Great video! This is totally doable. There are only like 6 or 7 nuts or bolts to remove in the whole job. A few tips: A. Motor oil on the new CS will make it easier to slide in. B. A pic of the old one's position before you touch the removal bolt will give confidence (still make your marks). C. Check your Throttle body for grime while you have it off. D. Remove and flush the hose that runs to the coolant overflow while you have it off, too. THANK YOU for the video, you saved me $400!
I just finished and your video was of great help. I used the white out to mark the shaft position before I removed it and it worked perfectly during installation the first time. I was praising you and cursing ford for the wire harness position. Thanks again
Thank you so much sir! Novice DIY'er here...I downloaded your video and watched it about five times and today I sucessfully replaced the camshaft synchronizer in my wife's 2003 Taurus SE Vulcan 3.0L OHV, saving us hunderds of dollars! No more birds chirping under the hood!
You did a good job for keeping this simple and to the point, understandable to anyone in layman terms. I just replaced my synchronizer after watching your video, but I had watched a different video prior to today as well. If I had just watched yours, I would have been able to do it too. So good job and thanks!
Thank you!! You helped me fix my 2003 Ford Taurus. I went to my local auto shop. Obviously they're not a non-profit organization... They were going to charge me $191 for the camshaft synchronizer and $41 for the position sensor. Labor was another $250! Rockauto.com had the camshaft synchronizer, position sensor, with position tool for $37!!! Your video showed me how to do it correctly with no check engine light. It purrs like a kitten. You're a saint!
Thanks for the detailed info.I'm not a mechanic,so this really helps me understand what my mechanic is trying to explain to me and how much effort it is to replace this unit. thanks again.
Many thanks for posting this video. I just swapped out my synchronizer and the information you provided saved me a heap of time. In addition to the squeaking, I was having significant acceleration problems and replacing this part solved the problem. It runs like a new car. Thanks again!
One of the best videos that i have ever seen. My mechanic ( who hates Fords) and I stood listening to the chirping and were clueless. Thanks to you, google and youtube for solving my my mystery and showing us the solution..
Just did the job on a 2006 taurus in 1.5 hrs. No need to remove the throttle plate but i did remove the air filter and hose. The rest was just as he says. Also took a pic of the timing and how it set. Also marking its positions with a ink pen. Be carful when taking the hose off that sits right above the wiring harness it has a plastic hosel and can break .fluid will spill out of the hose so be ready. You may have to get a little rough with the harness to get it out of the way. All in all piece of cake. Thanks for the awesome And helpful video !!!
Your video is great. I have a 97 Taurus and I'm replacing the plastic sensor. Never had to do it before so this gives me an idea of how the job should be
Thanks for the informative video gygahurtz!! I did mine today. At first it looked like I was going to have trouble getting the wiring harness to clear the cam sync, but using some twine I was able to move it out of the way no problem. I took a pic before I pulled the old one out, and it helped me in aligning in the new one. If there is any doubts in the alignment, remove it and try again. I did this, and the second time everything went perfectly. My motor purrs again. Thanx Bro!
I've got to replace the synchro in my 04 freestar. You did an excellent job of explaining the proceedure. I have read that moving the engine to "top dead center" first is the preferred method as the new synchro comes with a tool to make sure it goes into position correctly.
Yeah. I doubted the 4*4 theory too. It has been 22k miles. Small shop charged $250. Now I know why. Didn't even know refurbished units were made. Ordered one off Amazon. Was hesitant on Dorman brand after reading the Wikipedia rant. But times are tough and I gotta keep moving. Appreciate the video.
Thanks for the video! It worked EXACTLY like you said it would. I'm no mechanic by no means but felt confidant after seeing you instructions. Thanks Again!! I save A TON of money for just a few hours on Saturday.
Actually, I figured out how to put #1 at TDC and did everything you did :P I literally JUST finished, came back in to check my email! Runs like a dream though! thanks for your help!
I appreciate the time you took to publish this video for total strangers. I found it helpful. If you wanted to be more helpful than you already are you could say what sizes the bolts are & show how long they are. I'm ready for any task on any car but many others might be buying their first tool set for this project (or any other project you help people with). Just saying.
Thanks for the video! I just finished doing it just like you described. I have an 06, Taurus, so the throttle body is different, but everything else is the same, and it all worked perfectly. The one thing I think would be helpful is to make sure to put fresh oil on the end of the new synchronizer before putting it in... Thanks alot!!!
Great video, I had 5 different mechanics try to fix the squeaking noise. They replaced the AC, water pump, both pulleys, alternator and power steering pump and spent a ton of money. All it was the camshaft sync. Thank you very much for this video.
