Honda D16Y7 is a 1.6-liter naturally aspirated I4 engine for base variants of Honda Civic 1996-2000 and Del Sol cars1996-1997 models. You often encounter situations with the engine misfiring at specific cylinders or failure to start. It can be a result of incorrect firing order.
What is the Firing Order on D16Y7 Engine? The Honda D16Y7 engine has a firing order of 1-3-4-2 while the distributor rotates in the clockwise direction. While, cylinders have numbering order 1-2-3-4 from right to left, looking from the front of the car. Moreover, it is essential to connect the spark plug wires in the correct sequence on the distributor to ensure a 1-3-4-2 firing order. You can manually find its firing order by bringing cylinder #1 to TDC and checking the position of wires on the distributor rotor in the clockwise direction. Wrong firing sequence can result in misfiring, engine failure to start, vibration, and damage to the parts like the crankshaft.
We will discuss how to find its firing order and its importance during maintenance tasks related to spark plugs and the distributor.
Honda D16Y7 engine specifications
D16Y7 is a 1.6-liter engine manufactured by Honda for its compact cars. You can find it in cars like Honda Civic from 1996 to 2000 and Honda Del Sol from 1996 to 1997.
Furthermore, it is available in the base variants of these automobiles due to the engine’s limited power and torque ratings.
It can deliver the power of 105-107 hp and torque of 102-104 lb-ft. It has a single overhead camshaft (SOHC) design having 4 valves per cylinder.
It was the first engine that received an onboard diagnostic system (OBD-II) to comply with the new emission control laws. It has a naturally aspirated multiport fuel injection system.
However, it lacks VTEC variable timing technology from Honda for most of the engines in the D-series.
It is a lightweight, cost-effective, and fuel-efficient engine with good reliability due to its simple design.
You will find numerous D16Y7 motors in Honda Civics today due to their durability to last more than 300,000 miles without critical system failures.
Number of cylinders on D16y7 engine
Honda D16Y7 has 4 cylinders arranged in line like all other engines in the D-series. Therefore it is an I4 engine with a bore length of 75mm (2.952 inches) and stroke size of 90mm (3.543 inches).
It has a total of 16 valves owing to 4 valves per cylinder controlled by a single camshaft. It has aluminum construction for its cylinder block and the head to reduce its weight and price.
Number the cylinders from 1 to 4, starting from your right while standing in the front of the car.
For example, the rightmost cylinder will be #1, the next will be #2, #3, and the last one on the leftmost will be #4. It is essential to mark the correct cylinder numbering as it is the basis for the firing order.
Honda D16Y7 firing order
This sequence is crucial for smooth engine operation and efficient power transfer from the engine to the crankshaft.
Cylinder #1 is the first to activate its spark plug to start combustion.
Next in the array is cylinder #3. After that, the spark plug of cylinder #4 will ignite next, and cylinder #2 will activate at the end.
You will see this pattern on the distributor cap in the order 1-3-4-2 while it rotates clockwise.
You should specifically mark or note the position of cylinder #1 as it will work as a reference point to locate the other cylinders in the sequence.
The whole sequence or firing order 1-3-4-2 will depend on the starting point. If you find it incorrectly, the entire series will become wrong, failing the engine to start.
Spark plugs wiring order on D16Y7 engine
A distributor rotates clockwise to maintain the correct firing order of D16Y7. However, the proper wiring of the distributor with coils of spark plugs of all 4 cylinders is imperative for the sequence to work.
First of all, locate position #1 on the distributor. Usually, it has markings for the starting point.
In the absence, you can manually do it by rotating the engine such that the piston is up to the compression stroke top dead center (TDC).
Next, remove the distributor cover and observe the pointer. It will point towards the first position. Remember that the #1 cylinder is always closest to the crank pulley.
After that, connect wires of cylinders #3, #4, and #2 in this order on the clockwise rotation of the distributor.
However, you should keep all the wires straight without twisting or crossing the wires of any other spark plug.
Otherwise, interference between the two can result in the misfiring of that spark plug. In the worst case, it can damage the crankshaft, it’s bearing, coils, or spark plugs.
Where to find the firing order of D16Y7?
The car service manual has all the details about the distributor wiring with spark plugs.
