This how to guide is for:

4g15 sohc 1.5l 2002 Mitsubishi Lancer

The adjust the timing on this certain car/engine, you need a 12mm closed ring spanner, a timing light, a permanent marker or chalk and basic knowledge of spark timing in the combustion chamber.

This engine has an old school mechanical type distributor which can be adjusted through loosening two bolts that hold the distributor to the right hand side (longways).

Step 1. Make sure all electronics (stereo, lights and other stuff is off) and air conditioning.
Step 2. While the car is off, attach the timing light to the positive and negative terminals on your battery.
Step 3. Attach the spark pulse sensor device onto the first spark lead, making sure the little arrow is in the direction of going into the
engine.
Step 4. Start your car up and leave it to idle until it has reached its normal operating temperature.
Step 5. Point the timing light towards the crankshaft pully region and pull the trigger. There should be markings on the engine block saying T - - 10 - -. T stands for top dead centre so 10 means 10 degrees of advance. With the light flashing in sync with cylinder 1 you should see a mark (on the belt) that is somewhere on that scale.
Step 6. So now you know roughly were/when your spark is set to go off. Make sure the car is off and mark on the distributor and engine head were you original settings are so if need be you can just line them back up to stock.
Step 7. Once marked, adjust the timing by rotating the distributor clockwise towards the back of the car to advance. Preferably adjustments of a couple mm at a time.
Step 8. Tighten the bolts on the distributor up once you have adjusted it and start the car up to see if there is any aparent knocking. If you cannot hear any then you can take it for a drive around the block to put it through its paces.
Step 9. Keep advancing timing and going for short test drives to find the optimal timing advance without engine knock.

Hope this helps and rock on

 

Lancers in the Us use the 4G94

 

Im in australia :P it was based on my lancer (coupe). i guess its just best to go by engine model sorry about that though