88GTBLACK

I got a 3.8 motor cam synchronizer went bad in my friends car. So I went ahead and replaced it since the squeeling squeeking and I pulled the intake off at the same time since the intake gasket was leaking.

I finished the job. Started it up. RPM jumps to 2500 and dies without touching gas. Won't idle. You have to pedal it to keep it going. I unplug cam sensor, same thing.

Intake leak? or cam synchro installed wrong? What gives.

NeoTokyo

Did you mark the exact location of where the syncro was turned and did you use the cam syncro tool to put it back in the correct place?

Also what year is your friends car?


Jumping up in the RPM's does sound like a really bad vacuum leak though, did you go through the proper torque sequence? Usually the car can compensate for a vacuum leak but if its just massive it wont.

Also a LOT of people have had problems in the past about getting a bad DIS Cam Sync right out the box, even a Silver Shirt (Manager) at AutoZone told me back when I was doing my engine swap that they get a ton of them back in because they are DOA.

If your going to take it back apart, you may as well swap out the DIS shaft too as a safe measure.


Good luck.

-Eric-

88GTBLACK

it's a 98 windstar

i belong to this forum, and its a verysimilar motor as to your mustang v6, and the intake manifold is a common swap to the v6 guys.

I used the tool to install it. it wound up right in the exact place i started too. does that synchro control fuel timing? what would be a symptom of it being installed wrong

but, i did not use torque sequence. or have a torque wrench. just did it as I would on my 5.0 minus the torque wrench.

NeoTokyo

Well on the plastic intake thats can be a very bad thing not torquing them down to the correct in-lbs. Also the lower intake needs to be cleaned very well with brake cleaner or something that doesnt leave a film behind and the O-Rings need to be cleaned very well also so that it will seal properly.

If the Syncro is not installed correctly it will not run, or it wont run well, stumble, backfire and die.
It is in sync with the fuel injection system.

If you put it back in the correct location chances are that its a vacuum leak, I mean its pretty noticable when you dont stab the DIS correctly, its like you just killed the engine. lol

jwog666

if its a windstar check the air inlet tube between the throttle body and air filter housing on the back side of the tube, there is a plastic breather tube. its hard to see and easy to forget to reinstall, without it in place you will have a very large unmetered air leak. also on the back side of the upper intake there are 2 vacuum lines, one for the brake booster, and one for the egr, fpr ect. make sure those are connected.

cavmedic6

Hey guys, I just recently had a camshaft synchronizer installed by a shop due to me not having time to do it myself. Now i am kicking myself for not making the time. The mechanic did not set cylinder 1 at TDC before install, did not make any markings to install new synchronizer in same place, nor do any other necessary steps. I know this because i watched trying to learn something from him before I went and researched everything myself on how to install it. All he did was take the old one out and then put the new one in. Now I am left with trying to figure out how to get the synchronizer aligned in the proper place for the synchronization of all the firing to go right. What tips can anyone offer on how to get this done?