Chirp, chirp, stutter & die

I have a 1999 windstar SEL (67K miles). About 400 miles ago while on a trip it picked up a chirp sound that for all the world sounded like a belt slip or alternator bearing that i noticed just occasionally. No engine light and charging was OK, so i let it go until i was home. I got home, had the oil changed and didn't drive that car for a few days. After sitting those few days, the problem is now much worse and goes like this:

At idle, the engine will let out a chirp (much less than a second), immediately followed by a little stutter or rather than the stutter the engine will completely stop. I was optimistic enough to think it was an accessory so i ran it a minute without the belt and was very sad to observe the same thing. At higher RPM (say 2000) i can still hear the chirp but it seems to get better when the engine is warm. It sounds like it is on the side of the engine by the belt but i have not probed with a stethoscope. Is there any chance this is a benign problem? What are the chances it is a major internal problem and what should i check next?


issue 2. While listening to the engine waiting for the death chirp, i noticed a bit of linkage that is not linking. On the left side of the engine just behind the alternator and above the water pump there is a little box..on the right side of the box which is under the intake there must be a little arm which has a linkage that goes to the intake manifold front and back. At the intake manifold there is another little arm that i presume opens and closes some little butterfly valve or something inside. The linkage on the front lost its little plastic linker-upper so the linkage fell out. Interestingly enough, the engine (at idle) didn't care if i moved the valves. Also interesting is if i moved the linkage, the little box didn't care enough to move it back. if someone can let me know what this is for, how to tell if it is working, and where i could get the little plastic doohicky that keeps the linkage from falling out again. Again, no check engine light.

Any help or suggestions would be appreciated

Craig

As for issue 1. It sounds like your cam position sensor is going bad. I aslo have a 1999 windstar and had the exact same problem. I chirped every once and a while for a few months before it failed, causing the van to stall and quit. I had no codes until the part failed completely, and then it gave me code P0340. When I replaced the part I could see why it was making noise. The sensor itself is plastic and has no moving parts, but it covers the rotating synchronizer. The clearance between the camshaft sensor and the pickup on the rotating synchronizer is tight. When the sensor was failing, it was getting hot and caused the plastic on the sensor to bubble out slightly and rub against the synchronozer.

As for Question #2, perform a search for "IMRC" in this forum.

The IMRC (Intake Manifold Runner Control) is what the "box" is with the linkage.
They open a butterfly for each cylinder to give an additional air path into the cylinder at high (above 2900) RPM. This gives the engine more power.
They are open when the engine is NOT running.
They close when the engine is running, and below 2900 rpm.

Check your Camshaft Position Sensor (CPS), not an expensive part, and easy to change. You ONLY want to remove the electrical connector and the 2 little bolts on the top of the sensor. You do NOT want to loosten or remove any other bolts / screws around there as you might cause the position to be changed. Just changing the sensor, with the 2 little bolts, will not have any effect on the position.

I did get a chirp similar to yours on my '96 3.8L windstar that was caused by a small crack on the inside of the flexible elbow for the PCV vaccum line.
On my '96, this is on the TOP of the upper intake manifold, next to the trottle body. Replacing the flexible elbow corrected the problem.
My PCV valve is in the back valve cover, and I think your's is in the front valve cover. Also, your '99 has a different upper intake manifold than mine does. But still worth looking at that line to see what it's condition is.

Hi,
I need to change the camshaft positioner assembly on my 98 Windstar 3.8 liter engine. I have opened as suggested in Hayness manual.
I am not able to lift up the assembly out as the fuel injecter railing line is coming in the way.

Can someone please help...what shall I do?
Thank and regards,
Jay