What is the order of the cylinders on a 3.5 Impala?
The 3.5-liter V6 used in the Impala follows GM’s standard 60-degree V6 layout, with a defined firing order of 1-6-5-4-3-2. This sequence, along with the two-bank arrangement of the cylinders, determines how the engine fires around its block.
Understanding the 3.5L V6 configuration
Most Chevrolet Impalas equipped with the 3.5-liter V6 use a two-bank, 60-degree V6 design. The engine features six cylinders arranged in two rows, three cylinders per bank, which is common among GM’s transverse-mounted V6 layouts. The numbering and firing sequence are standardized to balance performance and smooth operation across model years, though exact labeling can vary slightly by year and engine variant. When working on the engine, always reference the specific service manual for your car’s production window.
Firing order
Before listing the sequence, it helps to understand that the firing order is the order in which spark plugs ignite and deliver power to the crankshaft. For the 3.5L V6 used in the Impala, the firing order is:
- Cylinder 1 fires first in the sequence.
- Cylinder 6 fires second.
- Cylinder 5 fires third.
- Cylinder 4 fires fourth.
- Cylinder 3 fires fifth.
- Cylinder 2 fires last.
In practice, this means the spark plugs in cylinders 1, 6, 5, 4, 3, and 2 ignite in that order as the engine rotates. This arrangement helps optimize balance and reduce vibrations across the engine’s operating range.
Cylinder numbering and bank layout
Two banks of three cylinders form the 60-degree V6. On most GM 60-degree V6s, the numbering runs as follows when you view the engine from the front:
- Left bank (often the driver’s side in a transverse layout): 1, 3, 5
- Right bank (often the passenger side): 2, 4, 6
- Front-most cylinders are 1 (left bank) and 2 (right bank)
These numbers and the corresponding positions are standard across many GM 3.5L V6 configurations, but there can be year-to-year variations. If you’re performing maintenance or diagnostics, double-check your vehicle’s specific documentation or under-hood labeling to confirm the exact arrangement for your Impala’s engine.
Summary
The 3.5-liter Impala’s cylinder arrangement is a conventional 60-degree V6 with two banks of three cylinders. The firing order is 1-6-5-4-3-2, and the cylinder numbering typically places 1-3-5 on the left bank and 2-4-6 on the right bank, with 1 and 2 at the front of the engine. This configuration is designed to maximize smoothness and balance across the engine’s operation, though always verify against your model year’s service information for exact labeling.
