Distributor spins

[SpencerC]

Newbie Question:
On our 1986 Ranger- 2.9 liter

We just put in new plugs, wires, distributor cap, and rotor.

In process of this we discovered the ditributor rotorates by hand, it effects the timing. You can easily turn it and hear the engine change its timing.

How do you lock it into place? How should it be alligned? What is the proper way to time it?

 

[adsm08]

There should be a hold down tab that holds the distributor in place. There should be a 1/2" bolt that gets tightened to keep it locked.

The distributor should be aligned wherever the timing is set correctly and the wires to the ignition module aren't stressed.

To set the time you need to have a timing light. It helps to find the 10* BTDC mark and paint it with some white paint before starting. Then allow the engine to warm up, remove the spout connector (a little bullet jumper on the passenger side of the engine near the middle runner of the intake) and turn the distributor until the mark you painted lines up with the pointer. Then clamp down the distributor and recheck to make sure you didn't disturb things too badly while locking it down.