Help . Camshaft Sensor - Omfg ( Pics )

Ok, so over the past month or so, my cars ability to start has been slowly deteriorating to the point where it wont even start....

Got the code pulled and it came up with p0340 Camshaft postion sensor a bank 1 circuit malfunction

Looked it up at autozone, found the part, and decided it was gonna be no biggie. So i went to my car to locate the sensor on my engine. 5.0 v8 1998.

I think if i had a smaller hand, i would have not of needed to take off the spark plug wire assembly above the sensor, but since i dont, i did.



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Any hint on the cost for parts ?

Ive looked on the forum on how to get this out, but havent found anything !!!
Unless im blind


BTW ill be posting more pictures as soon as i move on

Yeah forgot to put this diagram i found on here.

But is the synchronizer a whole piece that i can slide out, or do i need to take off more parts of the engine to free it?

or can i just disassemble the top where it is messed up.

You have broken plastic in there. I think the whole syncronizer needs to come out before you can clean it (or replace it).
Spray the base by the block with PB Blaster. Remove screw and clamp "3" (from the exploded view).
Then pull it straight up. Eventually tap it gently with a hammer to dislodge. It's just pushed in with one O-Ring around.
Look here, it is one taken apart form a 5.0L.
You will need a special alingment tool to put it back.

Are you replacing the synchronizer as well or just the camshaft sensor? If you're just replacing the sensor, vacuum out all of those particles and install the new sensor in the reverse order.

If you're replacing the entire camshaft synchronizer, it gets a little more complicated. As Sonic pointed out, you'll need a special installation tool that is used to align the camshaft synchronizer. Part of the process includes rotating the engine from the crankshaft pulley until the little finger/flag part of the camshaft synchronizer points directly forward. This will put the piston in cylinder 1 at TDC on the compression stroke and is a necessary step to allow use of the installation tool.

There are other ways around this, but they also introduce a greater possibility of screwing up and this isn't an area where you want to screw up.


EDIT:

Here's a link to the thread where I documented a few concerns with aftermarket synchronizers vs. Motorcraft synchronizers.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=260979

so your saying, i dont need to replace the whole sync because of that melted metal on the top.

i can continue to use it with a new sensor ? after i clean it out

i would like to only be able to replace the sensor, but if its gonna get messed up again like that, i will get the sync.

I didn't realize that was melted metal. I thought it was just plastic and dirt debri from the camshaft sensor. Do yourself a favor before you go any further and try to clean off the debri and snap another picture for us. If it is as you say it is and there is melted metal on the top of the camshaft synchronizer then I would absolutely suggest replacing the synchronizer as well. You definitely don't want the sensor to pickup any false readings. However, with that being said, this scenario begs the question, "how did the metal melt in the first place?"

I saw the metal. That's why I said that the sycronizer maybe cannot be cleaned where it is. And maybe needs to be replaced - hard to tell from that pic. I think it might be part of the sensor (board?).

yeah i have decided to just replace the whole assembly.

the metal bent down inward and when i went to autozone a lil ago, the sensor they had there had a complete piece of plastic in the middle of it.

and i think the metal from the sync did melt inward and just killed the sensor.

ur correct tho, why did this happen. and hopefully it wont again.

ill post more pictures tomorrow when i get on it.

ty for ur help so far btw.

There is a big write up on this.
Do not buy a cheap china one
You have to revove a spark plug for clyinder 1 get it a top dead sensor before you use the tool. Please read more before install.

p.s. this is a common prob with older v8 that have this sensor.

Yeah you need to replace the entire camshaft synchronizer. Get some sort of manual so you do it right. After you remove that one hold down bolt at its base the whole thing pulls straight up out of there. It may take a lot of pulling. PB Blaster is your friend and don't go banging on it unless you're using a slide hammer. Here is a picture of what it looks like after you remove it:

X6StringerX said:

If you're replacing the entire camshaft synchronizer, it gets a little more complicated. As Sonic pointed out, you'll need a special installation tool that is used to align the camshaft synchronizer. Part of the process includes rotating the engine from the crankshaft pulley until the little finger/flag part of the camshaft synchronizer points directly forward. This will put the piston in cylinder 1 at TDC on the compression stroke and is a necessary step to allow use of the installation tool.

There are other ways around this, but they also introduce a greater possibility of screwing up and this isn't an area where you want to screw up.

Click to expand...

When you say the "little finger/flag" are you referring to the melted piece of metal in the sync ?

can i just take out the spark plug and use a screw driver to recognize when its at its peak (the piston) ?

and one more Q.

would it be necessary to use the alignment tool, when i can just replace the new sync the same direction as the one i take out ?

2000LXS said:

There is a big write up on this.
Do not buy a cheap china one
You have to revove a spark plug for clyinder 1 get it a top dead sensor before you use the tool. Please read more before install.

p.s. this is a common prob with older v8 that have this sensor.

