Squeak, Chirp, Non belt or pulley related?

[Skibug]

After a 5 hour trip of pulling my boat over the weekend, my truck now has a chirping sound. I have run the truck shortly without the belt on and the noise is still there. It is a high pitched chirp that is intermitent. Sometimes the noise is louder than other times. And sometimes the noise is not there at all. All fluids are good and I am at my wits end trying to figure this thing out. It almost sounds like it is coming from the rear portion of the engine. The truck runs fine. There is just a bad chirping sound that I don't want to drive it and cause further damage if there is something wrong.

Does anyone have an idea they could throw my way. It almost sounds like something internal.

 

[marragtop]

Does it make the noise in neutral, rev, and forward? Also, does it vary with RPMs?

 

[Skibug]

Noise is there whether the truck is in any gear or neutral. It changes with the engin rpms (Ping gets faster as engine rpms go up). No real change in pitch though.

 

[proftomda]

From what you have described, its a great chance that it is your cam synchronizer gear. I just replaced the gear in my 98 this week. I had the same problem with a obnoxious chirping sound more prevelant on cold start up but would come and go even when warm. Looked at all the accessories. replaced the belt and examined all the pulleys with the belt off. This forum provided insight into the fairly common (especially for 5.0 engines) cam synchronizer gear that loses lubrication and starts making noise. The gear is installed where the distributor goes on old fashion engines. On the 5.0, it is located up front, under the spark plug coil packs. Before you start replacing parts, get a stethascope or use a length of hose as a stethascope and listen and try to pinpoint the source. The cam syncronizer gear noise sounds just like a bad belt or pulley. With the hose and what I learned from this sight, I was exactly able to pinpoint the source.

Good luck

 

[Skibug]

Well I have the 4.0, but I will look into this more. The noise is pretty bad at times and other times it's not there at all. It's just a chirp chirp chirp that gets very annoying and I don't want to make a small problem worse by driving it like this. The truck is my daily driver and it's hard to go without.

It almost sound like it is coming from the bottom rear portion of the engine, but I still can not pinpoint the location of the noise.

Edit:
After reading all the posts on here about the camshaft position sensor drive unit, I believe that this is my problem. Is there a right up somewhere on how to replace the unit. I hear it can be a bear to allign the new shaft on install. Pictures would be nice too.

 

[jeffm]

having same problem
birds chirp at rear of engine at idle in drive and reverse
4.0 V6 2000
but i dont have much info on it yet cause it started 2 days ago will post anything i find

 

[bp1506]

My explorer only make a short chirp sound on start up, i wonder if its the same problem. I did have the belt changed a few months ago...i will try to figure where the sound is coming from.

 

[Skibug]

My explorer only make a short chirp sound on start up, i wonder if its the same problem. I did have the belt changed a few months ago...i will try to figure where the sound is coming from.

Mine started off as a chirp at startup and now chirps like crazy sometimes. Just have not had the chance to change my CMP yet.

 

[spta97]

I had a similar problem on my 5.0 and narrowed it down to one of the pulleys. It would happen more when it was wet / humid out. Replacing it made it subside for a few months but now it is back

 

[jeffm]

there is a thresd in here somwhere from oct 2005 from Tej having same problem may shed some light
replaced cam shaft positiong sensor and chirping went away

 

[jeffm]

my exploder didnt make any noise today drove it allday long
getting new belt tommorrow hope thats the problem more tahn likely its not though
let uyou know in a few hrs

 

[spta97]

my exploder didnt make any noise today drove it allday long
getting new belt tommorrow hope thats the problem more tahn likely its not though
let uyou know in a few hrs

Did you notice if it happens only when humid / wet? That's when mine does it. The belt was replaced and it went away for a while. Then I did a couple pulleys and it went away for a while but it is back :fire:

I remember one day after I got the belt replaced I heard a sqeaking and I was all *GOD DAMN IT*!!! As it turned out, there was another explorer turning into the parking lot so I guess it is a pretty common problem.

 

[jeffm]

humidity is not the problem does it dry, wet reverse neutral drive .... always some of the time. chirpchirp frigging chirp squeak chirp.
been working out of town havnt had a chance to look at it have to leave again tommorrow
well i guess if i dont drive it it wont get any worse
will check pullys and change belt first chance i get

 

[spta97]

humidity is not the problem does it dry, wet reverse neutral drive .... always some of the time. chirpchirp frigging chirp squeak chirp.
been working out of town havnt had a chance to look at it have to leave again tommorrow
well i guess if i dont drive it it wont get any worse
will check pullys and change belt first chance i get

Changing the belt on my 5.0 was realatively easy. It's like a 5 min job which is cool. Not sure about the V6 though.

 

[Skibug]

For all having a chirp, take the belt off and run the truck for a short time without it. If the noise is still there, it is not belt or pulley related.

 

[jeffm]

took off belt still made noise i think im just going to trade it in

 

[proftomda]

Are you really going to trade it in because of a chirping sound? Trading a car in is always a losing proposition, trading in a car with obvious issues is a double losing proposition. Get ready to take it in the shorts.

If you took off the belt and it was still chirping, then its almost 100% chance that its the cam synchronizer gear located where the distributor used to go, top center of engine just under your ignition coil packs. Its a very common problem with 5.0 explorers but not a hard fix at all. Part costs about 120.00 on the internet and the alignment tool about 20 dollars. I installed mine without the tool. Its pretty obvious how to set it up and you'll save yourself about 250-300 dollars labor if you do it yourself. There are plenty of threads on this sight on how to do it.