I have a ticking noise coming from the water pump area. I have taking the belt off and still get the noise. Removed the timing chain cover and checked timing chain, it was in spec. When I was look I noticed that I could move the gear for the balance shaft with two fingers my shop manual does not have a step to check the balance shaft. This is on ford F150 198 with v6 4.2L

Thank you for any help

 

Hi FIrebird_69 and welcome to the forum

What direction can you move the balance shaft? Up, down? In? Out? Or just turn it?
What about the synchronizer/cam position sensor assembly? I've seen them make strange noises.

 

I can move the gear back and forth it like the gear would be wore that the kind of movement I’m getting and I only able to move the top one not the bottom, for the balance shaft. I have not tested the as synchronizer/cam position sensor assembly I was not getting any error code out on the computer