The only additional suggestion I would make is taking pictures with a digital camera of the position of the inside rotating cam on the camshaft synchronizer before, and after, removal. Since the inside cam and outside chassis rotate during removal and installation, pictures on a digital camera are essential without the installation kit or tool. My wiring harness had a plastic tray, and your suggestion of tieing it back was very helpful!
GREAT VIDEO, AND IS REALLY EXPLANED I THINK I HAVE THAT PROBLEM IN A FORD EXPLORER THAT HAS THE SAME SQUIZE NOISE THANKS A LOT FROM MEXICO! GRACIAS AMIGO!
Great job my man!!! My issue is I paid to have this done in June of 2010. It is now May 2012 and I have the same issue suddenly again. However I did hit a 4 by 4 on the highway a couple of days before the onset of the new sound again.
Good job. I'm about to tackle this on my '99 Sable, and the idea of using toothpicks in the grooves really is awesome. I feel much more comfortable going at it now. Keep up the good work.
Thanks for the great video! I just did this myself - my experiences: My car is 2003 Taurus SES w/ Vulcan 12v OHC (flex-fuel). I bought the motorcraft syncro DA2089, and a Standard Motor Products t-series sensor PC321T. DON'T buy that brand (at least the t-series) sensor. The bolts have different pitch treads and won't screw into synco. I returned it and got motorcraft part. Both syncro and sensor together cost about $125 on rockauto. Otherwise went well. The chirp is gone. Took little over 2 hours - mostly spent looking for right tools. Old syncro lifted out very easy. I oiled the new part below the lower o-ring well before install, including the oil passages. The pain was to get the wire harness out of the way. The wires are in a rigid plastic case and I never really got it out of the way, but was still able to get in there enough. Take plenty of pictures! Since the syncro is essentially a distributor, what really matters is getting the inside vane in the exact same position in relation to the outside body of the syncro (with the side window). The body in relation to the block doesn't matter. *the window can't face the block, because then you obviously can't get the sensor back on. Torque on the synco hold down bolt is 18 ft-lbs (216 in-lbs). I did notice one of the two bolts that holds down the sensor on top the syncro was loose when I started. Make sure to bolt those down tight or else the syncro vane could damage the sensor magnet. Also can't hurt to spray some deoxit in the electrical connectors during reassembly.
Good video, I had the same problem on my 2002 Taurus LX, watched this video and a few other videos, but this one helped the most. I got a DURA LAST from auto zone, part # CDLG-FD32 for $38 lifetime warranty. I used a small drill bit to line it up because i couldn't find a tooth pick. Thanks for posting this
Good job on the explanation. However, you did a lot more work than you had to. The only things you had to remove are the throttle cable brackets, the plastic bracket that holds the large wiring harness in place (2 8mm bolts under the throttle body) the PCV tube into the side of the air cleaner tube, the bolt that holds the large wiring harness to the top of the transmission and the three plugs from the coil pack on the right side. BTW, the wires are numbered as is the coil pack. I had mine out in less than 15 minutes. I would also recommend getting the engine up on TDC and using the alignment tool that comes with the new cam synchronizer. While the method shown here can work it is also easier to get wrong. God bless and stay well.
The other videos made this seem awful. Watched yours then replaced my own, took just under 2 hours. Thanks for the help in saving me a few hundred dollars!
Just did this with a friend, it wasn't bad at all. A couple things to note: you'll need 6, 8, and 10mm sockets and a lot of extensions. If you don't have rope, duct taping that harness to something works fine
thank you, i've seen a lot of folks recommend to hand crank the motor to install in TDC position and then align it at the right angle positioning that way. Seems daunting, but ensuring it goes in the way it comes out almost seems like "DUH!"
Thanks a lot for this video. The wire Harness gave me the most grief. Another suggestion is to take pictures from the top down of the Synchronizer, after you take off the synchronizer sensor. There are two things that need to be correct. The outside and the inside both have to be in the exacte same position as they were before you removed the old one. Another thing that helped me was to put Vaseline on the rubber O-rings which helped it go all the way in.
Good, Informative video. Your car's engine is very close in it layout to my 05 Ford Freestar. But I have a steel tube running directly over the Cam Synchronizer on a 3.9 liter. I also have the same with the no check engine light and the loud noise, replaced the sensor but still have the noise and stalling problem. Now on to doing what you show in your video, Thanks, it is a big help.
Very nice job on the video and explaining. Would have loved to see you taking apart each part however to get to the needed area. But otherwise you have the best vid out there so far for this type of replacement.
