93 Exp cam position sensor with sight glass

[Devo55]

I have a 93 Ford Explorer Sport and it's been throwing a constant check engine light for at least a couple months. Code: the dreaded 214. Sometimes my rpms will drop a little while idling but not all the time. I've been having a hard time finding a mechanic shop that would even look at it since my truck is OBD1 and they can't hook up their OBD2 scan machine to it. The cam position sensor is in the worst possible spot, at the back of the engine by the firewall, hard to get to, even hard to see. The cam pos sensor is the old style with the sight glass and the 90 degree angle plug (see picture below). It doesn't squeak or make any noise so I'm thinking maybe it's purely electrical, just the synchronizer with the plug on top is bad. It's metal but they're two separate pieces. What if I just take out the two screws and change the top part with sight glass? If my timing is already lined up good would that even work? That could save a lot of time. I've seen people with newer Fords (96 and up) with a different cam sensors just take out the two long screws of the round black plastic synchronizer and replace. Boom! Finished. No alignment. No dead center engine. None of that good stuff. Any advice out there?

PS - I bought a new cam position sensor (sight glass type) and Orielly's website said it needed the installation tool (camshaft alignment tool kit Cardone 84-8400T) for proper fitment. Paid $40 online for the kit of plastic snap-on cap inserts only to find out they don't work with older sight glass model cam sensors. Thanks Orielly's.

 

[410Fortune]

you can install a later model non sight glass type cam synchronizer

Apparently you have a ca emissions 93, lucky you!
Most 93 did not have a cam synchro

there are a few threads on this
Your same sight glass sensor is found in 94 and 95 trucks as well
Many members have installed a 96 style 3 wire sensor in its place

I have the instructions for lining up the old sightless type on my pc, but as I said this has been discussed before lets see if we can find the correct threads

To make it slightly easier to work on without removing the upper intake plenum you can remove the two hold down nuts on your transmission mount and jack up the back of the transmission till it rubs the floor, gives you more access behind the engine

 

[410Fortune]

Replacing cam position sensor on a 93-95 explorer 4.0L ohv,has anyone done one

Replacing cam position sensor on a 93-95 explorer 4.0L ohv,has anyone done one. Do you need to remove the manifolds?

www.explorerforum.com

96 Camshaft Synchronizer sucessfuly installed in my 94

I've been having a constant CM code 214, camshaft synchronizer, since purchasing my Explorer. Not wanting to pay 190+ dollars for the part I did my research and found the 96-98 is the same inside the block, but offered in two shaft lengths, 123mm and 132mm. The 96-98 synchro with 123mm shaft...

www.explorerforum.com

1995 Explorer 4.0 cam position sensor/synchronizer.

! Does anybody know about the 95 explorer 4.0 sensor and synchronizer? Is it the same or different than the 96,97,98 item? - 96 and beyond are available on ebay for $40- $60 which includes the synchronizer, the sensor and the alignment tool. Could I buy one for a 96 or beyond and have it fit...

www.explorerforum.com

 

[Devo55]

you can install a later model non sight glass type cam synchronizer

Apparently you have a ca emissions 93, lucky you!
Most 93 did not have a cam synchro

there are a few threads on this
Your same sight glass sensor is found in 94 and 95 trucks as well
Many members have installed a 96 style 3 wire sensor in its place

I have the instructions for lining up the old sightless type on my pc, but as I said this has been discussed before lets see if we can find the correct threads

To make it slightly easier to work on without removing the upper intake plenum you can remove the two hold down nuts on your transmission mount and jack up the back of the transmission till it rubs the floor, gives you more access behind the engine

That was lighting fast. Thanks for the info.

 

[Kesp4.0]

That was lighting fast. Thanks for the info.

That’s because Fortune has done so many engines he can set a cam synchro while sleepwalking. Per his advice I purchased a new cam synchro from rockauto for a 96, and used a 3-wire connector he gave me. I had to solder in the new connector to the harness but it was easy. Used the yellow alignment tool to get it lined up and it runs perfectly. Some of the new synchronizers come with the tool but the Motorcraft one I bought didn’t so I got the Spectra brand. They are like $30 most places I looked so if you need to borrow one I can mail you mine and you just return it when you’re done. I can’t attest to that being better than buying the sight glass one but it sure worked well for me

 

[Fix4Dirt]

That was lighting fast. Thanks for the info.

hes incredibly knowledgable and has worked on all these engines for so long and hes done everything on these practically insginable! hes probably seen everything on these by now, no surprises no more

 

[Devo55]

Update: Bad Cam Position Sensor - I can't believe I've been wrestling with this problem for almost 2 months but I have it solved. After taking my truck (1993 Explorer) to multiple auto garages in Los Angeles and all of them telling me they couldn't/wouldn't do the job mainly because my truck is an OBD1 and they couldn't hook up their OBD2 scan machine to it. So what I did was buy a new cam position sensor on Ebay and took off the top part which is the actual sensor. It's held only by two Phillip head bolts. I just replaced my old sensor. Why do all that work by removing the manifold, turning the engine to dead center, etc etc.
Getting to the old sensor is not easy but it can be done. First you'll need to disconnect the battery. Disconnect one of the spark plug wires on the coil pack that is closest to the firewall so you'll have more room. Take out the four torx bolts holding the coil pack and pull it forward. Disconnect the 10mm bolt on the manifold holding the metal transmission line (easy).

Once you have this done, you'll need a lighted telescoping mechanics mirror. (I got mine from Ebay $5). Lean forward with your head bumping against the hood and search for that pesky cam position sensor, it's hidden down there among all the wires right along the firewall not too far down. You'll see the plug sticking up first, the sensor is nestled in a little pocket of the engine and is pointed toward the front of the truck. Disconnect the plug, it's kinda tough with one hand but you can do it. Now use a 1/4 drive rachet with two 1/4 extensions, the bendable extension and Philips bit socket. Find the two bolts by touch because you won't be able to see them. Take out the bolts (be careful not to strip them out if you do you'll be in a world of trouble) and remove the top of the old cam sensor. Gently ease the new sensor in place and put everything back together and you're done. When I did this my check engine light was gone on the first startup. After inspecting my old sensor I noticed all this trouble happened because of a broken wire. I was ready to drop some big bucks all because of one wire. I hope this helps somebody out struggling with the dreaded 214 code. If you have an old sensor/syncronizer with the sight glass and the lower part going into the engine is still good, just replace the sensor on top like they do in the newer trucks and save yourself some $$$.

 

[410Fortune]

FYI you can remove the two nuts holding your transmission to the crossmember, put a jack under the t case (or back of the transmission) and jack it up until it rubs the floorboards, this gives you way more room to work back there

glad you solved it
Not all cam sensor codes can be fixed just by replacing the sensor many times the synchronizer body loses its bearings and the whole synchronizer needs to be replaced.

 

[Devo55]

FYI you can remove the two nuts holding your transmission to the crossmember, put a jack under the t case (or back of the transmission) and jack it up until it rubs the floorboards, this gives you way more room to work back there

glad you solved it
Not all cam sensor codes can be fixed just by replacing the sensor many times the synchronizer body loses its bearings and the whole synchronizer needs to be replaced.

Yeah I know. I'm so glad mine didn't have to come out.

 

[410Fortune]

FYI while the sensor was off many of us like to drop a capfull of oil down in the housing to help lube the upper bearing in the synchronizer

 

[Devo55]

FYI while the sensor was off many of us like to drop a capfull of oil down in the housing to help lube the upper bearing in the synchronizer

That's a good ideal.