The other moring I left work and got into my 1986 2.9l 4x2 XLT Ranger and the thing wouldn't start, it turned over, and when it would start, it would run like it was being choked or restricted in some way or the other, and it would eventually die out amidst coughing, choking, and sputtering. I eventually got it to run long enough, and without a clue as to what was wrong, I got under the hood, and out of pure desperation I removed the red 90 degree vacum plug that was attached to the front upper part of the intake plenum on the passanger side(1 other vacum fitting on this tree for your Ref.), the car picked up revs cleanly, smoothed out, and ran fine, if with some reduction in ability to accelerate? Bieng extremely low on gas I drove to the gas station and filled it up, and decided to plug vac. line in to see if it would continue running fine, low and behold it did, so I drove home without further incident. That eve. I got up early to see if truck would start, and it didn't, tried the little vac. line trick with no avail, it exhibited all the signs it was that moring. I noticed a strong odor of rotten eggs emitting from tailpipe when I could get the truck to stay running long enough(It would usually cough, choke, and sputter), then it would die. Well I figured it was a clog cat, plus entire exh. sys. was rotted out any way, so I cut everything out but the cat, banged on cat with sledge hammer(Although it didn't seem clogged), and tried to start it, again with NO luck. The rotten egg smell seemd to finish, but I then noticed a strong odor of fuel. After thinking and talking to dad(Mechanic), he thought it might have jumped time, or broke a belt/chain. To check this I removed dist. cap and turned motor over to see if rotor was moving, it was.(this is when I noticed the bad cap, rotor and wires) Next I turned the motor over to get the rotor to the #1 position on cap (Thought #1 position was directly horizontal to brake booster found this to be wrong later), I then removed what I thought was the #1 spark plug (1st one on drivers side,which I now no is wrong), to see if #1 piston was at or about at TDC, it was. But after finding out firing order info, all this checking was for not as I actually had rotor on the #2 cyl. pos., and I was measuring for TDC on the #4 slug Ugh. well after I replaced cap, rotor and wires, it seemed like it wanted to fire (At least more so than it did prior to there instillation), but it still wont start? Will my above method of checking for rotor position and corresponding TDC of piston allow me to determine if I jumped time? With the #1 piston at or near TDC, the rotor should be at, or 180 degrees from the #1 position on the cap right? Hope you can help.

 

With the rotor pointing at # 1 on cap, the harmonic balancer should read near 10 degrees on the mark.If it jumped it'll be a ways from anything on the marker. Back to basics,you said you put new wires which should've included a new coil wire, right?.But, you didn't mention plugs, get some new ones before you go any further.If the plugs don't cure it, try a new fuel filter & then if not,well, it could be a bad dist. module.
Phillip