What the heck is this ?

[callsigntater]

I thought 4.0 engine came with a distributor first and then later the camshaft synchro replaced that. I pull my lower intake off today and found this. What looks like a cap over the hole. My truck is a 1994 XLT 4.0 4X4 with M5OD-R1

 

[adsm08]

You are 50-100% wrong.

The 4.0 was always an EDIS engine and never had a distributor. But it didn't always have a cam sensor either.

Cam sensors tell the computer when a given cylinder is on compression. Since the 4.0 is a waste spark system knowing that isn't important for ignition. The early 4.0s (up through 94 without Cali emissions) were batch fire injection knowing where compression is isn't that important for fuel injector timing either. So no cam sensor.

That piece is an oil pump drive slug. It has the boss and gear that the cam synchro would have on the bottom and it meshes with the cam and runs the oil pump.

 

[callsigntater]

Thank you ! I had a 94 xlt with a 3.0 before this truck. I was used to the distributor on that setup. I appreciate the clarification

 

[adsm08]

Yeah, 94 was the last year for the distributor 3.0, but the 4.0 is a completely different engine.