Cobfused on 95 Cam Synchronizer

[TrueloveJ1987]

Hi yall im new here and glad to be! I've been reading up on the 95's synchronizer replacement. Mine has the see through glass. I've read the threads on replacing it but im unsure about which end of the vane goes on the far left mark, the short one, when installing the synchronizer. Now when I stab it in it should be set where to makeup for the helical shape? Pass the small mark or is it supposed to rotate back to the bigger mark thats offset? My truck is apart now and im worried to death i wont get this set right. I had it at TDC when I pulled old one out and now I have it turned 26 ATDC (34 mm). I took pictures of the old sensor and the one in the truck had an orange highlight on the vane that lined up from the big half mark to the smaller mark when I pulled it out and was lined up so. So I set mine the exact same way and after it seats whete should the vane be pointing? The leading end on the small mark right? Help loo

 

[TrueloveJ1987]

Hi yall im new here and glad to be! I've been reading up on the 95's synchronizer replacement. Mine has the see through glass. I've read the threads on replacing it but im unsure about which end of the vane goes on the far left mark, the short one, when installing the synchronizer. Now when I stab it in it should be set where to makeup for the helical shape? Pass the small mark or is it supposed to rotate back to the bigger mark thats offset? My truck is apart now and im worried to death i wont get this set right. I had it at TDC when I pulled old one out and now I have it turned 26 ATDC (34 mm). I took pictures of the old sensor and the one in the truck had an orange highlight on the vane that lined up from the big half mark to the smaller mark when I pulled it out and was lined up so. So I set mine the exact same way and after it seats whete should the vane be pointing? The leading end on the small mark right? Help loo

I've also read the other threads on setting it. Everyone is telling me togo in the way it came out but the manual is saying 26 degrees ATDC. So im very confused of the importance of setting it ATDC vs just TDC

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I’ve never done one with the window. Seen them but never did them. I’ve replaced non-window cam synchro assemblies, those you put at TDC, pull the sensor off the top and put an alignment tool on there, then stab it in and snug it down.

That said, make sure there’s no wobble or play in the synchro assembly other than the oil pump drive at the bottom

 

[Shran]

I will be curious to see what the procedure here is. I need to replace this on my wife's 95 as well, I have ruled out everything else that could be throwing a P0340 code.

The part description says "Requires Alignment Tool Kit for proper installation" but this thread indicates that it actually does not:

Replacing cam position sensor on a 93-95 explorer 4.0L ohv,has anyone done one

Replacing cam position sensor on a 93-95 explorer 4.0L ohv,has anyone done one. Do you need to remove the manifolds?

www.explorerforum.com

1995 Explorer 4.0 cam position sensor/synchronizer.

! Does anybody know about the 95 explorer 4.0 sensor and synchronizer? Is it the same or different than the 96,97,98 item? - 96 and beyond are available on ebay for $40- $60 which includes the synchronizer, the sensor and the alignment tool. Could I buy one for a 96 or beyond and have it fit...

www.explorerforum.com

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I will be curious to see what the procedure here is. I need to replace this on my wife's 95 as well, I have ruled out everything else that could be throwing a P0340 code.

The part description says "Requires Alignment Tool Kit for proper installation" but this thread indicates that it actually does not:

Replacing cam position sensor on a 93-95 explorer 4.0L ohv,has anyone done one

Replacing cam position sensor on a 93-95 explorer 4.0L ohv,has anyone done one. Do you need to remove the manifolds?

www.explorerforum.com

1995 Explorer 4.0 cam position sensor/synchronizer.

! Does anybody know about the 95 explorer 4.0 sensor and synchronizer? Is it the same or different than the 96,97,98 item? - 96 and beyond are available on ebay for $40- $60 which includes the synchronizer, the sensor and the alignment tool. Could I buy one for a 96 or beyond and have it fit...

www.explorerforum.com

I do know that there are a few different cam synchro assemblies. Ran into that with a junkyard motor for my buddy Paul’s truck. The motor we got had a 3 wire sensor and we needed the 2 wire, but the whole synchro assembly is different between those. No problem, just buy a whole assembly… except it wouldn’t seat… it was close but no bueno. Did some digging and there are different lengths, measured in MM. Found one that was the right length and the right sensor, came with the plastic alignment tool, and just stabbed it in at TDC.