Had this bird chirping noise from under the hood of my 2001 Taurus. After google research , reading forums etc concluded it was the cam position sensor. Found out that there are a raft of these parts made in China that you must steer clear away from. So I ended up ordering a Motorcraft part. It did not come with the tool, and I read all of the recommendations 5 times, and ended up marking the old part with a red sharpie on the engine. Also took photos. Removed and replaced part exactly in the same configuration without cranking the engine during the repair. Happy to report that the chirping noise was indeed the cause of the problem. Seems that motor oil does not lubricate the upper portion of the CPS and it fails. The Chinese parts end up failing soon after replacement so that is why you want to stay away from those tin can replacements from China!
Your video was a big help. I bought Ford parts because I didn’t want to gamble on a cheap part seeing I drive this a lot for work. I’d also suggest taking a picture of the paint marking to show the clocking. Your video was short and concise and gave great direction
Thanks gyga, I thought it strange how I lost pressure instantly. I have many years as a 'mechanic' and have only replaced oil pumps on major rebuilds when the pressures became very low due to journal wear, etc..but not NO pressure at all. It was like something snapped or broke somewhere. The pump is pretty staright forward but is driven by this assembly, making me think it somehow failed. BTW, I did notice the 'bird chirping' sound recently.
It sure helps to get all that stuff out of the way. Im a mechanic and all i do is remove the spark plug wire retainer, dont even unhook the wires, and take that one hose off.
mark the outer grooves on the engine block and note the position the notch as well, this is what makes sure that it is in perfect alignment when you pull the old sync out the notch or tooth in the middle will rotate counter clockwise a little bit, so you will need to line it up in the removed position so that when you put the new on back in it will rotate back into position take pictures before removal and after removal make absolutely sure you don't twist the shaft or gears once removed
I have a 97 Taurus 3.0 OHV and the oil light went on while driving at highway speeds. Before I noticed it, I was 10-15 miles down the road. When I stopped, The engine was ticking (valves) but otw ran fine. Haven't ran it since. My question is..does this drive power the oil pump? I would save me TONS of work by replacing this drive and not tearing the oil pan/pump apart unecessarily. THANKS FOR THIS VIDEO!!
I took it out again next morning and put it in again. no oil light "on" yeah. What else i noted is my camshaft synchronizer had a grease fitting on the side. the new one i got didn't have the grease fitting but it did have a hole in same place as the original one to have a fitting screwed in but it was blocked off from screwing into it.
there is a hex shaped shaft the the sync slides onto down in the engine I've read that if you are having trouble getting the new one to slide into perfect position you can put a socket on an extension and put it down into the hole onto the hex shaft and use a ratchet to turn it slightly then try to refit the new sync back in, like I said I didn't do this either time i made the repair, just something I read as far as the socket size just have to use trial and error to find the right size
Ok, so first off - This video is great and I wish I had seen it prior to attempting to do this on my 04 Mustang. Second off (and this is embarassing), I was wondering if you knew what the proper procedure would be if the positioning of the camshaft was off at the first attempt, and after that I lost my placement. Basically, my timing is off and I don't know how to find the proper placement. I understand that I may have this resolved prior to you seeing this comment, but one can only hope.
Your video was a great help. Unfortunetly, I installed it wrong. My snychronizer refused to cooperate and would not go in the same way as I pulled it out. It was either to the left or to the right of the original, I couldn't get it in the middle. I went with it though and my car misses now. So obviously it was done wrong. Any ideas how to easily bring this thing to TDC, and redo it the hard way?
My 2000 ford taurus ses is making a noise like this here and their it does not make this noise all the time and does not have a check engine light. Could this part be going out in my car?
Well, well, well. I changed the idler pulley as well as the alternator still no fix $180.00 later. I was thinking what can it be? I thought maybe it's the ac pulley but, before changing that out I figured let me Google it. I will be changing the camshaft synchronizer this weekend. Thank you ever so much. None of the local automotive shops in my area had a clue. go figure. I will tell everyone I come in contact with that's having this problem to watch your video. Thanks again
Great video, I was wondering if I could do this myself without cranking to TDC. Makes perfect since "assuming" the old part was placed in the proper position from the factory. I will tackle this job on my Ford Explorer come monday.
@mysqueeker I watched your vids, looks like you took it out, both of the Tauruses I worked on were actually running fine, just squeaking like crazy, after you replaced it, did it remedy the other issues idle, stalling....
@thorfoxxx you install it in line with the engine, arrow on tool pointing toward driver fender then rotate, but I'm not sure about the degrees on a ranger, if it;s the exact same engine as the 02 taurus then it's probably the same when you look at your engine size on autozone website do you select the Vin U engine?
