Camshaft Position Sensor

[renz]

My 'Check Engine' light has been on for about 6 months, I finally brought it in yesterday. My Explorer has 92,000 mi. Ford claims my camshaft positioning sensor needs replaced for $1200 dollars. So with that kind of money on the line, I have a few questions:
1. Is this difficult to perform on a 95?
2. Would I be better off buying a new engine.
3. Would I have any symptoms from the CPS?
4. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thank you for any help on this...

 

[SteveVB]

1200??

You could pull the codes, but it sounds like they did the diagnostics.
New engine? does it smoke, rattle, use oil? Prob not.
You tell us the symptoms.

I dont know how much the part costs( torrie at http://www.fordpartsnetwork.com has good prices), but that seems way high. I dont have the CMP on my vehicle but it is in the same place as the oil pump drive at the rear of the engine. I would imagine you undo the one bolt pull it out, and replace it- thats if you need to replace the drive unit, the sensor can be removed from the drive also even easier. The haynes manual has the procedure, I would expect chiltons and the other do also. Spend 20.00 on the books see if its something you can do. Its very much like replacing a distributor if you have ever done that.. Get the engine to a set place in the firing order, pull, replace, test.

OK Im going to write whats in the haynes manualp 6-18 in mine since it is even much simpler than I thought.
" The CMP is mounted on a drive unit. If you are replacing only the CMP sensor, remove the sensor screws, detach it from the drive assembly, and install the new sensor. You do not have to remove the drive assembly from the engine."

Even if you dont do it yourself, a second opinion wouldnt hurt and the you may save yourself some money.

Hope that saves you some cash.

[Edited by SteveVB on 01-31-2001 at 07:04 AM]