engine squeak

 

Noises are difficult to diagnose because you can hear them and not see them. They also have a habit of "telegraphing" meaning they can easily sound like they are coming from one place when in fact it's coming from another. An easy way to check the belts is to spray a little silicone on them and see if the noise changes. If the noise is coming from the back then noises can be isolated with a stethoscope, or using a piece of garden hose can direct you to the noise. If the car is a manual transmission then there could be a squeak from the clutch parts.

 

I had the exact same problem on my 04 ranger 3.0. Had about 125k miles on it at the time. After doing a lot of research and talking to a friend of a friend who works at the Ford place, I was told that the Cam Position sensor bushing can get dried out and if you pour a little motor oil in there it will fix the problem. I tried this and no more problem. Trucks at 135k now. Heres a link to some good pics of the cam position assembly. http://www.rangerpowersports.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2... .
Its the black cylinder on the back of the engine, a little hard to get too but you just remove the plug going to it, remove the two 5.5mm screws and pull the sensor off, then pour a little unused motor oil in the open area, maybe 1/4 of a cup. Replace the sensor, screws, and plug and give it a crank. Fixed mine right up and was very relieved because with it coming from the rear of the engine, my first thought was major probs. Also, I was told if you let it go too long, the bushing will freeze up and then you really have problems. Hope this helps