Acura 2.3L (140 cu in) firing order — diagram & guide

As one of Acura’s signature engines, the 2.3-liter powertrain has been in production for over 20 years. Sure, the engine variations have changed and the latest one is considered a high-performance turbo engine, but they all rely on the same engine block and cylinder configuration.

Since we know how tough it can get with the engine’s maintenance, we’ve decided to give you a complete guide on the Acura 2.3L (140 cu in) firing order. That should be enough if you are a dedicated DIY expert, so let’s dive into the firing sequence along with the cylinder configuration.

Acura 2.3L firing order

Let’s start with the most important thing – the Acura 2.3L firing order is 1-3-4-2 and it’s a firing sequence that this engine has in common with the previous Honda 2.3-liter. However, the Acura version has been turbocharged for a higher power output and more potent performance.

It’s still as convenient to maintain as the four-cylinder 2.3-liter original Honda engine since the cylinder configuration is more or less the same. You’ll need to know the cylinder configuration to apply the firing order of this engine, so we’ll get into that next.

Acura 2.3L cylinder diagram

One thing that’s pretty clear with this engine is the Acura 2.3L cylinder configuration. Since it’s a straight-four engine, the cylinders are laid out from 1 to 4 in a sequence. You’ll find the first cylinder close to the radiator while the fourth cylinder is on the opposite side.

Simple cylinder numbering allows drivers to check the engine’s cylinders by using the firing order we’ve outlined above. To do that, we recommend that you start with the first one, and move your way up from there to the third, fourth, and second cylinder in that order.

Using the firing order of the engine can help you diagnose the signs of misfires, worn-out spark plugs, and coil packs.

Acura 2.3L vehicle applications

The development of the 2.3-liter Acura turbo engine was done exclusively to power one vehicle model – the RDX. However, there’s another Honda 2.3-liter engine since the parent company derived the K23A i-VTEC engine from the original 2.3-liter VTEC.

This one was used in the Accord, so if you own any of these two cars, the firing order for your engine would be 1-3-4-2.

Our take

Overall, the turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder is an engine that’s often regarded as one of the best performance powertrains developed by Acura and Honda. It’s a shame it didn’t continue its life span after the RDX, but at least those few lucky drivers that have it can now rest assured that they’ve got the right firing order to follow.