Firing order on DC Case

[Mild Bill]

I bought a DC Case engine $500 6 months ago. I was just now filling the spark plug holes with ATF and noticed the firing order as the wires were in the plugs. 4312 Ive got a DC engine in it, my grandads tractor, 34 CC. I blew the head gasket in that engine, having never done so in 50+YRS, i THOUGHT i COULD GET IT TO THE HOUSE, BUT DIDNT. I Always wired them 1342. All the plugs are oily, but easy to get out

 

[Dave in]

Sounds like they installed the mag 180 dig. out of time easy to do .

 

[Joe (Wa)]

https://www.yesterdaystractors.com/atrp/specs/case.htm

 

[used red MN]

Sounds like they installed the mag 180 dig. out of time easy to do .

and your recalling the distributor rotation incorrectly.
If it was a Farmall that also has a 1-3-4-2 firing order I could tell you the distributor turns clockwise as viewed from the back and timed in the stock location the #1 cap plug wire terminal is at the 1 o’clock position. So on a Farmall if it was timed 180 deg out the number 1 plug wire would go at the 8 o’clock position and if you thought it turned counterclockwise 2 would be at the 4 o’clock position, 4 would be at the 1 o’clock position and 3 would be at the 11 o’clock position. Read counter clockwise that is 1-2-4-3; if you gave the firing order from the “stock” number 1 location of 1 o’clock on the cap again in the reverse rotation you would get 4-3-1-2 exactly as you said. Still in the case of the Farmall if you read that in the correct clockwise order but still timed 180 out it would read (4-2)..(1-3) moved to the correct arrangement gives you (1-3)..(4-2).
Maybe simpler would be to say the correct firing order is in the “order” you gave if you read it in reverse because I think you a reading them as if the distributor is turning the opposite of what it actually does.. 1-3-4 drop back to the 2 in front, 1-3-4-2. And thinking a bit more I think the distributor was set in only one terminal off (90 degrees) instead of 180. Clear as mud I suppose…! Reread your firing order from terminal that plug wire 1 is in going around the distributor cap the opposite direction, I bet you get 1-3-4-2.
The second scenario may be that you have the engine set to TDC on the exhaust stroke of number 1 cylinder, not compression and that is misleading you.