Which tool for cam syncronizer?

[00Ranger5.0]

In the middle of finally changing my cam syncronizer at 305k miles and need to onow which tool to use. I already pulled the old one and will be starting from scratch with the timing.

The tool i ordred came with two different ones. One has the it lined up in the center of the slot and is black in color and the other has it slightly to the side of the slot and is blue in color.

One other question is where the crank should be lined up. I have read several different places and some say directly on TDC and other say 10 degrees off of TDC.

 

[RonD]

Welcome to TRS

What engine, 3.0l, 4.0l, 5.0l?

You have a 4 stroke engine, which means crank turns 2 full turns for each 1 full turn of the cam, and synchronizer runs off the cam

This means there are TWO Top Dead Centers(TDCs) for #1, and only 1 will be the correct one to line up the synchro

#1 cylinder needs to be at the end of its compression stroke and that TDC is the one you want.
So remove #1 spark plug, rotate engine manually, you can put your finger or a compression gauge in #1 spark plug hole.
You well feel or see compression building up in #1 when it is on its compression stroke.
Keep rotating until you get to the TDC line/mark, that's the right TDC

Read here for tool and timing: http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/camshaft_position_sensor_cmp.shtml

The 10deg ATDC is OK and so is 0deg TDC, that is only 5deg on synchronizer in any case and computer can adjust for that.
But if you use 10deg ATDC then use that "articles" offset degrees for cam sensor location, i.e. 60deg or 75deg
So don't mix and match methods