JillyBeanz

So I will readily admit that I went way too long with knowing that I needed to change my spark plugs. Now I have even bigger issues... It's with my beloved 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 8 cylinder, 5.2 L car.

For the past few weeks, I have had a few issues with my car stalling out at stop lights and lagging a little with acceleration. My check engine light was on.
This morning, I went to accelerate on the highway, and the car alternated between brief periods of no acceleration and then "powing"/surging forward. I had made up my mind at that point to stop procrastinating and get the plugs changed at a shop near my work today but I never made it.

My car shut off during a crawl in rush hour traffic and would not re-start. I had it towed to my house and proceeded to replace my spark plugs.
What I did not know that the time and that I think I am realizing through my research is that the plugs needed to be taken off/replaced in the firing order on the manifold, is that correct?

The - battery terminal was of course disconnected, but I went straight up one side of the manifold for the plug changes and then straight up the other side.

So, if I am understanding the order correctly, I effectively changed mine in an "8-6-4-2-7-5-3-1" order instead of the "1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2" firing order listed for my car.

So, anyhow, I digress... Now that I replaced all of the spark plugs, the car will turn over (YAY! Because it wouldn't turn over before) but now it won't stay running. It runs for 5-7 seconds and then coughs, sputters and dies.

Is there any suggestion as to what needs to be done with me potentially replacing them in the wrong order? I appreciate any insight.

wingless

The spark plugs connected in the wrong order will not prevent the engine from cranking.

The TSB 18-48-98 for the spark plug wire routing shows the correct / updated wiring routing.

What fault is causing the CEL?

97grand4.0

I was going to reply, but there is too much missing information.

dave1123

It doesn't matter what order you changed the plugs in as long as you replaced each wire on the plug you took it off of. I think you've got more going on here than bad plugs. What does the inside of the distributor cap and the rotor look like?

RocketMouse

Yes... lots going on. Best to sort them out in order of priority.
Do you know the correct firing order for your vehicle? Are you certain you have all of the wires in the correct order on the cap? And that the cap and rotor are in good condition?
If you're not sure they're in the right order, you could always find TDC of cyl. #1 and go from there with the correct order. If they're not in the correct order it will run like poo at the very best....usually not at all. make sure you do have good spark too.
I say verify the simple things first to make sure they're correct and step by step move forward.

dave1123

You did nothing wrong changing the plugs that way. Changing them in the firing order is OCD! I've changed plugs one bank at a time for half a century! I HAVE used plastic wire marking rings with numbers on them before. A friend of mine was an industrial electrician and supplied me with them. The standard firing order for any V8 is 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2 except Ford because they number their cylinders differently.

The best way to find TDC #1 compression, is to put a plug in #1 loosely with all the others removed and crank it over by hand until you feel some resistance when the timing marks come up to TDC.