Camshaft Synchronizer Question 4.0 OHV

[239]

I’ve got the infamous camshaft synchronizer squeaking sound on cold starts. I had a shop replace the lower intake and camshaft synchronizer gaskets last week and the truck has developed a squeaking sound in the rear of the engine. I took the belt off and the sound is still there. The mechanic tells me they just marked the position of the synchronizer and put it back the same way after replacing the o ring.

Isn’t there a procedure for reinstalling it? They’re telling me that the sound is caused by the age of the synchronizer but I’m not so sure since it never did it before.

 

[Runnin'OnEmpty]

There's an alignment tool that's "required" for installing the synchro..
However, the squeaking is caused by the steel synchro shaft binding
on it's brass bushing, because of lack of lubrication and wear.

Unfortunately, the shop should have replaced the synchro when everything
was apart, instead of reinstalling the old one. The job will have to be done
over, and I recommend a genuine Ford part. The aftermarket brands seem
to fail prematurely...

 

[239]

They've been fixing my Explorer for years now so I’m willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. However I’m wondering if simply marking it and trusting it’s put back in exactly the same position is safe.

Unfortunately, the shop should have replaced the synchro when everything
was apart, instead of reinstalling the old one. The job will have to be done
over, and I recommend a genuine Ford part. The aftermarket brands seem
to fail prematurely...

I told them the exact same thing when I called today. But they didn’t tell me about the synchronizer’s condition until everything was already back together. Apparently it looked worn and corroded. I would have rather paid an extra $200 for a motorcraft replacement than have the job repeated. Anyway sorry for the wall of text. They’re going to attempt to replace the synchronizer without pulling the lower intake again tomorrow. We’ll see how that goes.

 

[EB4X]

It can be done with just the upper intake off.... probably could even leave the fuel rail in place as well... easier if lower's off but not a huge deal.
Yeah....just marking before removal and then using synch tool to keep "rotor" part from turning during install is all that's necessary..as long as rotor is still pointing to same spot it was prior to removal all's good......no need to put number 1 on TDC.... people do that for extra peace of mind as secondary reference point -- this being on the 97 and up.... on 95, 96 putting on TDC is necessary part of procedure to dial in correctly with the visual vane/needle type.

 

[239]

It can be done with just the upper intake off.... probably could even leave the fuel rail in place as well... easier if lower's off but not a huge deal.
Yeah....just marking before removal and then using synch tool to keep "rotor" part from turning during install is all that's necessary..as long as rotor is still pointing to same spot it was prior to removal all's good......no need to put number 1 on TDC.... people do that for extra peace of mind as secondary reference point...

Good to know. May just be one of those cases where the part stops working because it was disturbed.

 

[410Fortune]

how many days was the explorer in the shop, meaning how many days was the cam synch out of the engine?
If it had a chance to dry out
They should have soaked it in motor oil while it was out and before re installation

Yes they can drop it back in the same position as long as the engine is not turned over, this is common practice. You onl;y need the alignment tool if the cam synchro is being installed new and the old position cannot be verified or if the engine was rotated while the synch was out.

good news for a 2000 model year you can still buy a NEW FORD cam synchronizer and install it, do not trust aftermarket parts
Maybe they will give a discount since the part is now showing signs of being worn out after they R&R it

All they have to do is remove the upper intake plenum, R&R then new synchronizer and then replace the upper plenum
The EGR O ring and intake plenum O rings will still be good since they were just replaced.

I know if this was my shop I would not charge you much for labor if you buy the new Ford part so we could get that new noise sorted out, maybe $80? Takes me about an hour to R&R the intake and new synchronizer on a 2000 model as long as their aare no issues!! (Issues like some of the aftermarket synchronizers actually will not FIT in the engine)

 

[239]

how many days was the explorer in the shop, meaning how many days was the cam synch out of the engine?
If it had a chance to dry out
They should have soaked it in motor oil while it was out and before re installation

Yes they can drop it back in the same position as long as the engine is not turned over, this is common practice. You onl;y need the alignment tool if the cam synchro is being installed new and the old position cannot be verified or if the engine was rotated while the synch was out.

good news for a 2000 model year you can still buy a NEW FORD cam synchronizer and install it, do not trust aftermarket parts
Maybe they will give a discount since the part is now showing signs of being worn out after they R&R it

All they have to do is remove the upper intake plenum, R&R then new synchronizer and then replace the upper plenum
The EGR O ring and intake plenum O rings will still be good since they were just replaced.

