Ford Bronco (1980-2023) firing order — diagram & guide

Ford Bronco is one of the company’s most renowned SUVs ever created and its production span started way back in 1996. However, it recently gained the form of a compact crossover for the latest sixth-gen model and Ford took a risk with how the new rendering of the famous SUV model will be accepted by the enthusiasts.

Luckily it all went well, so if you love your Bronco as much as we do, this guide on the Ford Bronco (2000-2023) firing order will help you preserve its heart. We’ll do what we can to help you maintain the engine running smoothly for both the new Bronco and the previous model years produced since the 1980s.

Third-generation Ford Bronco (1980-1987) firing order

While most drivers are pretty fond of their Bronco vehicles, there’s one common issue that they all share – it’s the confusion related to the engine’s firing order. We can’t blame you if that’s the case since the Bronco had some pretty similar engines over the years and it all started with the options for the third-gen model.

Ford Bronco 4.9L firing order

The first engine we’ll discuss in this guide is the famous “302” Ford 4.9-liter V8. It’s also one of the engines that confuse drivers the most since the Ford Bronco 4.9L firing order is 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8.

The thing is – there’s another 4.9-liter engine used in the following Bronco generation models and that one is a straight-six, so it has two cylinders less and a different firing pattern as we’ll be discussing.

Anyway, the cylinder arrangement for this one goes 1, 2, 3, and 4 front to rear on the passenger’s side, and 5, 6, 7, and 8 front to rear on the driver’s side. If you own one of these, make sure not to confuse the engine in your car with the “non-high-output” version of the 302 engine since these two have different firing orders.

Ford Bronco 5.8L Windsor firing order

As another V8 engine option this time reserved for the high-output version of the Bronco, the Windsor 351 engine is pretty common for third-gen SUVs. To be precise, the Ford Bronco 5.8L Windsor firing order is 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8, so it’s just like the previous 4.9-liter one which is a relief.

However, you should be thankful for this since the cylinder arrangement also matches. That being said, you’ll find cylinders 1 to 4 spreading front to rear on the passenger’s side, and cylinders 5 to 8 arranged in the same way on the driver’s side.

Fourth-generation Ford Bronco (1987-1992) firing order

The production of both the 302 V8 engine and the Windsor V8 continued through the fourth-gen Bronco, but this time we got an update in terms of the 4.9-liter six-cylinder. This one is often the source of the issue since it’s the same capacity as the 4.9L V8, so we’ll clear the issue for you.

Ford Bronco 4.9L six-cylinder firing order

The best way to differentiate between the two 4.9-liter engines is to simply pop the hood open. While the 302 is a V8 engine, the 300 cu in 4.9-liter engine is a straight-six cylinder powertrain.

This time, the Ford Bronco 4.9L straight-six firing order is 1-5-3-6-2-4 and the engine’s cylinders are arranged from 1 to 6 in a straight line starting from the front end of the hood toward the windshield.

Fifth-generation Ford Bronco (1992-1996) firing order

As the final generation of Bronco in production before the hiatus and the reboot of the model as a CUV in 2021, we have the fifth-gen Bronco. While this one received some significant transmission and interior/exterior upgrades, the choice of engine options remained the same.

So, you still had the two 4.9-liter engines and the Windsor F8 among options, and we’ve already described the firing sequences for these so let’s move on to the next gen.

Sixth-generation Ford Bronco (2021-present) firing order

Finally, we have to consider the latest generation of the Bronco and its engines, so it’s important to point out the diversity of the sixth-gen engine options. Whether you have a 2-door or an Outer Banks model, your Bronco could have come with the 2.3-liter four-cylinder, or the two types of V6 EcoBoost engines, so let’s take a look at the firing orders.

Ford Bronco 2.3L firing order

The most common type of a sixth-gen Bronco is the base EcoBoost model powered by a four-cylinder 2.3-liter engine. This one features a slightly different configuration when compared with the Mustang 2.3L, so the engine is placed with cylinders 1 to 4 going from left to right.

The firing order is the base 1-3-4-2 so that’s the same for all the vehicles equipped with this engine and it’s pretty easy to identify the cylinders and maintain the engine because of that.

Ford Bronco 2.7L firing order

For the higher Bronco trims, you could have gotten the 2.7-liter twin-turbo V6 engine and this one is a bit more capable option. The Ford Bronco 2.7L firing order is 1-4-2-5-3-6 and the engine features cylinders 1, 2, and 3 on the passenger’s side from front to rear.

The driver-side cylinders are 4, 5, and 6 looking from the front of the hood toward the rear end of the engine in that perspective, and the four-door version is more commonly equipped with this one.

Ford Bronco 3.0L firing order

Last but not least, we’ve got the 3.0-liter EcoBoost Bronco and that one also features the same 1-4-2-5-3-6 firing order. The cylinders are arranged in the same fashion, so 1, 2, and 3 are on the passenger’s side front to rear.

Driver’s side cylinders are once again 4, 5, and 6 front to rear and this engine isn’t that different from the 2.7-liter one other than the higher capacity, even in terms of the firing order.

Our take

All of the Ford Bronco models have found their way into the hearts of drivers ever since the 80s and well into the latest sixth-gen produced from 2021. Hopefully, this guide will set you in the right direction regardless of whether you own a four-cylinder, straight-six, or a V8 engine for easier misfiring identification and spark plug replacement.