What did you do to your Ranger today? (Part Deux!)

[Rick W]

The 4.0 OHV frozen-in-place cam synchronizer saga continues…

Today I spent 3 1/2 hours not removing the cam sync. I don’t want you to think I’m feeble. I didn’t spend 3 1/2 hours trying to do the same thing, I spent about an hour each on three different things that I proved didn’t work at all. So now, I’m in the same place I was two days ago.

First thing I did was try channel locks, pipe wrench, you name it. I have two or three things that will fit on the new sync, so I know they will grab, but there is no room around the old one to get the jaws in place at all, and there is no room to swing a tool if you could get it on there. Failure.

So then I moved to my “claw, slide hammer“ thought. I took a piece of bed frame, because the steel is very hard, and I need small fingers to get around the thing, so any kind of malleable iron would just deform. Under the two screws of the sensor cap, it’s almost like it has “ears” that are flat on the bottom, so that would be an excellent grab point. I cut out a notch in a one 1-1/4 angle, but I didn’t cut it down to the fold. I let my two cuts end about 3/16” off the other side. I snapped off the flap with a crescent wrench, back-and-forth quick fatigue failure. Then I used a grinder to make a belly in the remaining piece.

I made a shaft out of 1/2” bed frame angle. I had to bend the shaft backwards and then forward so I could put it on where the manifold overhangs the thing. When I sliced off one side of the smaller angle, I again left about a 1/8 inch riser to maintain as much of the stiffness as I could. My plan was to drill a hole through it at the right height, slide a piece of pipe or square stock over it, and run a bolt through it to use as a slide stop.

There was not enough room to slide the two claws under the ears. I started to grind on it to narrow it to see if I could wedge it in, and it was very quickly obvious I was going to grind the claws off before I could ever get it in there. Failure.

Then I had the idea to make a similar contraption that would catch only under one year. Like a prybar, but with the tip facing backwards to use like a hook. Again, I’d make it a slide hammer thing. Using the same 1/2” bed frame angle, I cut a 2 inch piece, and welded it overlapping one end of the angle, so I could then bend it out the top, so I would have an edge that I could catch under the ear as I try to bump it up with the slide hammer.

Once again, I had to slice off about 6 inches of the shaft on one side so I could angle it back and angle it forward to reach around the manifold. I fiddled with that for a while, still no chance of actually getting it down in there in a place where you could grab that ear. Failure.

Sorry I’m at a loss. I’m contemplating writing a tech article for TRS on all the different ways you can’t get the thing out of there. Is there a humor section in the tech section?

After I quit and came inside, I did have the thought that I might be able to put a screwdriver or prybar across the top through the slot that aligns the cap. One problem with that is if I damage that thing and I can’t get it out, then it’s going to get towed someplace. Right now, if I just put it back together, I can drive it at 30-35 miles an hour to whomever might be able to help me with it.

I saw two videos where this was done. You can’t see the thing at all, you have to simply feel for everything you’re doing, and my ham hock hands, barely fit back there. I’m starting to realize I probably have to pull off at least the upper intake manifold simply to have better access. But the thing is actually half tucked into the lower intake manifold, so just taking the top one off may just be an exercise in labor with no results. And from everything I’ve done, I’m still not sure if there’s a way to grab it even if you take the lower manifold off.

I’m still waiting for those comments on how to do it. Speak up if you have an idea.

 

[Curious Hound]

Rick, You’re in Atlanta where stuff like this isn’t supposed to be all rusty and stuck in place. We’re supposed to make the northern guys envious of how easy it is to work on our vehicles. I’m disappointed in you. I will admit that on my 3.0l, it is in the back and very difficult to access, also. But I replaced mine a few years ago. Don’t give up. You can do it. Have you dribbled any penetrating oil around its base? Can you get a soft punch or bar (brass or aluminum) down on its base and tap the punch with a hammer? Mechanical agitation can be a wonderful thing.

 

[Rick W]

The 4.0 OHV frozen-in-place cam synchronizer saga continues…

Today I spent 3 1/2 hours not removing the cam sync. I don’t want you to think I’m feeble. I didn’t spend 3 1/2 hours trying to do the same thing, I spent about an hour each on three different things that I proved didn’t work at all. So now, I’m in the same place I was two days ago.

