I drive a 96 Ranger XLT with a 4.0 engine and I’m a fairly good with trouble shooting engine issues, but this one has me stumped. The noise started a couple years ago. I thought it was a belt idler bearing going bad.

I removed the belt and spun the idler… nope, smooth as a baby’s you know what. I installed the belt and started it up, same noise. Here’s the crazy part, I removed the belt and started it up and the noise was still there!

I put my ear down near the engine trying to listen to the noise and figure out where it was coming from. It appears to be in the back of the engine. It doesn’t sound like a cracked or broken starter ring. I pulled the starter and prided around on the starter ring to see if it was loose… nope nice and tight with a little crankshaft end thrust. I barred the engine over looking through the starter hole with a light for anything that might be striking or rubbing the starter ring or torque converter… nothing there either.

I tried a Google search on this noise and came up with a YouTube video on a 98 Ranger that has the same noise, but no fix.

If anyone has had this same issue and resolved it, I sure would like to know what the heck this noise is.

I just did another search and read about a 3.0L camshaft synchronizer bushing causing the chirping/squeaking noise. Does the 4.0L OHV have this same bushing in the back of the engine?

Can you describe the noise? Does it change with the RPM's? Is it always there, or does it come and go?

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2001 Ford Ranger with the flare sides. 4x4 with a 4.0 engine. The only thing I did so far is: F/R Brakes, rotors, drums, F/R shocks, tires, bed cap, cone filter, hanger/shackles, F/P wheel bearing, upper control arm, lower ball joint, filler neck, fuel filter and DPFE sensor, muffler, sway bar links and spark plugs!

Well, guess what. The 4.0L OHV engine has the same issue and if it's not replaced, the gear plus the oil pump drive can fail and bingo... dead Ranger engine.


I ordered a new camshaft synchornizer.

What gets me is this is a known issue and Ford has a service bulletin on it.

I now know why there are no You Tube videos on replacing the camshaft synchronizer in the 4.0L Ranger. It is a real pain.

The 4.0L requires removing the intake and the valve covers to get to the CMP. To do that requires removing the coil pack bracket and at least unbolting the alternator & air conditioner pump and unplugging all the wiring.

I’m a fairly proficient mechanic and it took me 10 hours to fix this dumb design flaw.

Did it fix your problem???

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Current: 2004 Explorer Sport Trac 4x4 4.0 Auto Sonic Blue Pearl
Sold: 2000 B2500 SE 2wd Medium Willow Green
Sold: 1996 Ranger XLT 4x4 4.0L SuperCab Medium Willow Green
Sold: 1996 Ranger XLT 2wd FlareSide Medium Willow Green

Yep, The Ranger is back to normal without that annoying chirping squeak that the CMP produces when it fails.

Cost about $180 bucks in parts. I had to drive down to Peoria to get the intake gasket separately from the Fle-Pro set and neither our Autozone nor O’rielly’s had the separate intake gasket without the complete set. I didn’t want to us the Fle-Pro complete intake set. It uses RTV for the valley seal instead of using a gasket. I don’t like using only RTV without a gasket.

You can get the intake gasket separately in one piece and it’s cheaper than buying the intake set. Then you can buy the fuel rail and valve cover gaskets together. Kinda dumb to do it that way, but that’s how they sell them.

Do you have part two of the video? How does this part bolt in or is it drop in?Thank you.

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2000 Ford Ranger 4X4 regular cab step side XLT 3.0 V6 FFV Vulcan 8.8 with 4.10s

I found the video on line. Part 2 didn't add much detail. The guy just talks for ever.

If you have the 3.0 it's not bad. Time the engine & cam synch before you pull the old one. Then pop the old one out & drop the new one in with the timing tool lined up with the old unit timing spot.

If you have the 4.0, it's not as easy. You have to remove the valve covers and complete intake manifold to get to the unit. I was a heavy engine mechanic for 13 years, so I knew what needed to be done. If you're a back yard do it your self kinda guy and not afraid to go that deep, it can be done for about $180 in parts & gaskets. I had a little trouble finding a 1 piece intake valley gasket. The Felpro set just uses one gasket on each head and silicone RTV for the valley end seals with no gasket. I like the one piece gasket.

Once I had all the parts it went together fast.

What year did ford start to put these into the 4? i have 2 94 explorers 3 1990 style 4's and non of these motors have one of these on them.

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Don't spend good money fixing phantom problems. Test, diagnose, and buy the right part(s) to fix the right problem. Read & learn here
http://www.aa1car.com/index_alphabetical.htm
http://easyautodiagnostics.com/main_...articles_1.php
check that sensor BEFORE replacing
http://www.aa1car.com/library/2002/cm70248.htm

Don't know for sure. I ordered this Ranger new in 96. I remember that I was surprised when I saw the coil packs & no distributor.