I have an 01 xlt and a chirping noise just started in the back of the engine. I have done many searches and talked to the dealer. To replace it will cost around 450.00. No check engine light has come on. Has anyone ever changed the position sensor and the chirping gone away or do you have to change the synchronizer? How hard is it to fix it yourself?
Thanks
Go Vols

 

The chirp noise is usually in the Synchronizer which is just the drive from the cam to the CMP sensor. Like a conventional ignition distributor, the CMP/Synchronizer must be correctly timed to the camshaft.

Recently, on eBay, aftermarket Synchonizer assemblies have begun to appear for around $50 shipped. These are presumably Chinese copies and come with the Synchronizer, CMP and timing tool.

These two listings are for the 3.0L but they also sell them for 4.0L OHV. It is important to get the right year because some CMPs are Hall Effect and some are Variable Reluctance and they are not interchangeable.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/96-98...QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/98-06...QQcmdZViewItem

 

A lot of people have done the job themselves. It's pretty straightforward if you have the alignment tool:

http://autorepair.about.com/library/faqs/bl025h.htm

Even if you don't have the tool, the repair is still doable at home:

http://www.asashop.org/autoinc/may2004/techtips.htm

 

Thanks I will check it out.

 

Thought I would add to this. Marks98xlt sent me a PM alerting me to common and possibly catastrophic synchronizer failures. Thought I would share some search results that may be educational on the issue. Some are how-to's with illustrations.

http://www.taurusclub.com/forum/inde...howtopic=43437

http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/46...on-sensor.html

TSB #02221 -- ENGINE-GEAR DRIVEN SYNCHRONIZERS-INCORRECT INSTALLATION-CAMSHAFT POSITION SYNCHRONIZER (CMP) INSTALLATION TOOL CORRECT APPLICATION. *MJ (NHTSA ID #10008304, NOVEMBER

http://free-auto-repair-advice.blogs...when-cold.html

http://www.wrenchjockey.com/cgi-bin/...num=1157816056

http://ford.justanswer.com/taurus/bk...st-couple-days

http://www.fordforums.com/showthread.php?t=150712

http://ford.justanswer.com/ranger/to...l-manual-trans

http://www.rangerpowersports.com/for...d.php?t=202414

 

I just had mine replaced a week ago.My mechanic replaced mine.Was $89.00 for the part plus install.$450.00 is crazy.

 

I had to change the one on body swap(4.0). I ended up buying the tool on ebay for around 20.00 and reused the ols sensor from the old motor. I had pulled mine out before I knew you had to have a special tool to change it. They are very hard to get to and even hard to see with the motor installed but very do-able at home. The top section of the sensor is removed with a 5 or 5.5 mm socket and I think the base is a 10mm. In therory you could take it out and lube it and reinstall it but you might want a new one. If you don't get it set right you will have a check engine light.
John

 

I'm going to do this as a preventive maintenance measure.

 

Its a poor design. Oil doesn't flow well enough to it. I have heard of others having problems but I've been lucky(knock on wood)
John

 

It's been a problem across all vehicles using the 3.0 apparently (except the Duratec -- different engine entirely).

 

I guess I should check mine on the edge's motor before I reinstall it....good idea!
John

 

Mine was just chirping.I think this gives you plenty of warning.My mechanic did say the tab on the sensor shaft will break off.I will always get chrp/ sqeak attention when it happens for now on.

 

Correct, often times the sensor magnet breaks away from the sensor and gets jammed up in the spinning synchro vane. The result is most often a bent or broken vane. Because the vane is integral to the synchro shaft itself, the bottom line is the whole synchro shaft and sensor assembly has to be replaced. The good news is that, because it wasn't the drive gear at the bottom of the synchro shaft that failed, the oil pump drive shaft kept right on spinning, the pump kept pumping, and the oil kept flowing. It's when the drive gear at the bottom of the synchro shaft gets worn or stripped that the REAL problem presents itself.

(Oops, I guess I'm repeating myself. http://www.rangerpowersports.com/for...1&postcount=49)

On the other hand - and this is something to consider regarding preventive meaintenance - I have read through more than just a couple of posts and threads over the years wherein people claimed to have had no warning signs whatsoever (squeaking/chirping noise, CEL, oil gauge fluctuations, etc.) prior to the synchro gear (and oil pump drive) failing on them. And these are folks who I have good reason to believe are being straightforward about how things actually happened.

 

Great Idea bringing this thread back up it should be a sticky in the 3.0 section. From what i heard you can hear it chirping on damp days as the 3.0 does this as well sometimes with a belt that needs to be replaced but it could be this as well.

I locked my engine up this memorial day I got on the highway I didnt even hit 60 yet engine started bogging down i saw check guage, check engine and 0 rpms it locked up that quick.

