Welcome Visitor! Please take a few seconds and - Joined
- Nov 13, 2018
- Messages
- 4,508
- Reaction score
- 4,462
- Points
- 113
- Location
- Canaan,NH
- Vehicle Year
- 1993
- Make / Model
- Ford Ranger
- Engine Type
- V8
- Engine Size
- 351
- Transmission
- Automatic
- 2WD / 4WD
- 2WD
- Total Drop
- 3"
- Tire Size
- 235/55R16
- My credo
- If you don't have time to do it right will you have time to do it over?
If the distributor is from the 70's or early 80's- actually it has to be to be pre EEC- the centrifugal advance curve is almost certainly retarded. You'll need a set back timing light: after you do the adjustments already mentioned, unhook the vacuum advance and slowly increase the rpm while watching the timing advance with your light. Most Windsor V8's like the advance to be all in by 2800 or so, my 77 Mustang wasn't all in at 4000 until I fixed it. There are 2 springs that control the advance below the base plate in the distributor, one stiff one that will not be under any tension when still, and a lighter one that will be under tension. You can rotate the engine and see the tabs that hold the springs through a rectangular hole in the base plate. Try bending the tab slightly looser for the light spring and repeat the advance test, then try the stiff spring tab. Unless you're really lucky, it will take a few tweaks to get it right. I have run into times when I had to replace the existing springs to get what I wanted or remove the upper section of the distributor shaft and rotate it 180 to change the total amount of advance. It will take some patience but you'll like the results.