You will also find the procedure for distributor replacement and its re-wiring. It is crucial as most people face problems like the engine not turning ON after replacing the spark plugs or distributor due to incorrect wiring.
It changes the firing order causing the engine fails to start or damage the relevant parts. I have explained all the details related to Honda Civic and Del Sol cars.
Honda authorized service centers also have information about this engine and can help you resolve the problem by charging the service fee.
Once you have found the correct firing order from an authentic source, you should remember it or keep a copy of it for future reference, as it comes in handy every time you go for spark plugs, coils, or distributor replacement.
It will also help troubleshoot the diagnostic trouble codes (DTC) related to cylinder misfiring.
What is the engine misfire error code on the D16Y7 engine?
Multiple error codes are related to the misfire at a specific cylinder when you run the OBD-II scanner on your engine. P0300 is an indication of misfire at random or multiple cylinders.
It is difficult to diagnose and indicates a problem in the ignition module, timing problem, and faulty coils or spark plugs.
You can resolve the issue by inspecting all system components to find a faulty one.
I have resolved the issue by tuning the complete ignition system and replacing parts like spark plugs, distributor, and wiring. P0301 is the fault code for a misfire in cylinder #1.
Similarly, P0302, P0303, and P0304 are for problems in cylinders #2, #3, and #4, respectively.
Moreover, there can be other error codes related to wiring, coils, or a faulty ignition module.
For example, P1399 is one such code about a problem in the ignition module or rotor in the distributor cap causing a random misfire in the engine.
What is the impact of ignition timing on firing order?
Ignition timing is essential in executing the firing order in the correct sequence. If timing is too advanced or retarded, it will result in misfiring and a few other symptoms.
Moreover, it has several drawbacks like engine knocking, loss of power, overheating, and poor fuel economy.
Due to timing differences, misfiring results from overlapping the ignition in two spark plugs.
You can correct it by shorting the service connector of the ECU. Next, look for 3 marks on the crank pulley.
You must align the pointer with any mark according to your requirements to retard or advance the timing.
After completing the task, turn ON the engine and check if it runs smoothly. In case of a misfire on any cylinder, you must redo the procedure as ECU has not saved your changes.
Do all D-series engines have the same firing order?
Honda has several engines in the D-series, all having 4 cylinders inline. Moreover, they have 2 camshaft configurations, DOHC and SOHC, and variable timing in some versions.
They have the same cylinder numbering because of the same I4 arrangement of cylinders. It starts from 1 to 4 from right to left while standing in front of the car.
Therefore, the firing order is also the same for D-series engines. In addition, you should remember the 1-3-4-2 pattern for spark plug ignition for all of them. It ensures smooth and efficient power transfer at the crankshaft.
Moreover, it also balances out the forces acting on the engine. Therefore, you will observe a smooth operation with minimum vibrations.
Moreover, one cylinder delivers power at every stroke of the power cycle to prevent the jerky power transfer to the crankshaft.
How to find the correct firing order of the Honda D16Y7 engine?
You can manually find the firing order of your SOHC Honda D16Y7 engine. Before starting the maintenance work on distributor or spark plugs, it is essential to note it down so that you can replicate it later after completing the task.
First, rotate the crankshaft pulley until the pointer on the lower timing belt cover matches with the single line marked on the crankshaft pulley.
Moreover, the up sign marker on the pulley should also be in an upward direction. It brings cylinder #1 to TDC on the compression stroke.
Remove its distributor cap and check the rotor is pointing towards the spark plug wire. It will be the position of the first spark plug to be fired.
Keep noting the spark plug wires in a clockwise direction until you reach the starting position. It will give you the complete firing order, and it should be 1-3-4-2 to be correct.
Will D16Y7 run with the wrong firing order?
The wrong firing order on the D16Y7 engine will not run properly. Spark plugs of a cylinder in the sequence will fire when there is no fuel or before proper compression.
You will result in the symptoms like knocking, power jerks at the crankshaft, rough idling, and strong vibrations.
It also causes the crankshaft bearing to wear out quickly due to extra stress and vibration. Moreover, if the first cylinder does not get the spark at the right moment, the engine will not start at all.
Therefore, you can expect the following outcomes on a Honda D16Y7 engine while running with incorrect firing order: no engine start, misfiring with underpowered running, and in severe cases, damage to its parts.
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