Awesome, I am about to do this on my 98 mustang and I was nervous because I heard about needing to line it up perfectly. Doesnt look that bad! Only concern i still have is, ive also heard that you need to put you #1 piston at 10 degrees ATDC? I have no idea what that means or how to do it :o
@thorfoxxx it is very complicated to correct you will have to remove it then put the #1 cylinder in top dead center then reinstall the sync with the tool pointing straight in line with the engine turn it 30 degrees clockwise you might have to go to a mechanic for this as I'v never done it before but I read about how to do this but I'm pretty sure this is going to be the only way to fix your issue. Was this on a Ford Taurus 3.0 ?
put in in the position it ended up in after you pulled it out, so when you put the new one back in it will rotate back into the original position the old one was in before you removed it, so if it started in the 1o'clock position and you pull it out and it moves to the 3o'clock position, put the new one in the 3o'clock so it will rotate back into the 1o'clock when the gears line up on the inside, the one in this video didn't end up precisely but was very close and took several tries
@mysqueeker were you turning it while it's still in the car, or had you removed it? you shouldn't turn it at all while it is still installed in the car, that will really mess with the timing of the engine
I'm not sure if I can answer this.. yes if the old one wasn't in correctly then the new one would still run funky, when they go bad I don't believe they cause the engine to miss unless the sensor is bad, but if you put a new one and it's still missing and the check engine light is on, i would go to Autozone and have them check the trouble code
okay, I'm not 100% sure how it works, but this part does slide onto a hex shaped shaft attached to the oil pump, so I think as the cam gears turn the sync, it in turn drives the pump, I'm not a professional or certified mechanic, so sometimes I might not be able to give you the answer you need
Scott Ketchum the part included an alignment tool, however you have to put the engine in top dead center. The method used in this video is how to do it without having to put the engine in top dead center
quick question im having trouble getting the wiring harness pulled back as far as you have it. Also do I have to remove that radiator hose that blocks the bolt that holds the camshaft sync assemble down thats below the cp sensor? My cars in pieces in the parking garage at school trying to fix it. I was getting low oil pressure at idle since the cam sync drives the oil pump.
I doubt hitting the 4x4 had anything to do with it, they probably used yet another faulty part, you'd think as many people that are having this problem there'd be a recall on it. However I hope this will help you replace it yourself for a fraction of the cost. How much did it cost when you paid to have it done?
@gygahurtz it is a 02 ford ranger 3.0l ... do i want the tool pointing straight in line with the engine when it is set in (and to do this have it rotated 30 degrees clockwise before)? or vise versa
Maestro,exelente ayuda saludos gracias,maestro pregunta cuando se reemplaza el sensor y el sincronizador del arbol de levas q ahique tomar en cuenta,se marca o ahi otra manera como poner en punto muerto superior,de antemano gracias saludos y buendia (estudiante primer semestre)
I tried to do this job and the wire harness that sits on top of the sensor wouldn't budge, how did you get the wire harness tied up without breaking the plastic piece holding the wires?
remember when you pull the old sync out the tab that spins in the middle will rotate as it pulls out of the gears be very sure not to move it once removed so you can reference it for the new part because you will have to put the tab on the new part in the removed position so that it will rotate back into proper position good luck
Great video! This is totally doable. There are only like 6 or 7 nuts or bolts to remove in the whole job. A few tips: A. Motor oil on the new CS will make it easier to slide in. B. A pic of the old one's position before you touch the removal bolt will give confidence (still make your marks). C. Check your Throttle body for grime while you have it off. D. Remove and flush the hose that runs to the coolant overflow while you have it off, too. THANK YOU for the video, you saved me $400!
I just finished and your video was of great help. I used the white out to mark the shaft position before I removed it and it worked perfectly during installation the first time. I was praising you and cursing ford for the wire harness position. Thanks again
Thank you so much sir! Novice DIY'er here...I downloaded your video and watched it about five times and today I sucessfully replaced the camshaft synchronizer in my wife's 2003 Taurus SE Vulcan 3.0L OHV, saving us hunderds of dollars! No more birds chirping under the hood!
Sweet!!
You did a good job for keeping this simple and to the point, understandable to anyone in layman terms. I just replaced my synchronizer after watching your video, but I had watched a different video prior to today as well. If I had just watched yours, I would have been able to do it too. So good job and thanks!
Thank you!! You helped me fix my 2003 Ford Taurus. I went to my local auto shop. Obviously they're not a non-profit organization... They were going to charge me $191 for the camshaft synchronizer and $41 for the position sensor. Labor was another $250! Rockauto.com had the camshaft synchronizer, position sensor, with position tool for $37!!! Your video showed me how to do it correctly with no check engine light. It purrs like a kitten. You're a saint!
Did mine this morning, did it just as you did and it went without a hitch. 1.5 hours total and saved a bunch of money. Thanks for the share
Thanks for the detailed info.I'm not a mechanic,so this really helps me understand what my mechanic is trying to explain to me and how much effort it is to replace this unit. thanks again.
