16 Cylinder Engine Firing Order [Diagram Explained]

The first production automobiles were powered by engines that were on the smaller side, but when luxury automobiles gained popularity in the 1920s, manufacturers began to experiment with bigger V-8 as well as V-12 engines. Some businesses ventured as far as developing enormous V-16s in their research and development efforts.

Even while these engines created less vibration, making the passengers a more comfortable place to be, they often provided the same amount of horsepower as a V-8 and V-12 engine, even though it was far more costly to manufacture them. As a consequence of competition over technological advancements between Marmon and Cadillac, this V-16 engine first appeared in the production of road automobiles in the U.S. in the early 1900s.

Firing Order of 16 Cylinder Engine

  • Firing Order: 1-12-8-11-7-14-5-16-4-15-3-10-6-9-2-13

Explanation of 16 Cylinder Engine Firing Order

A piston engine with sixteen cylinders is referred to by the term V16 engine. Within this kind of engine, two groups of 8 cylinders are positioned in a V shape around a central crankshaft. Vehicles with lesser cylinders, like V8 & V12 engines, are more prevalent than V16 engines, which have sixteen cylinders. It is possible to think of each sector of V16 engines as a straight-8, a configuration that has the potential to be automatically balanced.

The majority of V16 engines also have a bank angle of 45 degrees. The V16 layout is also used in a number of large-capacity diesel engines, such as those found in locomotives for the rail industry and marine propulsion systems. This is owing to the fact that manufacturers often build an engine around a certain diameter per cylinder, and then add more pistons to the design until the desired amount of power output is obtained.

In the occasion that the firing sequence is not carried out accurately, the engine will stop working a great deal sooner than was originally intended. A flawed firing sequence will produce an excessive quantity of heat and will lead to a high amplitude of vibrations as a consequence. It is especially difficult to drive when the noise that is caused by the vibrations is present because of how loud they are.

Engines with sixteen cylinders are much more powerful than those with twelve cylinders, and as a result, they are often used in high-performance automobiles such as supercars and other automobiles that need a greater amount of power.

 Firing Order Applies to:

  • 1988 BMW 767iL
  • 1989 Mercedes-Benz 800 SEL
  • 2017 Devel Sixteen
  • 1929 Maserati Tipo V4
  • 1930s Auto Union race cars

Torque Specifications

Fastener TypeTorque Spec
7/16 in. Outer Main Cap Bolt85 ft.-lbs.
7/16 in. Inner Main Cap Bolt67 ft.-lbs.
3/8 in. Outer Main Cap Bolt50 ft.-lbs.
11/32 in. Connecting Rod Bolt38-44 ft.-lbs.
3/8 in. Connecting Rod Bolt45 ft,-lbs.

Firing Order For Similar Vehicles

  • 1930 Cadillac Series 452 1-12-8-11-7-14-5-16-4-15-3-10-6-9-2-13
  • 1931 Marmon Sixteen 1-12-8-11-7-14-5-16-4-15-3-10-6-9-2-13
  • 1932 Peerless V-16 1-12-8-11-7-14-5-16-4-15-3-10-6-9-2-13
  • 2003 Cadillac Sixteen 1-12-8-11-7-14-5-16-4-15-3-10-6-9-2-13
  • 2004 Rolls-Royce 100EX 1-12-8-11-7-14-5-16-4-15-3-10-6-9-2-13

Is there a 16-cylinder engine?

A piston engine with 16 cylinders is referred to by the term V16 engine. Within this kind of engine, two groups of 8 cylinders are aligned in a V shape around a central crankshaft.

Vehicles with lesser cylinders, such as V8 and V12 engines, are more prevalent than V16 engines, which have sixteen cylinders.

In addition, the V16 configuration is used in a variety of high-capacity diesel engines, such as those utilized in locomotives for the rail sector and in marine rocket engines. The 16-cylinder engine sound is very loud.

What car has a 16-cylinder engine?

The V-16 engine, which was developed in total secrecy, made its premiere in the Escalade Series 452 in the year 1933.

The Marmon engine served as an inspiration for the design of the company’s new flagship vehicle, the Series 452, which included a 45-degree, aerial configuration on its V-16 engine. The weight of a 16-cylinder engine is quite heavy.

What is the correct firing order?

However, certain British engines employed a firing sequence of 1-2-4-3, which deviates from the standard firing order for straight-four engines, which is 1-3-4-2.

In most cases, the firing sequence for flat-four engines goes as follows: R1-R2-L1-L2. So in order to reduce the amount of main vibration that is caused by the rocking pair, straight-five engines often adopt a firing sequence that goes as follows: 1-2-4-5-3.

What is better 8v or 16v?

Simply put, an 8-valve engine is a 4-cylinder engine with two valves for each cylinder one for intake and one for exhaust. 16 valves equal 4 valves cylinders two each for intake and exhaust. In terms of overall efficiency, the 16v engine is superior due to the fact that it has a simpler way of drawing in air and expelling exhaust.

Are all V8 firing orders the same?

There are simply eight such firing-order options that are achievable for an engine that has a block that rotates at 90 degrees and a crankshaft that is in the cross-plane position. In reality, there are 16, rather than 12, since GM and Jeep engines have the left bank forward orientation, whereas Ford engines have the right bank forwards orientation. This causes the manufacturers to identify their cylinders differently.

What cars used the 16-cylinder engine?

16-cylinder engine cars were also employed in some racing cars throughout Europe during Second World War, but during the 1950s their usage was generally confined to concept vehicles only.  While some have achieved a great deal of popularity, many have stayed almost unrecognized.

Bugatti’s W-16-powered Roadster required four turbochargers so that it could generate more than 16 cylinder engine 5000 hp in 2005. This was accomplished with the help of Bugatti’s Veyron. Despite early whispers that the Sixteen would make it into production, the idea never moved beyond the conceptual stage. On the other hand, the external design of the firing order 16-cylinder diesel engine served as a point of departure for subsequent versions of the CTS car as well as the Escalade SUV.

Jake Mayock