Another install OPDA question

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RhoadsJeep38

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Yes I know there are a lot of these post out there. I have a 2005 TJ and when.. When I'll pulled out my old OPDA, and yes I lined it up and pinned it, I went to install the new Crown OPDA and it didn't go back into the right position. It is now around the 6 o'clock position.

Where or how did I go wrong? How do I correct the problem and are there any step by step instructions to take to fixing this?

20210505_182813.jpg
 
RhoadsJeep38 said:
Yes I know there are a lot of these post out there. I have a 2005 TJ and when.. When I'll pulled out my old OPDA, and yes I lined it up and pinned it, I went to install the new Crown OPDA and it didn't go back into the right position. It is now around the 6 o'clock position.

Where or how did I go wrong? How do I correct the problem and are there any step by step instructions to take to fixing this?
Click to expand...
You didn't rotate the oil pump.

As long as it's pinned and the engine is still at TDC it will work fine where it is. The key is the wheel has to be aligned with the sensor at the correct point with the engine at TDC.

To fix it, pull it back out, and rotate the oil pump so that it drops in at the right position. Plenty of videos out there on this.
 
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So ok some do have problems twisting in the new OPDA so the cam gear and new OPDA gear Gel in harmony and also the oil drive seats in place correctly.
Take it back out and try to rotate it in ( as it should be done)
If you used the plastic/nylon pin to lock TDC on the original OPDA first then you are at TDC there is no error.
Lock the pin in the new OPDA at its TDC and turn it in I cant remember but I believe Clockwise? until it is seated on the block.
Your pic is showing the new OPDA sensor house siting at 6 o clock, it should be at between 3 and 4 o clock to the block, If has shown in your pic then you did not lock TDC before removal. pic below is of OEM OPDA at around 3-4 o'clock to the block. the sensor housing is your guide to the O,clock position.

opda.jpg
 
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PBR Thursday! your sensor housing should not be at 90 degrease to your block it should be 45 degrease to the right! :)
 
I worried about this same thing when I did mine, so I made a template to make sure I got everything aligned when the Crown unit was finally installed.

Using a piece of card stock I marked a couple alignment marks using casting edges on the engine block, then pressed the image of the stock OPDA into the card. I penciled in the impression and cut it out with an X-Acto/shop knife.

20210417_144049.jpg


Once I confirmed the template's fit to the OEM unit, I advanced the engine to TDC and put an Allen key in the OEM unit and pulled it straight out.

20210417_144250.jpg

It rotated out as expected and I tried to start the Crown unit in at the same orientation as the OEM came out, but the oil pump drive key at the bottom of the shaft was just enough off that the unit wouldn't fully seat. If I got it fully seated, it looked similar to your picture @RhoadsJeep38.

I rationalized since the cam is what drives everything on the OPDA, and the computer is dependent on a magnetic sensor in the harness reading the 'cogs' in the head of the OPDA to initiate spark; the internals in the top end of the OPDA being aligned correctly is key to keeping everything working properly. The OPDA basically works a lot like an old distributor cap. As long as the engine is running, the cam is turning, and oil needs to be pumping; the OPDA does this via the slotted key at its end turing the drive slot on the pump, down in the block. I just used a long screwdriver to slightly turn the key slot in the block the smallest turn to the left. I then reinstalled the Crown, starting it in at the same orientation as the old unit came out, and it fully seated. Checking with the template it was close enough to its original orientation for me.

20210417_153124.jpg


Not going to lie, this was a butt-puckering procedure, but has worked.
 
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Fulton_Hogan said:
I worried about this same thing when I did mine, so I made a template to make sure I got everything aligned when the Crown unit was finally installed.

Using a piece of card stock I marked a couple alignment marks using casting edges on the engine block, then pressed the image of the stock OPDA into the card. I penciled in the impression and cut it out with an X-Acto/shop knife.

View attachment 250322

Once I confirmed the template's fit to the OEM unit, I advanced the engine to TDC and put an Allen key in the OEM unit and pulled it straight out.

