If that truck was a person, it’d be on its first divorce by now 
Rex said:
If that truck was a person, it’d be on its first divorce by now
Huh? What does that even mean?
Rex said:
If that truck was a person, it’d be on its first divorce by now
Huh? What does that even mean?
Pretty sure they’re joking about its age (28 years old).
You’re in trouble, but not too much. Looks like the sensor just came loose. Fixable!
Looks like a broken synchronizer.
If I remember right, those need an alignment tool for proper installation. I always replaced the whole camshaft synchronizer assembly instead of just the sensor because the internal bushing can fail, seize up, and ruin oil pressure. If you ever heard a chirping sound when starting it, that was your warning. People called it the ‘squeak of death.’
Here, it seems like the sensor broke and took out the reluctor wheel, so you’ll need a new synchronizer.
Edit: Here’s the part and tool you’ll need. If you’ve replaced a distributor before, you’ll know what to do. If not, reply here, and I’ll walk you through it. Keep in mind that with a broken reluctor, the tool won’t help with removal, so you’ll need to keep the shaft and body aligned during the process, or the timing will be off. The whole thing rotates during removal, so be careful.
@Bliss
This guy knows his stuff.
Just because the part is new doesn’t mean it’s good. If you replaced the cam position sensor, you’ll need a scanner or oscilloscope to confirm the repair. Ideally, you should have checked the code first and tested it after installing the part. CPS codes can also show up if the timing is way off, so a scanner will help confirm if the engine timing is correct.
Quick update: Installed a new synchronizer, and the truck’s running great again!
Cypress said:
Quick update: Installed a new synchronizer, and the truck’s running great again!
Awesome! Glad to hear it’s fixed.
Don’t forget to align the sensor with the proper tool, or it’ll run horribly. I had a 95 Explorer and made that mistake once.
Can someone explain what I’m even looking at here?