One would think that they all should be installed with an alignment tool at TDC, but I dunno. I’ve been told that the computer has a certain level of fudge factor for it and I think it would be possible to eyeball installation to “close enough” because the two Fords I’ve done (98 Ranger 4.0 and 00 Explorer 5.0) both used TDC and aligned the tab with the center of the cutout for the sensor. Does this hold true for the older stuff or other engines? I don’t know.

 

[Shran]

I do know that there are a few different cam synchro assemblies. Ran into that with a junkyard motor for my buddy Paul’s truck. The motor we got had a 3 wire sensor and we needed the 2 wire, but the whole synchro assembly is different between those. No problem, just buy a whole assembly… except it wouldn’t seat… it was close but no bueno. Did some digging and there are different lengths, measured in MM. Found one that was the right length and the right sensor, came with the plastic alignment tool, and just stabbed it in at TDC.

One would think that they all should be installed with an alignment tool at TDC, but I dunno. I’ve been told that the computer has a certain level of fudge factor for it and I think it would be possible to eyeball installation to “close enough” because the two Fords I’ve done (98 Ranger 4.0 and 00 Explorer 5.0) both used TDC and aligned the tab with the center of the cutout for the sensor. Does this hold true for the older stuff or other engines? I don’t know.

Supposedly there is a way to convert to a new style/cheaper sensor. I researched that a while back and figured it out but now I've forgotten. There is no consistency with these trucks - I worked on a '94 B4000 that had the new style sensor, my wife's 95 has the old style, my '94 Explorer has the old style, I have an engine from a different '94 B4000 that has the old style, and my '94 Ranger has no cam sensor at all.

Anyway I'm not sure how an alignment tool would work with the old style - you can't remove the sensor from the synchronizer part on those so I am assuming that it's all done by sight through the alignment window.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Supposedly there is a way to convert to a new style/cheaper sensor. I researched that a while back and figured it out but now I've forgotten. There is no consistency with these trucks - I worked on a '94 B4000 that had the new style sensor, my wife's 95 has the old style, my '94 Explorer has the old style, I have an engine from a different '94 B4000 that has the old style, and my '94 Ranger has no cam sensor at all.

Anyway I'm not sure how an alignment tool would work with the old style - you can't remove the sensor from the synchronizer part on those so I am assuming that it's all done by sight through the alignment window.

Been awhile since I saw a window style sensor so I couldn’t remember, but that sounds accurate. So confusing the shotgun approach that Ford took. My Choptop is wired as a 91 Ranger 4.0, those didn’t have a sensor at all, just a cam to oil drive with a flat top. Then there’s the window ones, three wire, two wire, and different lengths for a couple of them. This is the kind of stuff that gives people like us headaches. Darn engineers and corporate bs plus government interference… makes things more complicated than they need to be…

 

[TrueloveJ1987]

My old one before I pulled it posted after this. FYI I had to cut my ratchet wrench after getting it jammed between the hold down bolt and sensor lol but the one in truck was premarked orange. It was at TDC and the C vane was orange a quarter the way up so that the leading end was on the small mark and the end of the orange mark was on the big mark a quarter a way up So why put it in at 26 degrees ATDC if it was on the marks at TDC?? Id this due to set timing with this sensor??? Here are the only guides found:

Ford 4.0L Camshaft Synchronizer - The Ranger Station

This pages details how to install a camshaft synchronizer into the back of the 4.0 engine in a Ford Ranger.

www.therangerstation.com

Can CMP Synch be changed with engine in place (4.0 OHV)?

See my e-mail to you...

www.explorerforum.com