First thing I did was try channel locks, pipe wrench, you name it. I have two or three things that will fit on the new sync, so I know they will grab, but there is no room around the old one to get the jaws in place at all, and there is no room to swing a tool if you could get it on there. Failure.

So then I moved to my “claw, slide hammer“ thought. I took a piece of bed frame, because the steel is very hard, and I need small fingers to get around the thing, so any kind of malleable iron would just deform. Under the two screws of the sensor cap, it’s almost like it has “ears” that are flat on the bottom, so that would be an excellent grab point. I cut out a notch in a one 1-1/4 angle, but I didn’t cut it down to the fold. I let my two cuts end about 3/16” off the other side. I snapped off the flap with a crescent wrench, back-and-forth quick fatigue failure. Then I used a grinder to make a belly in the remaining piece.

View attachment 140425View attachment 140426View attachment 140427

I made a shaft out of 1/2” bed frame angle. I had to bend the shaft backwards and then forward so I could put it on where the manifold overhangs the thing. When I sliced off one side of the smaller angle, I again left about a 1/8 inch riser to maintain as much of the stiffness as I could. My plan was to drill a hole through it at the right height, slide a piece of pipe or square stock over it, and run a bolt through it to use as a slide stop.

There was not enough room to slide the two claws under the ears. I started to grind on it to narrow it to see if I could wedge it in, and it was very quickly obvious I was going to grind the claws off before I could ever get it in there. Failure.

Then I had the idea to make a similar contraption that would catch only under one year. Like a prybar, but with the tip facing backwards to use like a hook. Again, I’d make it a slide hammer thing. Using the same 1/2” bed frame angle, I cut a 2 inch piece, and welded it overlapping one end of the angle, so I could then bend it out the top, so I would have an edge that I could catch under the ear as I try to bump it up with the slide hammer.

View attachment 140428View attachment 140429

Once again, I had to slice off about 6 inches of the shaft on one side so I could angle it back and angle it forward to reach around the manifold. I fiddled with that for a while, still no chance of actually getting it down in there in a place where you could grab that ear. Failure.

Sorry I’m at a loss. I’m contemplating writing a tech article for TRS on all the different ways you can’t get the thing out of there. Is there a humor section in the tech section?

After I quit and came inside, I did have the thought that I might be able to put a screwdriver or prybar across the top through the slot that aligns the cap. One problem with that is if I damage that thing and I can’t get it out, then it’s going to get towed someplace. Right now, if I just put it back together, I can drive it at 30-35 miles an hour to whomever might be able to help me with it.

I saw two videos where this was done. You can’t see the thing at all, you have to simply feel for everything you’re doing, and my ham hock hands, barely fit back there. I’m starting to realize I probably have to pull off at least the upper intake manifold simply to have better access. But the thing is actually half tucked into the lower intake manifold, so just taking the top one off may just be an exercise in labor with no results. And from everything I’ve done, I’m still not sure if there’s a way to grab it even if you take the lower manifold off.

I’m still waiting for those comments on how to do it. Speak up if you have an idea.

Update, so I’ve been calling around to mechanics I know. I’m a pretty good shade tree, but I don’t do it for a living. Well, I’ve got a buddy who’s also a shade tree, but he’s a shade tree under a towering oak. I’m a shade tree under a weak little pear tree.

It’s surprised me. He said to pour brake fluid around it. He said the chemicals in the brake fluid will eat through the crack down to whatever’s holding it overnight or within two days. Of course I’m going to try it. The brake fluid can’t hurt anything down there like the paint.

Any thoughts on that?

 

[Curious Hound]

Update, so I’ve been calling around to mechanics I know. I’m a pretty good shade tree, but I don’t do it for a living. Well, I’ve got a buddy who’s also a shade tree, but he’s a shade tree under a towering oak. I’m a shade tree under a weak little pear tree.

It’s surprised me. He said to pour brake fluid around it. He said the chemicals in the brake fluid will eat through the crack down to whatever’s holding it overnight or within two days. Of course I’m going to try it. The brake fluid can’t hurt anything down there like the paint.

Any thoughts on that?

Or, the most famous mix of all - 50/50 acetone and ATF