Click to expand...

yeah, been reading that dorman is failure...

autozone tried to sell it to me, but i told em no haha

More pics coming tomorrow

Sal619 said:

When you say the "little finger/flag" are you referring to the melted piece of metal in the sync ?

can i just take out the spark plug and use a screw driver to recognize when its at its peak (the piston) ?

and one more Q.

would it be necessary to use the alignment tool, when i can just replace the new sync the same direction as the one i take out ?

Click to expand...

By finger/flag, I meant the vertical part on top of the synchronizer that rotates and passes by the camshaft sensor to generate a signal. Looking at your picture, it appears to still be intact. In your picture that shows the damage, it's located at roughly the 7 o'clock position.

Keep in mind that pistons are at TDC twice during a revolution. You need piston 1 to be at TDC on the compression stroke. With the sensor removed, rotate the engine manually by the crank pulley until the "flag" is pointing directly forward. If the alignment tool fits, then you are at TDC on the compression stroke. The alignment tool will not fit any other way. If the tool fits, remove the entire synchronizer assembly, taking care that the entire shaft comes out of the hole and isn't stuck to the oil pump shaft. Do not rotate the engine once you remove the synchronizer. Place the alignment tool on the new synchronizer and slide it back into place. Again, the tool will only fit one way. It's hard to explain, but you'll understand completely once you have the tool in your hand. When you reinstall the synchronizer, the arrow on the tool should be as forward facing as possible.

As for your last question, that is kind of what I was hinting about earlier when I said, "there are other ways around this, but they also introduce a greater possibility of screwing up and this isn't an area where you want to screw up."

Theoretically, the entire process can be done without the tool, but it would be fairly easy to miss a tooth and reinstall the synchronizer improperly. For me, it just isn't worth it to cut corners in this area. Buy the Motorcraft synchronizer and stop by your local NAPA and buy the cheap Dorman unit so you can use the installation tool. The Motorcraft unit doesn't come with one. Install the Motorcraft unit and return the tool and Dorman unit to NAPA. Your Explorer will live to fight another day, lol.

PS - Tousley Ford, a sponser here on EF, is a great source for the Motorcraft synchronizer.

X6StringerX said:

Buy the Motorcraft synchronizer and stop by your local NAPA and buy the cheap Dorman unit so you can use the installation tool. The Motorcraft unit doesn't come with one. Install the Motorcraft unit and return the tool and Dorman unit to NAPA. Your Explorer will live to fight another day, lol..

Click to expand...

Dirty, but i like it!

Ty for your post, rly cleared it all up.

it is the position of the internal shaft relative to the outer housing which is important. You need the tool, and the engine set to TDC for the compression stroke on cylider 1

Nobody carries the whole assembly!!!

So I looked at a-zone, napa, o'reilly, ford, motorcraft.com, and rockauto.com and still nobody carries this ******* sensor/syncro anymore!! Only 3 of the places listed even carry the sensor itself at about 60 bucks, but nobody carries the syncronizer. If anyone can tell me a place to pick one up at(hopefully not at the rate ford said of $720, who dont even carry it anymore) I would be a very happy camper!! such a small piece is a big PITA and my mechanic just told me $290 for whole assembly plus $560 just to install it!! REALLY?!? $850 for a stupid little sensor??? How the heck can this even be possible on a domestic vehicle!!!!! I can understand if it was for my '85 300zx but its for a stinkin ford!!

Juggalo, contact Steve at Tousley Ford. Tousley is a sponsor here and there is a dedicated Q&A thread in the vendor section. I picked mine up from them for less than $200 shipped. The synchronizer doesn't come with a new sensor, so you'll need to purchase one of those seperately if you need a new one.

Back to the OP. I modified one of your pictures a little. Imagine the green portion as an outline of the camshaft sensor. The blue dots are the bolt holes. (Which brings me to another point. I don't know how your camshaft sensor was pointing another direction because the mounting holes wouldn't line up unless it was 180* out. In that event, it would have been pointing toward the rear of the vehicle.) Anyway, back to my highly professional diagram, lol. The flag/finger is the part circled in red. It should line up perfectly, or very close to perfectly, with the middle of the opening in the syncronizer's body, as indicated with the red arrow on the plugin of the sensor. As I mentioned before, if you have the installation tool, it will make things much clearer. I'm not the best at explaining things.

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/parts/1997-Ford-Explorer-AWD/Crank-Angle-Sensor/_/N-jqaixZ9na0y

the Cardone Reman unit is good but has no tool
the Dorman is junk but has the tool

I have had the Cardone in my truck for a year with no issue.

yeah, i plan on heading to the junk yard and pull out a sync, than go get the dorman package at autozone to use the tool. than return it.

ill post updates on the progress when i move foward.

i understand how to do this, but for some reason, there are some illogical things messing me up ha