Like I'm a child. I know that timing marks and the distributer must be lined up, everything has to be in alignment. But, why? If I, with out everything lined up does a car still misfire or whatever. I knoe it has to be, but I don't know why.
Thanks,
Steve

 

You want to have it lined up so when the piston goes up, you want the distributor to send a spark to the plug so that the gas and air ignite at the correct time.

 

Go here, http://www.howstuffworks.com/ and read every thing on internal combustion engines.