My sons 1996 Ranger 3.0 started running pretty rough yesterday and the code came up camshaft position sensor and too lean. I looked in chilton and it looked like it was going to be kinda tough to get to it. Will i need to get the syncro tool if i just replace the sensor? Or can i just get by with taking the old one off and putting the new one on. Thanks

 

found this for ya

https://www.ranger-forums.com/forum2...placement.html

can't really tell how easy it is to get to though....

maybe someone else will chime in

 

If it is really only a CMP sensor problem, you can replace the CMP without disturbing its timing. The gear driven Synchronizer under the CMP often fails at higher miles and takes out the CMP, so I'd be inclined to replace the entire assembly and deal with retiming it.

My advice is to avoid the cheap Chinese knockoffs on eBay and at the chain auto parts stores. The OEM Ford Synchronizer is more expensive but it is 10x better than those.

 

How can i tell which one is bad?

 

Is there a little chirping noise coming from CAM syncro area? You can not really tell by looking at the part if it is bad or not. Toreador4x4 just gave me a hand recently in replacing mine. It was making noise so we knew it was time.

If your getting a code I would replace the cam syncro and get the alignment tool for it so the timing is not off.

 

I had to replace mine. If you have high miles it might be good to change the synchro anyway. Mine was gone a long time before I saw it. Not sure how the truck kept running. See if you can see the top. There should be something that looks like a half-moon in there. Mine was a molten nub. It is a bit of a pain to get to on my 1995. I ended up needing a step ladder ad laid across the motor from the front to get it in. It is behind the intake. In fact there is a cut out in the intake for it.

there are some links to some good instructions on here on how to do it. My Chilton's covered it poorly. Have you done it yet?