Many thanks for posting this video. I just swapped out my synchronizer and the information you provided saved me a heap of time. In addition to the squeaking, I was having significant acceleration problems and replacing this part solved the problem. It runs like a new car. Thanks again!
One of the best videos that i have ever seen. My mechanic ( who hates Fords) and I stood listening to the chirping and were clueless. Thanks to you, google and youtube for solving my my mystery and showing us the solution..
awesome!!
Thanks for the video, I followed your instructions and had the job done in less than an hour and much cheaper than a dealership. Kudos!
excellent
Yup, just had a FL Ford dealer tell me I needed this done @ $580.00. Think I'll go your route. Thank you, sir!
Just did the job on a 2006 taurus in 1.5 hrs. No need to remove the throttle plate but i did remove the air filter and hose. The rest was just as he says. Also took a pic of the timing and how it set. Also marking its positions with a ink pen. Be carful when taking the hose off that sits right above the wiring harness it has a plastic hosel and can break .fluid will spill out of the hose so be ready. You may have to get a little rough with the harness to get it out of the way. All in all piece of cake. Thanks for the awesome And helpful video !!!
Your video is great. I have a 97 Taurus and I'm replacing the plastic sensor. Never had to do it before so this gives me an idea of how the job should be
Just the right amount of explanation for a driveway mechanic to do the job. Thank you very much.
Thank you! I had a stutter from 2500 to 3500 rpm even in neutral. I bought the part and replaced it with help of your video. It runs perfectly again.
Thanks got the part at Advanced for $38.50... My father and I are going to replace it this weekend!!
did you get it done?
Actually paid someone to do it and should have done it my self took 35 mins
Thanks for the informative video gygahurtz!! I did mine today.
At first it looked like I was going to have trouble getting the wiring harness to clear the cam sync, but using some twine I was able to move it out of the way no problem. I took a pic before I pulled the old one out, and it helped me in aligning in the new one. If there is any doubts in the alignment, remove it and try again. I did this, and the second time everything went perfectly. My motor purrs again.
Thanx Bro!
I've got to replace the synchro in my 04 freestar. You did an excellent job of explaining the proceedure. I have read that moving the engine to "top dead center" first is the preferred method as the new synchro comes with a tool to make sure it goes into position correctly.
Yeah. I doubted the 4*4 theory too. It has been 22k miles. Small shop charged $250. Now I know why. Didn't even know refurbished units were made. Ordered one off Amazon. Was hesitant on Dorman brand after reading the Wikipedia rant. But times are tough and I gotta keep moving. Appreciate the video.
Thanks for the video! It worked EXACTLY like you said it would. I'm no mechanic by no means but felt confidant after seeing you instructions. Thanks Again!! I save A TON of money for just a few hours on Saturday.
that's great
Did my 03 Taurus yesterday. Very easy swap thanks to your video. Thanks!
Actually, I figured out how to put #1 at TDC and did everything you did :P I literally JUST finished, came back in to check my email!
Runs like a dream though! thanks for your help!
Great Job, clear explination. I have the same trouble with my 06 Taurus. Will do the job this weekend. Thanks so much for the help!
I appreciate the time you took to publish this video for total strangers. I found it helpful. If you wanted to be more helpful than you already are you could say what sizes the bolts are & show how long they are. I'm ready for any task on any car but many others might be buying their first tool set for this project (or any other project you help people with). Just saying.
Thanks for the video! I just finished doing it just like you described. I have an 06, Taurus, so the throttle body is different, but everything else is the same, and it all worked perfectly. The one thing I think would be helpful is to make sure to put fresh oil on the end of the new synchronizer before putting it in...
Thanks alot!!!
Great video, I had 5 different mechanics try to fix the squeaking noise. They replaced the AC, water pump, both pulleys, alternator and power steering pump and spent a ton of money. All it was the camshaft sync. Thank you very much for this video.
Thank you for this very detailed installation/replacement video of Ford Camshaft Synchronizer!! Help me a lot!!
The only additional suggestion I would make is taking pictures with a digital camera of the position of the inside rotating cam on the camshaft synchronizer before, and after, removal. Since the inside cam and outside chassis rotate during removal and installation, pictures on a digital camera are essential without the installation kit or tool. My wiring harness had a plastic tray, and your suggestion of tieing it back was very helpful!
GREAT VIDEO, AND IS REALLY EXPLANED I THINK I HAVE THAT PROBLEM IN A FORD EXPLORER THAT HAS THE SAME SQUIZE NOISE THANKS A LOT FROM MEXICO! GRACIAS AMIGO!
Nice video. very consise, clear and to the point. A beginner can follow it.
Thanks
Great job my man!!! My issue is I paid to have this done in June of 2010. It is now May 2012 and I have the same issue suddenly again. However I did hit a 4 by 4 on the highway a couple of days before the onset of the new sound again.
