Early 93 CMP sensor removal

[TDG]

(CMP aka Cam Position Sensor / Camshaft Synchronizer)

Curious if anyone with an early 93 (one with a left over 92 engine / 90 TM heads / early accessory drive etc) has been able to remove the CMP senor without removing the lower intake manifold.

I've searched and read plenty of threads of folks with 95+s, 5.0's, Rangers etc who have managed to get them out without removing the lower intake so I'm specifically interested in hearing from someone who has done it on a 93 with with an early engine. I looked at it today on mine and can't see how it will come out without removing the lower intake unless clearance was added on the later 93+ intakes ... or it has a lot of room to angle out.

Due to my poor choice of work location (the street) and lack of interest (it still runs, just squeaks occasionally) I didn't bother rendering my truck inoperable trying to see if I could get it out.

 

[410Fortune]

I believe it will come out when you remove the upper intake plenum and fuel rail

That old CMP with the sight glass is a PITA
It can be replaced with a later model synchronizer.
Careful here through we have been having trouble with the aftermarket synchros fitting the engine...seriously huge headaches\
The ohv engine and the aftermarket cam synchronizers are hit and miss. There have been two engines now (96 and a 99) where the aftermarket synchro will not physically fit the engine. richporter makes the synchronizer sold under many diff names. finding a OEM synchro cost around $200 and there are not many of the 132mm shaft ones left in stock.
huge PITA!!!!!!!!!!

 

[TDG]

Does the length variation apply to the early (pre 95) engines? I noticed the part numbers were different for the later years depending on length but there was only one listed for my year.

I have obtained what appears to be a matching sensor (externally) which is probably a reman and hopefully won't squeak if / when I get around to tackling this again; if pulling the fuel rail doesn't make enough room I might just add a little 'clearance' of my own as I'm not presently in the mood to go down the rabbit hole of pulling the lower intake.

 

[410Fortune]

there are some recent threads on here about this old sight glass sensor and your options
let me see if I can find them
the 91-97 engines use the longer 132mm sensor with 3 wires I am pretty dang sure, I just installed a 132mm shaft one into a 96 ranger engine

finding the oem/Ford parts can be difficult these are getting older. The aftermarket parts leave much to be desired. There is a batch of Richporter cam synchros that will not physically fit the engines they are selling them for (4.0 OHV) leaving us in a really difficult position.

 

[410Fortune]

here's a good one, this is a sticky on the Gen I forums
Cam position sensor

Lower intake if you have to dive in that far
How to: R+R lower intake

 

[Centaurious]

If you can get to both Philips screws remove the top of the sensor and introduce about 1/2 shot glass worth of motor oil. Wiggle the shaft for about 5 minutes to work the oil down and soak up the excess. It will cure the squeak.Just like a distributor it has bushings that a shaft runs in and the bushings need lube. Distributors had a felt washer that held oil but they figured these were lubed for life...

 

[smegun]

cut a small 10mm wrench use the closed end I tapped on mine with brass pipe hammer softly to get it started if you have the intake off you can put a piece/partial sheet of osb and drape it across the engine bay and wiggle back there ...mine connector cracked trying to take it out the first time so don't grab it by the connector you can tap it out under the flange with the end of a slide hammer like the big nut/wheel on the slide hammer it will tap out ...when testing mine after re-soldering it it failed showing 12volts wherever the vane was at so I pitched it and picked another at a yard that at least backprobe tested positive for vane movement I cleaned up the window with 2500 grit wet dry and reinstalled it back probed it and viola not saying its the best alternative the syncro sounded fine the diode or whatever is in the sensor itself was toast

its probably user error the solder iron too hot on sensitive lead the thing is that I was paranoid after a timing chain job that I turned the syncro out of time with the compression stroke the crank gear slipped anso I began to experiment there are other factors the tutorials state stabbing the syncro at TDC then timing /backprobing it at 26 deg past ATDC but I couldn't get it to stab until I had it at ATDC then backprobed it I got more results from changing the crank sensor to get the truck running than the cam sensor ...running around with a bare skirt might lead to knocks on the crank sensor it went from looking like a lost mount to running with a smog problem