how reliable are the v6 3.0

[Toms01PSD]

Ok, i'm going to replace my cam syncro sensor. What is the exact name of it because i'm going to get it from autozone. Is is the Camshaft position sensor and the interrupter magnet? I can't find the exact part you guys are talking about.

 

[bobbywalter]

i see... camshaft position sensor

 

[bobbywalter]

I should have done a build thread just for all the crap i've had to replace. If I had known all the issues it had, I wouldnt have paid 3k for the pos. Replaced head gaskets within the first month. Replaced DPFE sensor. Cut out and welded in about 2 foot section of rear frame because it was rusted out. Tail lights were cracked. brand new brake lines running to the rear that I bent myself because Ford wanted like 2 grand for them. New parking brake cable...that sticks. New rotors and pads. New drums, shoes, hardware. The drums were rusted through, and when I say rusted through, I mean you could hold them up to the sun and see light through them. the oil had small particles of crud in it. diff fluid wasn't too bad. Still have to replace trans fluid sometime soon.

you realize the comedy here dont you.

the original owner goes around bragging how good the truck was cause he never did anything but put gas in it for 180k

 

[Toms01PSD]

you realize the comedy here dont you.

the original owner goes around bragging how good the truck was cause he never did anything but put gas in it for 180k

Ironically, I bought it at an auto auction...

 

[pacodiablo]

Ok, i'm going to replace my cam syncro sensor. What is the exact name of it because i'm going to get it from autozone. Is is the Camshaft position sensor and the interrupter magnet? I can't find the exact part you guys are talking about.

Hold on! Auto Zone sells Dorman cam synchronizers which have been failing between 10,000 and 15,000 miles.

You want a new Motorcraft one, or a remanufactured Motorcraft from A1-Cardone.

Retail at the dealer is about $140 for the cam synchronizer. tituswillfordparts.com sells them for about $80.

 

[Wicked_Sludge]

there is no need top replace the cam position SENSOR unless it has failed. the camshaft SYNCRONIZER is the part that wears.

the proper method of setting the cam syncro timing from scratch is with the ford service tool. i dont know how to do it otherwise. the tool can be had for fairly cheap from online vendors. HERE is a list of just about every cam syncro alignment tool ford makes (click on a specific tool for an applications list).

Rearanger, your correct on how the camshaft, syncronizer, and oil pump are all related. im not sure what you mean by the shaft having a "flat" though. the gear is held to the shaft with a roll pin and the oil pump is driven by a hex-shaped coupling (you can actually drive the oil pump with a 8mm or so socket).

EDIT: ok, i printed this off at work on thursday, i was just being lazy about digging out my scanner

 

[Toms01PSD]

Looks like i'm going to have to get the cam syncro from Ford anyway, neither autozone or advanced have it/ can get it for me...so much for getting in the zone or keeping the wheels turning...

 

[2fast4you]

head gasket failures are common when the cooling system is neglected. on a properly maintained 3.0, they are not a problem.

the cam syncro is a vulnerable spot for any '95+...but is easily monitored/replaced.

the 3.0 is about as reliable as they come. over 300,000 miles isnt uncommon. there may even be a few 400,000 miles engines floating around by now. there was a guy on here a while back who had a 75 shot of NOS on his all-original, 300,000+ mile 3.0.

hey wicked, glad to see ya still around. 75 shot is what i ran mostly but got crazy with 100 shot, went lean and blew motor.. 3.0 is a really strong motor when takin care. never had a issue out of mine when i had it untill nitrous was installed.

 

[Wicked_Sludge]

hey 2fast....ya im still here. i never went anywhere. i was wondering where you got off too. glad to have you back. hows the truck these days?

