mysterious engine squeak
 

I have a 2007 Taurus with 58K on it. Two days ago I started to hear a squeak under the hood. I assumed it was my belt and the colder weather (30-40 degrees) we've been having. I've since popped the hood and listened and it seems like it's coming more from the center of the engine rather than the passenger side where the belt and pulleys are.

Funny thing is, it doesn't start squeaking right when I start it up and it doesn't squeal like a belt more commonly does. It waits until the idle drops down to about 1000. It's worse when it's colder but doesn't completely go away in warm weather or when the car is completely warm.

I also thought it might be one of my two electric fans but the noise isn't that far forward. The squeak happens mostly at low RPM's. Also when the car is warm it's idle bounces from 600-800 RPM's...600 seems a little low.

Any ideas where my squeak could be coming from? I commute across 25 miles of back roads at 4 a.m. and don't want to be stranded as cell phone service is spotty there.

Thanks.

It could be the camshaft sensor getting ready to go south. They will give a squeaking sound when they require replacement.

Thanks for the suggestion.

Where do I find this sensor so I can see if that's where my squeak is coming from? I've been putting the side edge of my mom's stethascope on everything I can think of to look for the squeak.

Also are they expensive and hard to replace?

Cam synchronizer..

CMP (cam position sensor) sits on top of it..

Looks like a short distributor without the top portion.. Here's a generic pic of what to look for. The shaft runs dry within the aluminium casting. Listen there..

Found it!

I put the stethascope against the aluminum right under the sensor because that's the only place I could get it into...that's the location of my noise!

But what's making the noise, the CMP or the cam synchronizer you mentioned?

CMP doesn't look too hard to replace if I can get the spark plug wires and another wiring harness off the top of it.

There's a steel shaft inside the aluminium synchronizer body that spins (runs dry) and drives the CMP. Causes the squeak and/or chirp from lack of lube.

The synchronizer and CMP are 'timed/clocked'. There's a holding/alignment tool, ,,but,,,

You can 'carefully and acurately' scribe the lower synchronizer body 'AND' the block area before removing the hold down bolt. But before removing the assy, remove the CMP and check/gauge where the top of the drive is pointing. It has to be an 'acurate' measurement for the install..

From what you've been telling me and what I'm reading on the web, this seems like something I really don't want to mess up...alignment/timing and also because it runs my oil pump.

I'm thinking maybe I should take it to the dealer and let them replace the sync using the golding/alignment tool. Also nice to have someone who'll back up their work. Getting cold to be working on cars by mid October in Minnesota. Just hope they don't charge a flat rate because I've done a lot of the prep work to "unbury" the CMP and sync from under plug wires and a big wiring harness. I've heard some dealers charge 3-4 hours of labor.

At least I can tell them what the problem is since it was VERY obvious once I knew where to put the stethoscope and listen. Hopefully won't be charged an hour of diagnostic labor anyway.

Took the Taurus to the dealer to have the cam sync and sensor replaced. Not terrible...about 1.7 hrs. labor and $192 in parts for a total of $400.07. Perfect because I just got a mail-in-rebate offer for $75 on any service over $400!

I was a little worried when the tech wasn't confident that he had marked the alignment correctly and needed to get a the alignment tool so I'd have to wait while they got the tool. The MAIN reason I took it to the Ford dealer was because I assumed they'd have the tool that I didn't. Glad they decided to be "confident" and get/use the tool.

Anyway, no squeaks on the way home. Time will tell.

Thanks so much for help with the diagnosis!! You guys are great.

Thanks for the update, glad you got it fixed...