Timing question?

I have an 88 wagoneer limited with the inline six and was wondering how do you set the timing? I have one friend that argues that its set by adjusting the distributor, and my other friend says the computer controls it. Which is it and how do you adjust it?

You can not set the timing, the computer does it. I have a 88 XJ and the engine control is called the RENIX control, a contraction of the two companies who developed it.

If you notice the rotor has a large contact tip, this tip allows the computer to retard or advance the timing as required and still get the spark to the correct stud on the cap.

With the age of your XJ you may want to install a new/rebuilt distributor. I had mine change around 130K miles and it gave me more power. I told the mechanic what happened and he told me as the distributor bushings wear the timing retards.

Also to get more advance you can buy the high altitute crankshaft Positoin sensor (CPS) and install it. Between the high alt CPS and the distributor I had more power.

If you look at the distributor you will see a fitting welded to the distributor and that fitting is held in place by this bolt. There is no adjustment of the distributor without modification of the actual distributor. The hold down is not your classical hold down for a engine with a points/condensor distributor.