Total Cam Sensor Reinstall
11-05-2011, 07:08 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: NC
Posts: 19
Total Cam Sensor Reinstall
Ok guys don't beat me up on this.
I've rebuilt plenty of motors, cars and motorcycles. I still have my 66' Mustang from high school that I rebuilt.
Now my stupidness. I bought my son a 2003 3.8 V6 mustang. I've been going through it fixing things and replacing all the fluids etc. I notice around the cam sensor it was weeping oil. I thought I would take it out and see what kind of o-ring seal it had so I could replace it. I marked the poistion with paint and notice the position of the tang. I took the cam senor pickup off first, then the rest of the body out. It reminds me of pulling a distributor. Which brings me to my question. When replacing all this, ( I've just seen the plastic setting tool on this site), did I mentioned I cleaned my marking paint off when I was cleaning everything up?
Anyway, do you set the engine to TDC on #1 when you drop this thing back in or do you just use the plastic alignment tool and drop it in any old way, #1 at TDC or not? I put it back in the best way I remembered ( got interupted by some neighbors) and the car runs fine. I don't see any difference in the running. I took it out for a test drive and it started crapping out at 3,000 rpm in 3rd gear. It never did it in any other gear. I could even put it in 5th going slow and stomp on it and it would build up slowly but no cutting out. I would have thought it would show up in high gear under load, but it ran fine, Just cuts out at 3,000 rpm in 3rd only.
Don't know if it has anything to do with the cam sensor, so I want to put the cam sensor back in the correct way and was looking for the procedure.
Thanks for any help.
du907
I've rebuilt plenty of motors, cars and motorcycles. I still have my 66' Mustang from high school that I rebuilt.
Now my stupidness. I bought my son a 2003 3.8 V6 mustang. I've been going through it fixing things and replacing all the fluids etc. I notice around the cam sensor it was weeping oil. I thought I would take it out and see what kind of o-ring seal it had so I could replace it. I marked the poistion with paint and notice the position of the tang. I took the cam senor pickup off first, then the rest of the body out. It reminds me of pulling a distributor. Which brings me to my question. When replacing all this, ( I've just seen the plastic setting tool on this site), did I mentioned I cleaned my marking paint off when I was cleaning everything up?
Anyway, do you set the engine to TDC on #1 when you drop this thing back in or do you just use the plastic alignment tool and drop it in any old way, #1 at TDC or not? I put it back in the best way I remembered ( got interupted by some neighbors) and the car runs fine. I don't see any difference in the running. I took it out for a test drive and it started crapping out at 3,000 rpm in 3rd gear. It never did it in any other gear. I could even put it in 5th going slow and stomp on it and it would build up slowly but no cutting out. I would have thought it would show up in high gear under load, but it ran fine, Just cuts out at 3,000 rpm in 3rd only.Don't know if it has anything to do with the cam sensor, so I want to put the cam sensor back in the correct way and was looking for the procedure.
Thanks for any help.
du907
11-06-2011, 09:46 PM
#2
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: NC
Posts: 19
I found my answer
I was able to download the procedure from the Ford Service Manual.
Set the engine to #1 cylinder at TDC.
I took out the #1 spark plug and turned the engine by hand with a bar on the crankshaft pulley nut. I put my finger over the hole and felt for the air being pushed out by the piston as I rotated the engine to TDC. I used a small wooden dowel about 6" long to "feel" the piston as it reached TDC. I then removed the CPS by unscrewing the two small bolts. I then took notice of the position of the inner tab that rotates by the sensor when it is installed. I then loosened the 10mm retaining bolt and rotated the outer housing until the inner tab was centered in the outer housing's opening or "window" as some refer to it. I tighten the retaining bolt and re-installed the CPS and it's electrical connector. The Service manual says the CPS should be at a 54 degree angle position from centerline of the engine. Mine was. I replaced the #1 spark plug and put everything else back together. I started the car and it ran great. I took it for a test drive and it no longer cuts out at 3,000 rpm in 3rd gear.
Just a note about the CPS position.
I as well as others on this site don't believe the CPS position is all that important. What is important is that the inner rotating tab is centered in the outer housing opening (window) when the engine is at #1 TDC when you drop the syncronizer in. There are about 36 teeth on the drive gear so there could in theory be 36 different positions provide there is room for it. That is what the tool does, it holds the inner tab in the center of the window while you drop the syncronizer in.
Set the engine to #1 cylinder at TDC.
I took out the #1 spark plug and turned the engine by hand with a bar on the crankshaft pulley nut. I put my finger over the hole and felt for the air being pushed out by the piston as I rotated the engine to TDC. I used a small wooden dowel about 6" long to "feel" the piston as it reached TDC. I then removed the CPS by unscrewing the two small bolts. I then took notice of the position of the inner tab that rotates by the sensor when it is installed. I then loosened the 10mm retaining bolt and rotated the outer housing until the inner tab was centered in the outer housing's opening or "window" as some refer to it. I tighten the retaining bolt and re-installed the CPS and it's electrical connector. The Service manual says the CPS should be at a 54 degree angle position from centerline of the engine. Mine was. I replaced the #1 spark plug and put everything else back together. I started the car and it ran great. I took it for a test drive and it no longer cuts out at 3,000 rpm in 3rd gear.
Just a note about the CPS position.
I as well as others on this site don't believe the CPS position is all that important. What is important is that the inner rotating tab is centered in the outer housing opening (window) when the engine is at #1 TDC when you drop the syncronizer in. There are about 36 teeth on the drive gear so there could in theory be 36 different positions provide there is room for it. That is what the tool does, it holds the inner tab in the center of the window while you drop the syncronizer in.
11-08-2011, 09:34 AM
#3
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: TX
Posts: 219
That tool is useless, it defeats the purpose of having common sense.
The cps unit is pretty simple yes, its better if you take a screw driver or something as such and engrave a marking to line the housing up with the T/C. Then personally i go partially by the manual and line the sensor up in the middle of the gap by turning the engine.
Then you put it back in exactly like it came out. And common sense tells you the first time you stick in back in and the sensor turns out of alignment, that you must turn it a tad bit before you insert it back in so that the teeth line up lol
The cps unit is pretty simple yes, its better if you take a screw driver or something as such and engrave a marking to line the housing up with the T/C. Then personally i go partially by the manual and line the sensor up in the middle of the gap by turning the engine.
Then you put it back in exactly like it came out. And common sense tells you the first time you stick in back in and the sensor turns out of alignment, that you must turn it a tad bit before you insert it back in so that the teeth line up lol
11-08-2011, 08:32 PM
#4
1st Gear Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: NM
Posts: 96
Mike, I am going to have to disagree with you on the tool being useless. When I got my new CPS it came with the tool. Simply turn the crank pulley with a socket until you can put the tool on the old CPS before you pull it out. Put the tool on the new CPS and drop it in. It does not matter which way it is turned as long as the tool is on, as long as you do not touch the position of the crank. The tool makes it impossible to mess up, unless you decide to turn the crank while the CPS is out. I even rotated the CPS so the wires faced away from the motor to get them out of the way.
I agree you can do it without, but it makes it almost idiot proof to use it.
I agree you can do it without, but it makes it almost idiot proof to use it.
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