View attachment 250323
It rotated out as expected and I tried to start the Crown unit in at the same orientation as the OEM came out, but the oil pump drive key at the bottom of the shaft was just enough off that the unit wouldn't fully seat. If I got it fully seated, it looked similar to your picture @RhoadsJeep38.

I rationalized since the cam is what drives everything on the OPDA, and the computer is dependent on a magnetic sensor in the harness reading the 'cogs' in the head of the OPDA to initiate spark; the internals in the top end of the OPDA being aligned correctly is key to keeping everything working properly. The OPDA basically works a lot like an old distributor cap. As long as the engine is running, the cam is turning, and oil needs to be pumping; the OPDA does this via the slotted key at its end turing the drive slot on the pump, down in the block. I just used a long screwdriver to slightly turn the key slot in the block the smallest turn to the left. I then reinstalled the Crown, starting it in at the same orientation as the old unit came out, and it fully seated. Checking with the template it was close enough to its original orientation for me.

View attachment 250326

Not going to lie, this was a butt-puckering procedure, but has worked.
Click to expand...
This is the sort of thing I would normally do! but I just took lots of "Before" pics.
I was lucky mine just turned in and oil drive key fitted first go, If I knew the oil pump could have gone out of position as much as the OP,s I wouldn't have attempted the change myself.
 
You guys are overthinking this. *IF* the engine is TDC *AND* the Ope-Dah is pinned, *THEN* the position of said OpeDah relative to the block doesn't matter. With all that said, you probably don't want it 180 out - it would work, but the sensor cable probably wouldn't reach!
 
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Zorba said:
You guys are overthinking this. *IF* the engine is TDC *AND* the Ope-Dah is pinned, *THEN* the position of said OpeDah relative to the block doesn't matter. With all that said, you probably don't want it 180 out - it would work, but the sensor cable probably wouldn't reach!
Click to expand...
And a fucker to get your oil filter off without spilling it everywhere having to dodge the sensor housing!
What I would like to know is how the OP,s oil pump position changed once the original OPDA was taken out?
Mine came out easy and when back in the same.
 
When I replaced mine it came out and back in easily using the plastic pin, and the limp mode issue was resolved. But wondering, is it possible that the "old" one wasnt set in at TDC, and the malalignment be the same? I might be crazy tho...
 
Fishtaco said:
And a fucker to get your oil filter off without spilling it everywhere having to dodge the sensor housing!
What I would like to know is how the OP,s oil pump position changed once the original OPDA was taken out?
Mine came out easy and when back in the same.
Click to expand...
True dat, and I was wondering about the oil pump position change too. I *did* manage to bump my oil pump out of position farkling around, but it was initially correct.
 
Zorba said:
True dat, and I was wondering about the oil pump position change too. I *did* manage to bump my oil pump out of position farkling around, but it was initially correct.
Click to expand...
20210401_195722_001.jpg

This is the position mine is in. All the pics I've seen, they've been oriented in the other direction with the CPS up near the block.
 
It's supposed to be at 4 o'clock.

There's no mystery to it, you just have to align the oil pump to allow it to drop in at the "right" position with the engine at TDC and the pin in the OPDA.

As far as operation, it doesn't matter which way it's pointed as long as the engine was aligned at TDC and the pin was in the OPDA.
 
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It was running well for 2 years that I had it up until February when it started throwing codes. I haven't been able to get rid of them since.
 
GeorgeB said:
View attachment 250530
This is the position mine is in. All the pics I've seen, they've been oriented in the other direction with the CPS up near the block.
Click to expand...
That's easy enough to change if its a bother. As an aside, it was easier to get to the bottomside of the OpeDah for finagling with the plastic pin when I temporarily removed the oil filter altogether.
 
Use a small screwdriver, allen key etc as a pin to verify it's aligned. Pull it out. Inspect. Use large screwdriver to position oil pump drive slot. Drop it back in with the "pin" in place. Remove "pin."
 
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