99 Sable - 6 Cylinders 182 S 3.0L EFI DOHC.

I brought my wife's 99 Sable to the local parts store because sometimes it sounds like the cam's are trying to knock a hole through the motor. Clackety-clackety-clackety, etc. The handheld computer indicated a failed camshaft position sensor.

I discovered this forum in a Google search that led me to this thread describing the same in a '97 Taurus:

http://forum.doityourself.com/showthread.php?t=194139

The advice describes the sensor as being mounted where a distributor cap would be were this mechanical aspiration rather than EFI. I assume that means I can follow the spark plug wires back to the other end to find this sensor. Unfortunately, that appears to put it between the back of the engine and the firewall. Can anyone confirm this for the '99 DOHC 6 cylinder engine? I'd like to DIY this project, but not if it will require raising the entire car. I don't have access to a lift, just jacks.

Any assistance would be most appreciated.

 

Check here:

http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiBroker?ForwardPage=/az/cds/en_us/0900823d/80/1a/f8/2d/0900823d801af82d.jsp

 

Thanks! I'll check that out. The part they showed me matches the diagram of the 3.0 OHC (4 valve) & SHO engine. Oddly enough, I was helped by Auto Zone but we couldn't find the information online at their store. The internal computer system doesn't have the location programmed in (though they typically do have component locations listed for each engine).

 

It is below and a little forward of the throtle body. If you lift the wiring harness you will see a black sensor about the size of a silver dollar. That is the cam sensor and it is attached to the cam syncronizer (the peice that fits in the engine like a distributor would in an older engine). This normally does not make a clacking noise. Sometimes they (syncronizer) will sound like a belt chirping. Sometimes there is a hesitation, especially when cold and a check engine light on. The syncronizer has to be timed, so don't just take it out and put a new one in or injector timing will not be correct.