Changed OPDA but my camshaft gear has wear. Need a dose of reality.

Please explain.
Speaking of changing OPDA:

"This is from @mrblaine : "Most of them are just lucky and get it within tolerable range and it runs. So, they tell everyone since they did it, everyone else can to. We always reset the timing of the unit with a DRB and do the forced relearn. Not one of them put in with even very careful marking and care about orientation is even close to being in spec."
 
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Speaking of changing OPDA:

"This is from @mrblaine : "Most of them are just lucky and get it within tolerable range and it runs. So, they tell everyone since they did it, everyone else can to. We always reset the timing of the unit with a DRB and do the forced relearn. Not one of them put in with even very careful marking and care about orientation is even close to being in spec."
I’m curious as to what the symptoms are of one that is not within spec? How do the people who are, “just lucky” to “get it within tolerable range and it runs” supposed to know if we should have the forced re learn completed. Jus curious because mine seems to run fine but obviously I would want to make sure so I don’t mess anything up.
 
Took you a long time to bite on that one JB :)

Apart from a few YT vids I have not read about a total failure even on here just mostly preventative maintenance changing, some after start up noises some not but yes you are possibly responsible for saving quite a few by your very early OPDA postings, self included as I bought my crown unit almost as soon as I bought my 06 but it would be good to see just how many 05/06 actually failed causing irreversible cam damage given there seems to be a fair amount of high mileage on here that did not fail, my thoughts are the 05/06 gets a bum rap on mr google search forever unless of course its an LJ or a Rubicon.
A picture (or 2) is worth a thousand words. 28K on my ‘06 LJR. Finished my rebuild yesterday!

68A81DC2-21FE-4307-94A2-B8AAB44C9278.jpeg


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A picture (or 2) is worth a thousand words. 28K on my ‘06 LJR. Finished my rebuild yesterday!

View attachment 393345

View attachment 393347

Glad mine looked nothing like that!
What was the month of manufacture? I read somewhere they had cured the problem by end of Feb 2006 also what has it been doing to only have 28K on the clock in 17 years? Thats only 32 miles a week or high miles clocked up and then left sitting idol for very long periods.
Last low mile car I bought the bearings went within a month, I would never buy a very low milage older vehicle again.
 
Glad mine looked nothing like that!
What was the month of manufacture? I read somewhere they had cured the problem by end of Feb 2006 also what has it been doing to only have 28K on the clock in 17 years? Thats only 32 miles a week or high miles clocked up and then left sitting idol for very long periods.
Last low mile car I bought the bearings went within a month, I would never buy a very low milage older vehicle again.

Is there a date code on the OPDA or you asking date of vehicle manufacturer?
 
The myth that the OEM OPDA was fixed keeps popping up. They, LDI, are all the same design. Even the replacements built after the failures started.
 
Did mine recently. Very easy replacement. Not sure why some people have such a hard time. An old school distributor wrench worked great to loosen the bolt.
 
The laughing monkey visited me this past week. Any member thoughts on a Cardone remanufactured unit? The local shop says this is the unit they install. It lists it as a Engine Camshaft Synchronizer P/N 30-S4602. The Crown unit refers to it as a Automotive Oil Pump Drive.

Haven't drove it since, as I was instructed that it could potentially damage the cam. I would like to replace it myself but due to back problems I cannot.
 
The laughing monkey visited me this past week. Any member thoughts on a Cardone remanufactured unit? The local shop says this is the unit they install. It lists it as a Engine Camshaft Synchronizer P/N 30-S4602. The Crown unit refers to it as a Automotive Oil Pump Drive.

Haven't drove it since, as I was instructed that it could potentially damage the cam. I would like to replace it myself but due to back problems I cannot.

I wouldn't use a reman unit as that is going to be the same bad design that's already in there.

I would use either a Crown or Dorman new unit. Save your OEM sensor in case the new sensor acts up.
 
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The laughing monkey visited me this past week. Any member thoughts on a Cardone remanufactured unit? The local shop says this is the unit they install. It lists it as a Engine Camshaft Synchronizer P/N 30-S4602. The Crown unit refers to it as a Automotive Oil Pump Drive.

Haven't drove it since, as I was instructed that it could potentially damage the cam. I would like to replace it myself but due to back problems I cannot.

It looks like that Cardone part is the in fact an OPDA, just named something different because ... reasons?

Anyway, it looks like they use remanufactred parts instead of the newer design that Crown came up with to actually solve the problem. This means that a Cardone OPDA will fail as well in time.

If you can get hold of a Crown unit from Quadratec or otherwise, see if your local shop will install a customer-supplied part.
 
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BTW, I've had this Crown unit in for just under 2 years with regular use and not a single issue. Can say it probably isn't going to fail like the OE unit was trying to do.
 
I definitely wouldn’t use that one. The crown, and the OEM sensor. I was lazy and did not swap sensors and couldn’t get rid of the check engine light or the code until I did.
 
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Explain to the shop you won't expect any warranty on the part or for future labor if it fails but you only want the Crown part. If they won't install the Crown part, find a shop that will.
 
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Thank you everyone for the advice. Agree with everything you guys mention. I will look for a shop that is willing to install a Crown unit. Recently I reached out to a shop for some maintenance work on a 3/4 ton van. I told them I would supply one of the parts and they came back and told me that they couldn't use any customer provided parts. However, that was a big corporate chain biz. I think someone will install the Crown for me and use the OEM sensor. :)
 
Idk about you guys but my oem sensor was completely stuck. I still have it saved in case I need it, but it would have to be physically cut out of the old housing.