Thanks for doing this vid, I've done some work on my car but would never have thought of doing this. It gives me great confidence.
Good job. I'm about to tackle this on my '99 Sable, and the idea of using toothpicks in the grooves really is awesome. I feel much more comfortable going at it now. Keep up the good work.
Thanks for the great video! I just did this myself - my experiences: My car is 2003 Taurus SES w/ Vulcan 12v OHC (flex-fuel). I bought the motorcraft syncro DA2089, and a Standard Motor Products t-series sensor PC321T. DON'T buy that brand (at least the t-series) sensor. The bolts have different pitch treads and won't screw into synco. I returned it and got motorcraft part. Both syncro and sensor together cost about $125 on rockauto.
Otherwise went well. The chirp is gone. Took little over 2 hours - mostly spent looking for right tools. Old syncro lifted out very easy. I oiled the new part below the lower o-ring well before install, including the oil passages. The pain was to get the wire harness out of the way. The wires are in a rigid plastic case and I never really got it out of the way, but was still able to get in there enough. Take plenty of pictures! Since the syncro is essentially a distributor, what really matters is getting the inside vane in the exact same position in relation to the outside body of the syncro (with the side window). The body in relation to the block doesn't matter. *the window can't face the block, because then you obviously can't get the sensor back on. Torque on the synco hold down bolt is 18 ft-lbs (216 in-lbs).
I did notice one of the two bolts that holds down the sensor on top the syncro was loose when I started. Make sure to bolt those down tight or else the syncro vane could damage the sensor magnet. Also can't hurt to spray some deoxit in the electrical connectors during reassembly.
That is a logical, easy to follow how-to video.
Thank you for your help.
Rob H.
Good video, I had the same problem on my 2002 Taurus LX, watched this video and a few other videos, but this one helped the most. I got a DURA LAST from auto zone, part # CDLG-FD32 for $38 lifetime warranty. I used a small drill bit to line it up because i couldn't find a tooth pick. Thanks for posting this
Good job on the explanation. However, you did a lot more work than you had to. The only things you had to remove are the throttle cable brackets, the plastic bracket that holds the large wiring harness in place (2 8mm bolts under the throttle body) the PCV tube into the side of the air cleaner tube, the bolt that holds the large wiring harness to the top of the transmission and the three plugs from the coil pack on the right side. BTW, the wires are numbered as is the coil pack. I had mine out in less than 15 minutes. I would also recommend getting the engine up on TDC and using the alignment tool that comes with the new cam synchronizer. While the method shown here can work it is also easier to get wrong. God bless and stay well.
thanks man great vid, i have a bad cps on my 03 sable. helped save me a lot of money much appreciated.
The other videos made this seem awful. Watched yours then replaced my own, took just under 2 hours. Thanks for the help in saving me a few hundred dollars!
Michael Foster awesome glad it helped
Just did this with a friend, it wasn't bad at all. A couple things to note: you'll need 6, 8, and 10mm sockets and a lot of extensions. If you don't have rope, duct taping that harness to something works fine
LOL, I used extension cords. To hold them tight, I shut them in the driver's side front door.
thank you, i've seen a lot of folks recommend to hand crank the motor to install in TDC position and then align it at the right angle positioning that way. Seems daunting, but ensuring it goes in the way it comes out almost seems like "DUH!"
Thanks a lot for this video. The wire Harness gave me the most grief.
Another suggestion is to take pictures from the top down of the Synchronizer, after you take off the synchronizer sensor. There are two things that need to be correct. The outside and the inside both have to be in the exacte same position as they were before you removed the old one.
Another thing that helped me was to put Vaseline on the rubber O-rings which helped it go all the way in.
yes i watched alot of vids and i think yours was one of the best thanks it helped me alot.
Thanks man I have same car same year same engine same problem. Needed this vid.
Good, Informative video. Your car's engine is very close in it layout to my 05 Ford Freestar. But I have a steel tube running directly over the Cam Synchronizer on a 3.9 liter. I also have the same with the no check engine light and the loud noise, replaced the sensor but still have the noise and stalling problem. Now on to doing what you show in your video, Thanks, it is a big help.
Very nice job on the video and explaining. Would have loved to see you taking apart each part however to get to the needed area. But otherwise you have the best vid out there so far for this type of replacement.
After watching your vid, it only took me about 30-35 mins to do this job :D
Thank you! Your video was my guide!!…..and it worked!😊🙏
Had this bird chirping noise from under the hood of my 2001 Taurus. After google research , reading forums etc concluded it was the cam position sensor. Found out that there are a raft of these parts made in China that you must steer clear away from. So I ended up ordering a Motorcraft part. It did not come with the tool, and I read all of the recommendations 5 times, and ended up marking the old part with a red sharpie on the engine. Also took photos. Removed and replaced part exactly in the same configuration without cranking the engine during the repair.
