Cam synchronizer problem

Hey everyone, I need some advice. I was helping my brother install a camshaft synchronizer last night, but he pulled the synchronizer without putting #1 at TDC. We installed it and drove it around. It does throw a code for camshaft/crankshaft out of sync, but the engine runs fine. I put a timing light on it & the gap in the tone ring isn't near the timing mark. I think I may be a tooth off on the synchronizer.

If you were in my position, how can you know that the synchronizer is aligned. We got the install tool with the part, but no instructions. Where should the inner tab on the synch be when the gap on the tone ring is at the timing mark?

Mark

Ok, first, the timing light is useless to test camshaft/camshaft sensor alignment. Because in these cars, ignition is not synchronized with cam sensor, but only with crankshaft sensor. It's the case in Ford cars equipped with ignition distributor-less system.
Cam sensor is used only to adjust fuel injector synchronization.

He should have put cylinder #1 at TDC before removing the synchronizer, but Fuel injection synchronization doesn't require a such precision as the ignition synchronization. Fuel timing is not that important.
Because it's an indirect fuel injection, you don't care if the fuel injector open few degrees earlier or later than normal, the long as it finishes spray fuel before intake valve open.
It's why you don't feel engine symptoms. Maybe at 5500 rpm engine can ping, but not necessary if he's lucky. So the long as engine is running fine, he should be all right. No miss, no sputter are good signs.

The reason why PCM gives code for camshaft/crankshaft out of sync, it's because PCM is afraid that camshaft sensor is not aligned with crankshaft which result in important engine damage. But you know that the one who is misaligned is not the camshaft, but the sensor's synchronizer, so you don't care.

Here is a picture of whert the syncronizer is placed when it is on top dead center.

Here is a picture of whert the syncronizer is placed when it is on top dead center.

Way2Old,

Thanks, you're a life saver. Thats exactly what I needed to know. I can put it on TDC, but I need to know where to make the camshaft sensor point when it's there. Once again....thanks.

Mark

Here is a picture of whert the syncronizer is placed when it is on top dead center.


way2old, does this apply to both 3.0's and also the 3.8 engines.

thanks

I did some more research and found that all the engines seem to have different degree setting's and the 3.0 (4V) has a different set up. (Haynes manuals) Is this correct?

way2old, does this apply to both 3.0's and also the 3.8 engines.

thanks

I did some more research and found that all the engines seem to have different degree setting's and the 3.0 (4V) has a different set up. (Haynes manuals) Is this correct?

No, 3.0L Taurus/Windstar, and 3.8L Windstar use a different degree settings.
3.0L Taurus/Windstar OHV is 38°.
3.8L Windstar is 54°.

3.0L Taurus DOHC doesn't require degree set-up. You just bolt the cam sensor and it reads the cam position by sensing the magnet already synchronised with the cam.


I need to know where to make the camshaft sensor point when it's there.

In the direction of the arrow of the tool, which is just to the right of the clamp that hold the synchronizer. This arrow points also the cam sensor connector.
The sensor gap should point just close to the right of the clamp.
The synchronizer gap should point same direction as the sensor gap.
The angle is 38°.

You should rotate the alignment tool clockwise until the oil pump intermediate shaft and camshaft gear engages. You'll feel it.

No, 3.0L Taurus/Windstar, and 3.8L Windstar use a different degree settings.
3.0L Taurus/Windstar OHV is 38°.
3.8L Windstar is 54°.

3.0L Taurus DOHC doesn't require degree set-up. You just bolt the cam sensor and it reads the cam position by sensing the magnet already synchronised with the cam.




In the direction of the arrow of the tool, which is just to the right of the clamp that hold the synchronizer. This arrow points also the cam sensor connector.
The sensor gap should point just close to the right of the clamp.
The synchronizer gap should point same direction as the sensor gap.
The angle is 38°.

You should rotate the alignment tool clockwise until the oil pump intermediate shaft and camshaft gear engages. You'll feel it.


thanks serge

Well it took quite a bit of work, but we finally fixed it. The problem I had was that the synchronizer had been removed without placing #1 at TDC. I couldn't figure out how to ensure that we were.

We had been using the tone ring (the missing tooth to be precise), but that does not work. In the end, we had to resort to old school mechanic-ery (if I can be so bold as to coin a term). I pulled the spark plug for #5 out (since it rises and falls with #1 and #1 is on the back of the motor and very difficult to see). We manually rotated the engine until #5 was at TDC. That put the gap in the tone ring somewhere around 30 degrees away from the timing mark. We were either going to be perfectly in time or 180 degrees out (since the crankshaft rotates twice for every four cycles of the engine). With #5 at TDC, with help from Way2Old's picture, we installed the syncronizer in the correct position and fired it up. We didn't get the P0340 code anymore which was good.

We took it for a spin and on the way back, I scanned the car again. This time, I had P0174 code. When I got back, I opened the hood and noticed that I'd accidentally pulled one of the vacuum hoses off of the snorkel tube and it was creating a lean condition. Popped it in, cleared the code and life is bueno! Thanks again for everyone's help.

Mark

Is more info about it by entering "30-S2600" into the Google search box.