I know if this was my shop I would not charge you much for labor if you buy the new Ford part so we could get that new noise sorted out, maybe $80? Takes me about an hour to R&R the intake and new synchronizer on a 2000 model as long as their aare no issues!! (Issues like some of the aftermarket synchronizers actually will not FIT in the engine)

It was out for a day at the most. I’ll definitely be getting the ford part.

 

[239]

Just to update: The noise was being caused by the synchronizer after all. It stopped making the noise a few days before it was replaced, which is strange since the synchronizer felt like it was close to falling apart. The original part had a lot of play in it and you could feel metal on metal grinding when you turned it by hand.

I got the replacement part from Rock Auto. The part on the synchronizer didn’t match the part on the box, but that didn’t cause any issues. Thanks to everyone that helped out.

 

[410Fortune]

Nice!

 

[blubirdd]

Just to update: The noise was being caused by the synchronizer after all. It stopped making the noise a few days before it was replaced, which is strange since the synchronizer felt like it was close to falling apart. The original part had a lot of play in it and you could feel metal on metal grinding when you turned it by hand.

I got the replacement part from Rock Auto. The part on the synchronizer didn’t match the part on the box, but that didn’t cause any issues. Thanks to everyone that helped out.

View attachment 178360
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Bingo! I just received my RockAuto part today and it has the same silver stick-on label as your part--which number differs from that on the box and in the (online) catalog description. Based on your report, I'm going to keep the part/have it installed. I'm just incredulous since I just returned a separate part (purchased on eBay) that had no stick-on label and was a different part number altogether also; the eBay part came with a cardboard box tab with the correct part number on it ("DA-2098") and looked identical to the one sent by RockAuto? The eBay part cost less-than-half of the RockAuto one, but I'm too confused to try to repurchase/use it. One would think there would be consistency of numbering among parts with the Ford logo; apparently this part is shared among multiple product lines with different 'identities'?

 

[Mbrooks420]

Just because it has a Ford number, doesn’t mean it’s a Ford part.

 

[Pete Deering]

I’ve got the infamous camshaft synchronizer squeaking sound on cold starts. I had a shop replace the lower intake and camshaft synchronizer gaskets last week and the truck has developed a squeaking sound in the rear of the engine. I took the belt off and the sound is still there. The mechanic tells me they just marked the position of the synchronizer and put it back the same way after replacing the o ring.

Isn’t there a procedure for reinstalling it? They’re telling me that the sound is caused by the age of the synchronizer but I’m not so sure since it never did it before.

They are correct, there is a procedure for reinstalling it,but that does not have anything to do with the noise. The inside of the camshaft synchronized is worm. Do you have the X engine? Look at your vin number!

 

[blubirdd]

Just because it has a Ford number, doesn’t mean it’s a Ford part.

Both the Ebay & Rockauto syncs had Ford logos molded on them. They each had engraved part nos. that were individually different and non-matching the Motocraft box nos.! Both syncs looked functionally identical but possibly remanufactured? Each had green paint splotches on their worm drive gears? Does anyone know the significance, if any, of the green markings?

 

[blubirdd]

Both the Ebay & Rockauto syncs had Ford logos molded on them. They each had engraved part nos. that were individually different and non-matching the Motocraft box nos.! Both syncs looked functionally identical but possibly remanufactured? Each had green paint splotches on their worm drive gears? Does anyone know the significance, if any, of the green markings?

Friendly local Ford parts rep. tells me the sticker/engraved nos. on Ford parts never match the boxed (inventory) numbers!
He looked up the number in his database and verified it is the correct part as listed on the yellowed/old/re-taped Motorcraft box.
The same parts rep. tried to identify needed installation gaskets for my independent mechanic to install? He noted EGR gasket 9D476 and (3x) 9E436 on the intake manifold diagrams. Can someone (410Fortune?) concur that these are (likely) what will be needed to disassemble/install the replacement camshaft synchronizer? Thanks!

 

[blubirdd]

Friendly local Ford parts rep. tells me the sticker/engraved nos. on Ford parts never match the boxed (inventory) numbers!
He looked up the number in his database and verified it is the correct part as listed on the yellowed/old/re-taped Motorcraft box.
The same parts rep. tried to identify needed installation gaskets for my independent mechanic to install? He noted EGR gasket 9D476 and (3x) 9E436 on the intake manifold diagrams. Can someone (410Fortune?) concur that these are (likely) what will be needed to disassemble/install the replacement camshaft synchronizer? Thanks!