I had a mechanic put a new engine in the truck and a new one in I had some issues with him getting the timing correct with the cps but once it was straightened out it ran great. If you have a higher milage 3.0 I serious reccomend you replace this part I maintained my engine very well and only had a 115k and had no warnings not even the squeal and it locked on me.

Hell this little part cost me $1100 for a new engine and 14k for a new truck which is my daily, I didnt plan on keeping my 98..

 

Sorry to necro this but I as well have a 2001 XLT Ranger and my syncro is chirping when its damp out.
Can someone direct me to where on the engine its located? I thought it was behind the Ignition coil pack, I do see a plug that looks like to should go to the cam sensor, but its not.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/jm8w9lhbhs...2013.38.22.jpg

 

Ironic that this old post pops up a few days ago, as my cam sensor shaft started squealing like a pig at the same time this post was resurected.

Here's all you need to know on location, replacement, and function of the CMP (camshaft position sensor):

Ford Ranger 3.0L Camshaft Position Sensor

 

I replaced mine last yr. I went to NAPA and bought the part and it came with the timing tool. You can do the job yourself if you just pay attention. Shouldn't take you more than 2 hrs. that includes breaks and cussing lol

 

Also be prepared to lay on top of the engine during the removal/install. That thing could not have been placed any further back, or any lower! Even with my step ladder, it was a pain to get at.

 

I know this is an old thread, but wanted to post my personal experience with the Cam synchro issue. I was gifted a 2003 Ford Ranger XLT Supercab 4 door with the 3.0 motor. I had the chirping issues and found the culprit to the the Cam synchro thanks to this website. Had the part changed at 86,000 miles and the noise quit. About 1500 miles later the noise reappeared. I was researching oil viscosity issues with 5w20 being too thin once it was heated up. I found this post on another website. The individuals post is in quotation marks, "Whether it's accurate or not, it's been my observation that the majority of those that have had cam sync problems have been those that use the thinner oils along with the stock 197* thermostat. Is there a cause-and-effect in the that higher heat of the 197* T-stat is making an already thin oil even thinner and starving the cam sync of oil? I don't know, but I've put a 180* T-stat in my Ranger and I run 10W-30 in the winter and 10W-40 in the summer and I've had 150,000 trouble free miles. We'll see if it continues" . Well, it tried an experiment. I did not change the thermostat, but I did change the oil to a Motorcraft 5w30 synthetic blend and left the Cam Synchro, that I just had changed that had only the 1500 miles on it, in the truck. It's been 3 weeks and 1000 miles since the oil change and the noise has not returned. I have noticed a slight drop in MPG's, but no chirping Cam synchro. Just thought I'd post my experience and thank those who posted about the Cam snychro issues.
Regards

 

First thing is I want to thank those who posted to this forum regarding the chirping noise and the camshaft synchronize issues. I am posting my experience regarding this issue. I am not a mechanic or technically versed in automotive repair. I was gifted a 2003 Ford Ranger XLT Supercab 4 door that had about 85,000 miles on it, after the death of my Brother -in -Law. It was one of his rigs. I drove it for a couple of weeks and It started to have that chirping noise once it was warmed up, so I had the cam synchro changed out, with a Ford OEM part and a fresh batch of Motocraft 5w20 synthectic blend oil and filter. I always like to use OEM parts. The part ran me about $100.00. The noise went away for about 1500 miles and returned. I immediately ceased driving the truck. Being somewhat frustrated with the start up of the chirping noise again, I started researching oil viscosity issues and the lack of lubrication of this part that plays into it's failure. I found a post by one individual on a forum regarding oil viscosity and types of oils used in today's engines. His post is in quotation mark in the following sentence as I do not want to plagiarize him . " Whether it's accurate or not, it's been my observation that the majority of those that have had cam sync problems have been those that use the thinner oils along with the stock 197* thermostat. Is there a cause-and-effect in the that higher heat of the 197* T-stat is making an already thin oil even thinner and starving the cam sync of oil? I don't know, but I've put a 180* T-stat in my Ranger and I run 10W-30 in the winter and 10W-40 in the summer and I've had 150,000 trouble free miles. We'll see if it continues.... " So in reading this guys statement, I tried an experiment. I did not change the thermostat, but did change the oil to Motorcraft 5w30 synthetic blend and of course a fresh Motorcraft oil filter. I left the camshaft synchro that only had 1500 miles on it in the engine. Upon changing from a 5w20 synthetic blend oil to the a 5w30 synthetic blend oil the noise chirping noise stopped. I have driven the truck for almost 1000 miles now and the chirp has not returned. I have noticed about a 7 tenths MPG drop but no other effects. The motor runs smooth and quiet. Just thought that I would post my experience with this issue. I like the little Ranger and hope to have a lot of trouble free miles.
Regards....

 

How is it running now?