[JW657]

Hello Everyone.

Here's a little background info about the car: It's a 1999 Taurus with a 3.0 vulcan and has around 257,000 KM on it. At around 242,000 KM (if I remmeber correctly) I started getting noise from the camshaft sensor area, I have driven the car a total of 15,000KM since it started. Now, I have a sound from my engine that's quite unsettling, not a knock, I don't think. I hate discribing car sounds so I took a few minutes to upload a video showcasing the noise. It's most noticeable when the car is first started (0:20 in) but continues until I shut the car off. The sound gets somewhat quiter as the car gets hot. I'm thinking the Camshaft sensor is ready to give up, does anyone else have any ideas?

 

[360alaska]

http://www.taurusclub.com/forum/98-...lcan-cam-synchronizer-sensor-replacement.html

 

[JW657]

http://www.taurusclub.com/forum/98-...lcan-cam-synchronizer-sensor-replacement.html

So... Are you saying you think that it's the camshaft sync/sensor making the noise? I just want to be sure.

 

[360alaska]

So... Are you saying you think that it's the camshaft sync/sensor making the noise? I just want to be sure.

Don't know for sure lol...

 

[Chingon]

Get close to it and listen (standing on driver's side). Then lean in next to the pulleys on the passenger side and make sure it's not them...

 

[JW657]

Get close to it and listen (standing on driver's side). Then lean in next to the pulleys on the passenger side and make sure it's not them...

I'll do that now and report back in a few minutes. I didn't think it would be since it had a new tensioner, waterpump, steering pump and idler pulley installed less than 20,000KM ago, plus I took the belt off and checked everything a month or so ago.

 

[JW657]

Video at bottom.

The sound is still there even without a serpentine belt on the engine. It's much more audible without the groan from the steering pump so now maybe someone can tell what it is. I don't think the engine is knocking (might be fooling myself) but that noise sure makes me worry, it's very loud.

The noise is most audible when the car is first started and when I'm sitting in the drivers seat at the end, or whenever I'm away from the engine.

edit: I keep forgetting to mention in my posts that I think it's from the drivers side.

 

[tesmith47]

yep that is the problem and you had better jump on it asap, this is a engine killer!!!

ps use only the ford parts, the aftermarket parts are no good

 

[mediarocker]

yep that is the problem and you had better jump on it asap, this is a engine killer!!!

ps use only the ford parts, the aftermarket parts are no good

This. The aftermarket suppliers have stopped making the good stuff.:mellow:

 

[JW657]

yep that is the problem and you had better jump on it asap, this is a engine killer!!!

ps use only the ford parts, the aftermarket parts are no good

I'll pull it from the engine today if I have time. The car isn't being driven until it's all figured out, the noise is too much. Is there a writeup around here on how to take this thing out?

 

[Chingon]

Yes. Read the how to and don't pull it off until you have the new one ready to install.

 

[sheila]

Check the topic finder or search feature for the how-to(s).

 

[2000turtle]

the wine could be a cam synchro... but the knock.. probly not...

 

[JW657]

the wine could be a cam synchro... but the knock.. probly not...

Confusing. I'm gonna pull the cam synchro later today hopefully, if it's not the cause then I'll have to take it to my mechanic friend to look at, unless you guys have another idea.

 

[mediarocker]

Be careful with that cam syncro....some like to play games and act fine out of the car.. but are actually failing. Make sure to check for play in the gear assy and make sure it rotates freely.

I pulled mine and it felt fine rotating it normally, but I found out if I applied slight pressure on the gear assy it would start to seize and squeak.

 

[JW657]

Be careful with that cam syncro....some like to play games and act fine out of the car.. but are actually failing. Make sure to check for play in the gear assy and make sure it rotates freely.

I pulled mine and it felt fine rotating it normally, but I found out if I applied slight pressure on the gear assy it would start to seize and squeak.

Bad news...

I pulled it from the engine today, it took around 45 minutes to get it out and it's in pretty good shape, I think it's fairly new (40,000KM?). It is bad, but obviously not the cause of my awful engine noise so now I have to figure out why my engine sounds so bad, I'm starting to think there's a serious knock, when I started it this morning it really made me cringe, there's something breaking up in there but I have no idea what it is.

On the left we have a synchro that caused an engine failure in a different Taurus, on the right is the one I took from my engine.





The one from my engine looks in pretty good shape, it turns without binding or anything like that, just a bit of a squeak. So, does anyone have another idea of what the noise is?

Thanks to everyone for helping.

 

[mediarocker]

If it turns with any squeak at all, it's bad.

 

[JW657]

If it turns with any squeak at all, it's bad.

Just a small update:

If you turn it several times it will not only squeak, but it will start to bind as well. I didn't notice this because you have to rotate it with lots of force a few times to make it happen, I guess it's in worse shape than I thought, but I'm still worried that it's not the cause of the noise. I'm going to go and get another one today and install it.

 

[mediarocker]

Just a small update:

If you turn it several times it will not only squeak, but it will start to bind as well. I didn't notice this because you have to rotate it with lots of force a few times to make it happen, I guess it's in worse shape than I thought, but I'm still worried that it's not the cause of the noise. I'm going to go and get another one today and install it.

OK good.

Sometimes the pulley bearings can go bad too. This can mask the sound of a failing cam sensor.

I replaced my Idler and tensioner pulley. It was worth it. Smooth as ever. To replace the any pulley, you'll need a pulley tensioner tool which can be loaned from any major autoparts store. You use this tool to slacken the belt to take the belt and pulleys off. I bought one myself :lol2:

 

[sheila]

If you watch their ads, sometimes you can pick up serp. belt tool @ harbor freight tools for $9.99.