Happy to report that the chirping noise was indeed the cause of the problem. Seems that motor oil does not lubricate the upper portion of the CPS and it fails. The Chinese parts end up failing soon after replacement so that is why you want to stay away from those tin can replacements from China!
Thank you so much for this video!!!!!!! It was a blessing.
Your video was a big help. I bought Ford parts because I didn’t want to gamble on a cheap part seeing I drive this a lot for work. I’d also suggest taking a picture of the paint marking to show the clocking.
Your video was short and concise and gave great direction
Thanks a lot! your video was well done and in a comprehensive matter!! It was indeed very helpfull.
Great video --
We have a 02 Taurus that we can through a flooded street and now it is missing and making all kinds of noise - 50,000 miles on it,.
probable sucked some water up into the air intake
thank you for giving me the confidence to do this job myself and saving me $$$. I have subscribed to your channel, keep up the great work.
glad I could help
Thanks gyga, I thought it strange how I lost pressure instantly. I have many years as a 'mechanic' and have only replaced oil pumps on major rebuilds when the pressures became very low due to journal wear, etc..but not NO pressure at all. It was like something snapped or broke somewhere. The pump is pretty staright forward but is driven by this assembly, making me think it somehow failed. BTW, I did notice the 'bird chirping' sound recently.
Oh man, I read your comment after already buying the Dorman brand synchronizer.... Guess I'll have to keep an eye on it!
very nice video . looking forward to future videos.
I believe I used a Dorman part on both of the ones I replaced, glad my video was helpful
That's awesome, I actually filmed this whole video using my cell phone too
Good video. My 2000 Taurus is needing this for the 3rd time. 600 bucks a pop at dealership. I'm thinking about dumping it for a new ride.
dump it if you can afford to do so
It sure helps to get all that stuff out of the way. Im a mechanic and all i do is remove the spark plug wire retainer, dont even unhook the wires, and take that one hose off.
Thank you for this video,, HELPED ME ALOT!!
mark the outer grooves on the engine block and note the position the notch as well, this is what makes sure that it is in perfect alignment when you pull the old sync out the notch or tooth in the middle will rotate counter clockwise a little bit, so you will need to line it up in the removed position so that when you put the new on back in it will rotate back into position take pictures before removal and after removal make absolutely sure you don't twist the shaft or gears once removed
great video. gonna have to do this for the M.I.L.
thanks
Good job. I suggest using a tripod next time, but this video was helpful. I haven't done the job yet but atleast know where to dig for the part
I have a 97 Taurus 3.0 OHV and the oil light went on while driving at highway speeds. Before I noticed it, I was 10-15 miles down the road. When I stopped, The engine was ticking (valves) but otw ran fine. Haven't ran it since. My question is..does this drive power the oil pump? I would save me TONS of work by replacing this drive and not tearing the oil pan/pump apart unecessarily. THANKS FOR THIS VIDEO!!
I took it out again next morning and put it in again. no oil light "on" yeah. What else i noted is my camshaft synchronizer had a grease fitting on the side. the new one i got didn't have the grease fitting but it did have a hole in same place as the original one to have a fitting screwed in but it was blocked off from screwing into it.
there is a hex shaped shaft the the sync slides onto down in the engine I've read that if you are having trouble getting the new one to slide into perfect position you can put a socket on an extension and put it down into the hole onto the hex shaft and use a ratchet to turn it slightly then try to refit the new sync back in, like I said I didn't do this either time i made the repair, just something I read as far as the socket size just have to use trial and error to find the right size
Thanks for the video, quite helpful!
Awesome video! Really helped a lot
Ok, so first off - This video is great and I wish I had seen it prior to attempting to do this on my 04 Mustang. Second off (and this is embarassing), I was wondering if you knew what the proper procedure would be if the positioning of the camshaft was off at the first attempt, and after that I lost my placement. Basically, my timing is off and I don't know how to find the proper placement. I understand that I may have this resolved prior to you seeing this comment, but one can only hope.
Your video was a great help. Unfortunetly, I installed it wrong. My snychronizer refused to cooperate and would not go in the same way as I pulled it out. It was either to the left or to the right of the original, I couldn't get it in the middle. I went with it though and my car misses now. So obviously it was done wrong. Any ideas how to easily bring this thing to TDC, and redo it the hard way?
My 2000 ford taurus ses is making a noise like this here and their it does not make this noise all the time and does not have a check engine light. Could this part be going out in my car?
