Chirp under hood and CEL on HELP!!!!

[ranzy]

I know this has been talked to death on this forum but I have not found my answer. I have a 95 Explorer Vin X 4.0L engine 5 speed transmission. I've had the chirp for a long time now with no problems caused by it. I have read about the chirp / squeak and figured I would get around to fixing it someday. I had the truck in the transmission shop the other day for some warranty work. When I picked it up from them the check engine light was on and the chirp was pretty much constant. I didn't say anything to them about it but I was pretty sure that something had gone wrong.

I think I found the sensor and it's broken off where the connector goes into the sensor. Only one wire was still on it. It was running and seemed to be running fine though. I want to make sure I am talking about the right sensor here and I need some advice.

The sensor is nearly impossible to get to. On my engine the sensor is in the rear of the engine down below the head on the passenger side by the firewall and above the transmission bolts. I have the Chilton's and Haynes Manuals and neither say that it is impossible to get to the sensor, they just say to remove the two screws on top of it. It seems to me that the engine would have to be removed from the truck to actually get to the thing. Might even have to remove the head on the passenger side to do it.

In trying to remove the harness from the thing the last wire broke, so now it is not connected at all. I'm almost sure that this is the CMP sensor. It even has the single bolt into the block that would hold the shaft in place like if it were the distributor.

I'm not sure if the last transmission repair broke it or the first one. I think back to when the transmisson was rebuilt and that seems to be when I first started hearing the noise. The only difference now is since this last repair, the check engine light is on.

It seems to run the same as before even thought I broke the last wire going into the sensor when I was trying to unplug it from the harness.

Really, my question is, has anyone actually changed this part on a vin X 4.0L pushrod engine for themselves. What will I have to do to get in there. I think I am a pretty good mechanic but this seems harder than it should be.

Please Help Me!!!!!!

 

[saewoody]

It sounds like the CMP (cam postion sensor), as you stated. Read the sticky in this forum titled "Helpful thread, for squek, squeal, chirp noise from under the hood, engine compartment".

That should point you in the right direction.

 

[ranzy]

Believe me, I read it already. In this case it is not so easy. I mean to actually change the part is probably impossible with the engine still in the truck. I want to know if anyone has actually changed the part. How did they do it. I mean specifically the vin X engine. Until you actually see where this part is located, you just figure it's like the books say. Just remove the two screws from the top of the sensor, Right? Wrong! You can NOT get to both of the screws. The one screw I was able to get to is impossible to break it loose. And let me tell you, to say that I can get to the one screw is a stretch. I can get the tip of the screwdriver on it and barely get my fingertips on the handle to try to turn it. The other screw is impossible to put a screwdriver on it.

I am able to get a 10mm wrench on the bolt that holds the whole assembly in the block, but I would never be able to make the adjustment to reinstall it. I'm not even sure if there is enough room above the assembly to even lift it out of the hole. The head is right above it. I would have enough room to lift it about one inch before I would have to tilt it over at least a half an inch to keep lifting it out.

Please if you have changed this part on the vin X 4.0L engine on a 1995 Explorer, give me guidance. Otherwise, I have about ten months till my inspection is due and I will have to replace the whole vehicle instead.

Luckily for me, the truck is still running, but I would like to fix this soon. I'm sure it is going to cause fuel to be sucked from the tank.

 

[James909]

Sorry I can't be much help because I've never done it myself. But there have been members here who replaced it and they did it with the engine in the car. You may have to remove the upper intake for more room.

 

[ranzy]

I started to remove the upper intake yesterday but put it back when I saw how much stuff I would have to remove on the driver's side. I do think it would be required though to make room.

When I did my whole front end several months ago, I remove the wheel wells and have not reinstalled them yet. This gives me access from the passenger side from below too, but it is not enough room to do anything. All I can do from there is see the sensor and the connectors. That's where I can get access to the bolt to remove the assembly if that's the route I go. I'm too chicken to pull the trigger though since I have to align it when I reinstall it.

What I really want to do is replace the whole assembly anyway. I don't want to just replace the sensor. What my plan was, was to drive this truck till the wheels fall off. I guess, the worse case would be to let a shop do the work for me.

The truth is though, I don't trust any shop. I don't trust any mechanic. I don't want any shortcuts used on my engine. I'll give you an example. I bought a 1996 Camry from my mom about 4 years ago. My parents took excellent care of their cars. They had the timing belt replace sometime during the time they had the car. My daughter drives it now and I felt it was time to replace it again. The car has nearly 180K on it, so it was time. You have to remove the oil pan to lock up the crank when you remove the bolt from the harmonic balancer. There was no gasket on the oil pan. I couldn't believe it. Let me tell you, it was difficult to install the cover with the gasket on the pan. You had to hold your mouth just right in order to get it up to the crankcase with the gasket close enough to get the bolts into it, so they just took it off. It took me close to an hour to get the pan up there with the gasket. When you are getting paid by the "job hour" some guys will cut corners at your expense.

Anyway, Someone PLEASE HELP ME.

 

[Cobraguy]

I'm betting there was a "gasket" on the pan. If not, you would have had oil leaking all over the place. And I don't mean just a small one either. My guess is they used silicone sealant instead of a gasket...a very accepted practice in situations such as this and in fact may have been factory recommended. In fact, the sealant will actually seal better than the gasket in many cases.

 

[ranzy]

Well, Thanks Cobraguy for your useless input, but there was no "gasket" on the pan. And it WAS leaking all over the place.

 

[Cobraguy]

This from a guy who is removing the pan to...nevermind.

 

[ranzy]

Dude, who do you think you are.

You suggest putting silicone instead of a cork gasket and then comment on the CORRECT way to remove the bolt on the harmonic balancer. You should do some research on the proper way to remove the part before you comment. This thread is not even about that anyway

All just to make an negative comment on my request of help. That's no help.

You are an ASS!!!

 

[Cobraguy]

Well, ok then. I guess that ends any help you will get from me. I was just scanning the service manual for your sensor R and R. Go get it elsewhere.

Nothing negative was said until your post 7.

You have a lot to learn about things. About a lot of things. Good luck getting your car fixed.

 

[ranzy]

I don't want your help Cobraguy.

Thanks anyway.

If you say it is ok to use silicone instead of a cork gasket on an oil pan then you are not my kind of mechanic.

Are you saying if you paid me to replace the timing belt, and I told you later "well it was "hard" to replace the gasket so I just used silicone instead", you would be OK with that? I doubt it. It was possible to do it, because I did it. Your comment on the method to remove the bolt was uncalled for as well. Research it. You will see, it is the correct way to lockup the crank in order to break loose the bolt. If you think just an air impact wrench will do the trick, go ahead and do it. Believe me, I tried to avoid removing the pan.

Your comment was negative. It offered no help to the real question. I solved the problem on the Camry by myself. I didn't go to any forums for help on that one.

Seriously, your comment was not needed. It was completely USELESS my question and it was meant to suggest that I was in someway not qualified to comment on the repair. Your use of the "gasket" and suggesting that the factory "recommended" silicone instead, I bet is WAY off the mark. I don't know you, so any comment that is less than positive or helpful such and the one you left about one of my post is negative and not helpful at all.

Thanks Cobraguy, but NO THANKS!

 

[troverman]

Hi Ranzy,

Any luck on changing the CMP?

I also read the posts, it all sounded great and easy. I also consider myself to be pretty decent at working on vehicles, but when I went out and looked for the part, it seems basically impossible to change with the engine in situ.

I'm going to start a new post. I think the writeups on this apply mainly to the 5.0V8 explorers which have their CMP on the front.