V6 Dauntless Distributor, Missing Small Spring

I read your other post regarding power steering. You would be wise to go back to that junk yard and get the power steering pump and brackets from that '70s Buick. The steering box probably would probably be a good donor for the Jeep too.
-Donny

 

Missing a spring would cause a way aggressive mechanical advance curve.

Or it may cause the weights to swing out even at idle, then have very little mech adv as revs increase because you set idle timing with mech adv all-in. So no more room to advance. Could go either way. But now that spring is restored you may want to check timing again.