R&R 93 Ranger Distributor. HELP PLEASE!

[ClearHooter]

My stepson's got a 93, FORD Ranger, XLT, 2WD. 3.0. We are suspecting a worn distributor has stopped it. About 1/2" up and down movement and 1/8" side to side in the shaft. Hopefully replacing it will put it back on the road long enough to get him out of school and into a place of his own

Got a distributor today but since he doesn't have a repair manual nor the money to get one; I'm hoping someone may catch this and tell me what the trick is to finding what secures the distribtor to the engine block. It doesn't involve pulling the motor does it?

[juliuszx6]

I have not changed one on my truck but I have done it on other cars and according to my chiltons book it is done the same way.No you do not have to pull the engine.Take off the cap and move it out of the way.Then mark where your rotor is pointing and also how the distributor itself is positioned so you can point the new rotor and dist. in the same spot.Mark it somewhere other than the side of the dist. like the engine block.This is important so your timing will be close when you install the new dist.The only thing holding the distributor in is a bolt with a holddown plate or something similar.Then remove the dist. and put the new one in.Point the rotor as close to the spot where the old one was, preferably EXACTLY where it was.(Do not turn the engine at all while you are doing this.)Put everything back together again.Once you start the engine you will need to check and probably adjust your timing again but it should be close.Like I said I haven't done this on this particular truck so hopefully someone else on this board can be more exact but if no one else replies maybe this will do.Take your time and like I said put the rotor and distributor back exactly in the same arrangment the old one was in.This is very important or your timing will be off,even if it is off a little you want to be able to start the truck when you are done and get the timing adjusted again.Good luck

[stuzman]

Originally Posted by ClearHooter

My stepson's got a 93, FORD Ranger, XLT, 2WD. 3.0. We are suspecting a worn distributor has stopped it. About 1/2" up and down movement and 1/8" side to side in the shaft. Hopefully replacing it will put it back on the road long enough to get him out of school and into a place of his own

Got a distributor today but since he doesn't have a repair manual nor the money to get one; I'm hoping someone may catch this and tell me what the trick is to finding what secures the distribtor to the engine block. It doesn't involve pulling the motor does it?

Although I haven't replaced a distributor on this truck, (done other vehicles), Julius's post is on the money for the procedure of replacing a distributor.

[ClearHooter]

The problem is finding, then geting to the bolt.

[stuzman]

Originally Posted by ClearHooter

The problem is finding, then geting to the bolt.

According to the manual, the bolt is located at the base of the distributor. The bolt passes through a clamp which secures the distributor to the engine block. If access to the bolt is difficult, maybe a u-joint or an offset wrench can help to get down there to it.