Q&A

 Master

No, not water pump. It could be any number of things. You need to take the van in for diagnosis and repair.

 Master

Doubt that the water pump is causing this, but have the shop look at it, as long as the noise is present and the problem is occurring, they should be able to address this.

I took my van in but the sound wasn't there anymore. However this shop decided that it must be my water pump. That's why I wanted to know if I was just crazy taking my van out of that shop. I don't hear the sound any more and my battery light doesn't come on either. Should I continue to worry about it and pay another $100 for a wrong diagnosis or just wait?

I just stumbled upon this website this evening and decided I HAD to let you know about my experience over the last three weeks. The problem with my van sounded EXACTLY like yours, and mine is the same make, model, and year, with 75,000 miles. I took it to my mechanic who quickly decided it was the water pump and replaced that. Things were good...for a couple of days. Then the problem actually got WORSE! The noise re-occured, louder than before, followed by the slow dying. My mechanic is a great guy, and he insisted that the water pump DID need to be replaced--which I believe--but he also knew there was something else that was not right---and he was DETERMINED to find out what it was! I suggested that maybe the new water pump was faulty, but he was adamant that it was not. For nearly two weeks, he kept that van and drove it---A LOT! Thankfully, the "problem" happened for him as well, and it wasn't one of those typical deals where a woman takes her vehicle in to the mechanic and then suddenly it "works perfectly fine"...:) Ha! Ha! No, he KNEW there was a real problem, so he tried just about EVERYTHING from the sound of it. He replaced the alternator, but that wasn't it; he replaced something to do with the power steering, but that wasn't it....you get the idea. (He put all the original working parts back on and didn't stick me with all new parts!) Finally, he somehow figured out that it was the "Crank Angle Sensor Drive"--whatever the heck that is! When I heard the word 'sensor' I assumed it was something electrical, but it is actually a mechanical part. I've had the van back now for four days, and it is like a brand-new vehicle (knock on wood!) If you have not figured out your problem, or if it re-occurs, you might have your mechanic take a look at that--and hopefully save yourself and him/her a lot of frustration. I'd like to know how it all turns out!
A Fellow Illinoisan (and van lover)--- Kathy B.(Quincy)

I have the same problem as Kathy B. I Replaced the belt, water pump, tensioner pulley and still have the noise and wants to die while driving. Know this Crank Angle Sensor Drive is not in the chiltons manual and I can't find the location of this part to replace it. Tried looking it up online and found nothing. Is it the CMP sensor or CKP sensor ( cam or crankshaft position sensor?

 Rookie

To the person asking if it is the CMP or the CKP sensor: I forgot to add that my mechanic also replaced the belt, tensioner, etc. So I asked him your question..."in a Ford, it is located where the distributor used to go; it runs off the the cam sensor drive gear. it essentially takes the place of a distributor--just remember it goes through the top." If any of this makes any sense to you, good luck and happy repairing! I can tell you that my van is still running like a brand-new vehicle, and I could not be happier! Kathy B.

need picture of pump

 Journeyman

I do TONS of these all of the time.it IS the syncronizer failure that ominous chirping sound,the bushings go out in it and take out the cam sensor mounted to the top of it.it basically takes the place of a distributor but made to work for a fuel injected vehicle by giving a cam sensor signal for injector timing.