Well, well, well. I changed the idler pulley as well as the alternator still no fix $180.00 later. I was thinking what can it be? I thought maybe it's the ac pulley but, before changing that out I figured let me Google it. I will be changing the camshaft synchronizer this weekend. Thank you ever so much. None of the local automotive shops in my area had a clue. go figure. I will tell everyone I come in contact with that's having this problem to watch your video. Thanks again
Great video, I was wondering if I could do this myself without cranking to TDC. Makes perfect since "assuming" the old part was placed in the proper position from the factory. I will tackle this job on my Ford Explorer come monday.
@mysqueeker I watched your vids, looks like you took it out, both of the Tauruses I worked on were actually running fine, just squeaking like crazy, after you replaced it, did it remedy the other issues idle, stalling....
@thorfoxxx you install it in line with the engine, arrow on tool pointing toward driver fender then rotate, but I'm not sure about the degrees on a ranger, if it;s the exact same engine as the 02 taurus then it's probably the same when you look at your engine size on autozone website do you select the Vin U engine?
Awesome, I am about to do this on my 98 mustang and I was nervous because I heard about needing to line it up perfectly. Doesnt look that bad!
Only concern i still have is, ive also heard that you need to put you #1 piston at 10 degrees ATDC? I have no idea what that means or how to do it :o
@thorfoxxx it is very complicated to correct you will have to remove it then put the #1 cylinder in top dead center then reinstall the sync with the tool pointing straight in line with the engine turn it 30 degrees clockwise you might have to go to a mechanic for this as I'v never done it before but I read about how to do this but I'm pretty sure this is going to be the only way to fix your issue. Was this on a Ford Taurus 3.0 ?
GOD BLESS GOOD PEOPLE LIKE HIM
put in in the position it ended up in after you pulled it out, so when you put the new one back in it will rotate back into the original position the old one was in before you removed it, so if it started in the 1o'clock position and you pull it out and it moves to the 3o'clock position, put the new one in the 3o'clock so it will rotate back into the 1o'clock when the gears line up on the inside, the one in this video didn't end up precisely but was very close and took several tries
@mysqueeker were you turning it while it's still in the car, or had you removed it? you shouldn't turn it at all while it is still installed in the car, that will really mess with the timing of the engine
I'm not sure if I can answer this.. yes if the old one wasn't in correctly then the new one would still run funky, when they go bad I don't believe they cause the engine to miss unless the sensor is bad, but if you put a new one and it's still missing and the check engine light is on, i would go to Autozone and have them check the trouble code
Do i worry about the position of the notch in the middle of the camshaft sensor, or do i just worry about how the outside grooves line up?
Most helpful video. thank you
Thanks for video. It really helped a lot.
thanks for the alignment tip
okay, I'm not 100% sure how it works, but this part does slide onto a hex shaped shaft attached to the oil pump, so I think as the cam gears turn the sync, it in turn drives the pump, I'm not a professional or certified mechanic, so sometimes I might not be able to give you the answer you need
I heard somewhere that you can get an alignment tool for this particular part.
Scott Ketchum the part included an alignment tool, however you have to put the engine in top dead center. The method used in this video is how to do it without having to put the engine in top dead center
Glad I could help you!
Good video hoping to do this to my car in a day or 2 same the same exact sound
quick question im having trouble getting the wiring harness pulled back as far as you have it. Also do I have to remove that radiator hose that blocks the bolt that holds the camshaft sync assemble down thats below the cp sensor? My cars in pieces in the parking garage at school trying to fix it. I was getting low oil pressure at idle since the cam sync drives the oil pump.
I doubt hitting the 4x4 had anything to do with it, they probably used yet another faulty part, you'd think as many people that are having this problem there'd be a recall on it. However I hope this will help you replace it yourself for a fraction of the cost. How much did it cost when you paid to have it done?
@gygahurtz it is a 02 ford ranger 3.0l ... do i want the tool pointing straight in line with the engine when it is set in (and to do this have it rotated 30 degrees clockwise before)? or vise versa
Very helpful, thank you very much
Maestro,exelente ayuda saludos gracias,maestro pregunta cuando se reemplaza el sensor y el sincronizador del arbol de levas q ahique tomar en cuenta,se marca o ahi otra manera como poner en punto muerto superior,de antemano gracias saludos y buendia (estudiante primer semestre)
I tried to do this job and the wire harness that sits on top of the sensor wouldn't budge, how did you get the wire harness tied up without breaking the plastic piece holding the wires?
just can't be afraid to break it I'm pretty sure I cracked it but not a big deal
Is this really that easy to do? I just noticed my stable is chirping this morning, only in stop or parked position.
remember when you pull the old sync out the tab that spins in the middle will rotate as it pulls out of the gears be very sure not to move it once removed so you can reference it for the new part because you will have to put the tab on the new part in the removed position so that it will rotate back into proper position good luck
thanks for the vid. is this the crank sensor aswell ?