Job done. 155K miles.
Estimated labor: 2.5 hrs. Actual: 6.5 hrs. (only billed for 2.5)
Lower O-ring on c.s. was squeezed flat/bound x 23 yrs. of service.
Old c.s. had significant axial play and metal-to-metal (shaft) squealing on hand rotation.
Solo oil entry hole (3/16" dia.) on side of c.s. is located between upper/lower cast circumferential ridges. (Poor/impossible site for self-lubrication!) One squirt of oil into hole and squeal disappeared.
Thankfully Rockauto had my back with a (Motorcraft) replacement c.s..
No way I could have performed this service myself.
Thanks for many related posts.

 

[410Fortune]

Why did it take 6.5 hours?

Thanks for sharing

 

[blubirdd]

Why did it take 6.5 hours?

Thanks for sharing

I wasn't kept abreast of the 'progress'. Along the way, the EGR Vacuum Solenoid was damaged/repaired with glue. (I will replace it myself.)
There was an indeterminate period during which I was told numerous times by the front desk rep. that the mechanic "was working on getting the old part loose", "had gotten the old part out", "just needed to put the intake manifold back together", etc.
Judging by the appearance of the lower O-ring (completely flattened over time) I suspect the mechanic was using every trick in his repertoire to try to grab ahold of the head of the c.s. and yank. (I heard some loud noises in the shop while I waited!) I told the desk rep. that "I'd read where a person had welded a hook to the c.s. and used a slide-hammer to extract it." (?)

I'm just glad that he seems to have performed the servicing well and that that repair should last longer than I will (69 yrs. old). AND: That I wasn't charged for the extra labor time!!! (I even offered to increase the charge due to the extended time spent. They declined.)

(Sours Automotive will rate a positive review on Google Maps very soon!)

 

[410Fortune]

well.................. sort of.
We used a slide hammer yes, but all we had to do was weld together a simple bracket with two holes in it, so we could screw the new bracket to the synchronizer body using the stock screws
Welding was required to weld a nut to the center of the bracket that threads onto the slide hammer
This new "fixture" is now part of our tool collection........
It was required because the aftermarket (SKP, Victor Reinz, and others) CPS was not machined properly to clear the oil pump drive guide inside the engine block. Once its dropped in no amount of prying, hitting, pulling would release...... The intake was removed the trans was jacked up, this gave us enough space to use slide hammer.

I have been through it with these engines that is for sure.

I hope the mechanic replaced the intake plenum O rings, EGR O rings while the intake was OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
]

 

[Pete Deering]

I wasn't kept abreast of the 'progress'. Along the way, the EGR Vacuum Solenoid was damaged/repaired with glue. (I will replace it myself.)
There was an indeterminate period during which I was told numerous times by the front desk rep. that the mechanic "was working on getting the old part loose", "had gotten the old part out", "just needed to put the intake manifold back together", etc.
Judging by the appearance of the lower O-ring (completely flattened over time) I suspect the mechanic was using every trick in his repertoire to try to grab ahold of the head of the c.s. and yank. (I heard some loud noises in the shop while I waited!) I told the desk rep. that "I'd read where a person had welded a hook to the c.s. and used a slide-hammer to extract it." (?)

I'm just glad that he seems to have performed the servicing well and that that repair should last longer than I will (69 yrs. old). AND: That I wasn't charged for the extra labor time!!! (I even offered to increase the charge due to the extended time spent. They declined.)

(Sours Automotive will rate a positive review on Google Maps very soon!)

I used 1/2 extension. Added the the length needed too reach under the CPS from below the vehicle, and gave it a good hit, it pop right out. had the same issue. My Was rusted in place

 

[chuckj5]

Friendly local Ford parts rep. tells me the sticker/engraved nos. on Ford parts never match the boxed (inventory) numbers!
He looked up the number in his database and verified it is the correct part as listed on the yellowed/old/re-taped Motorcraft box.
The same parts rep. tried to identify needed installation gaskets for my independent mechanic to install? He noted EGR gasket 9D476 and (3x) 9E436 on the intake manifold diagrams. Can someone (410Fortune?) concur that these are (likely) what will be needed to disassemble/install the replacement camshaft synchronizer? Thanks!

I am in the process of replacing the synchronizer in my 1996 4.0. Thank you so much for the two illustrations, I had planned to take photos of disassembly, you made my year.