 

[2fast4you]

im doing good. im on my third ranger, 91 ranger.. its got my old 302 in it and C4. 8.8 4.56 gears. 250 shot on nitrous on it. i'll have time slips for this year. trying to trade the 427 ive gotten for a novi 2000 or just out right sell it to get some better parts. so im guessin your going to want pics now huh? lol

 

[Wicked_Sludge]

sure, should probably post em in the show off your truck forum though

 

[2fast4you]

i'll have to do it later... dont have my camera card with me

 

[Ranger Rod]

with pleasure, and i appologize in advance for being long winded:

starting in 1995, the vulcan recieved a distributorless ignition system (DIS). this system uses a set of positioning sensors, one on the engines crankshaft and one on the engines camshaft, to determine when to fire the spark plugs. since the oil pump is driven by the camshaft via the distributor on this (and many "V" pushrod engines), ford could not completely do away with the distributor. the bottom half that engages the camshaft and drives the oil pump would have to remain (less ford redesign the entire block). since the bottom half of the distributor would have to remain anyway, the easiest way to retrieve a camshaft position signal would be to mount a sensor right on top of this "cam syncro shaft".

the cam syncro shaft has a small metal flag on the top of it. the camshaft position sensor bolts to the top of the cam syncro shaft, and this metal flag passes through the sensor...in this way the engine knows exactly where the cam is in its rotation (and thus, when the #1 cylinder is on its compression stroke).

heres where we get into trouble.

the cam syncro shaft rides on a set of bushings. for some reason (and this doesnt appear to be a problem on distributored engines for some reason), these bushings seem to wear prematurely, thus allowing the cam syncro shaft to wobble. at this point, the cam syncro shaft will usually emit a noise very similar to a belt squeel (but not always). if left unchecked, the bushings will continue to wear to the point where the metal flag that is supposed to pass through the cam position sensor contacts the sensor. this puts a sudden hault on the cam syncro shaft. the gear that engages the camshaft itself is nylon, and attached the the cam syncro shaft with a roll pin. the force of the cam syncro being stopped and the cam still spinning either rips the teeth off the nylon gear or sheers the roll pin...either case causes the cam syncro shaft to disengage the cam. with the syncro shaft no longer turning, the oil pump is no longer turning, thus oil pressure drops to zero.

it can take a matter of seconds to completely destroy an engine while driving at highway speeds with highway loads and no oil pressure. even if you see the oil light come on, you might not be able to safely pull over and shut the truck down in time to save the engine.

my truck, being a '93, doesnt have this problem. but if i had a DIS 3.0, heres what i would do: if buying a DIS 3.0 with more than 80K miles on it, replace the syncro shaft. after that, pull the syncro and check it at 50K miles and replace again every 100K miles. dont ignore squeeks or long engine cranking times, as these can be indicative of cam sensor or cam syncro problems. if your oil light comes on while driving, as soon as its safe to do so, put the truck in nuetral, turn the ignition off, and coast to a stop. these trucks (that being rangers in general, not just the 3.0) are known for having flakey oil pressure sending units that like to give false low readings. your next step in this situation would be to varify either low oil pressure or a bad sending unit and take appropriate action.

tomorrow, i will try to remember to look around the shop and see if i can find an old cam syncro shaft lying around to take a picture of.

again, sorry for being long winded. i hope i covered everything.

My DIS is out at the moment so I took a pic for you, for some reason my gear is not nylon but plain ole metal. I have noticed however, that at some 300,000 klicks the spline is showing a large degree of degradation which I probably would not have noticed if not for wickeds large lungs, thanks wicked I will be replacing this gear prior to failure. P.S. odd how the cam spline is without any let alone comparable wear?

 

[Wicked_Sludge]

P.S. odd how the cam spline is without any let alone comparable wear?

theres a good reason for that. how hard is it to pull the cam out compared to the cam syncro or distributor? the gear on the syncro/dizzy shaft is ALWAYS made out of a softer material than the cam gear. this way the easy to replace gear wears and doesnt eat up the very hard to replace gear in the process.

thanks for the pic

 

[kawasakiman27]

Hold on! Auto Zone sells Dorman cam synchronizers which have been failing between 10,000 and 15,000 miles.

You want a new Motorcraft one, or a remanufactured Motorcraft from A1-Cardone.

Retail at the dealer is about $140 for the cam synchronizer. tituswillfordparts.com sells them for about $80.

So, your saying these Dorman synchronizers are known to fail? Does anyone else agree to this? Just curious, cause I was gonna get an aftermarket one for my truck made by Dorman.