fairly cheap.
They routed the plug wires to the worng side, smart chebby guys.
Even won some bets with them.

Jim Schilf / palbuick@aol.com