How to change your OPDA

Here is the screenshot of my Snap On Ethos cam/crank correlation.

20210220_180129.jpg
 
I am having trouble getting my new opda in the same position as the old one came out. What should I do first to help fix this problem?
Rotate you engine to TDC and loosen the retaining nut on the OPDA then turn the top of the OPDA until the holes lineup and tighten it down. This gets you pretty close and without the proper reader is about as close as you can get. You can also adjust the top of the OPDA while its running by turning it slightly to see where the engine smooths out.
 
Rotate you engine to TDC and loosen the retaining nut on the OPDA then turn the top of the OPDA until the holes lineup and tighten it down. This gets you pretty close and without the proper reader is about as close as you can get. You can also adjust the top of the OPDA while its running by turning it slightly to see where the
 
If you don't have the proper scan tool to read the correlation, the only real way to know if you are in limits is if your jeep doesn't either get the check engine light or go into limp mode. The ecm is designed to go into limp mode if you fall outside of degree tolerances. The stealership wanted almost 300 to hook it up to their machine. When I put mine in and hooked up my scan tool I was only 4° off of 0. Still within spec.
 
Sorry for the silly question, but Amazon is saying the Crown ODPA linked in the OP won't fit my 2004. Are they nuts, or do I need a different part?
 
Sorry for the silly question, but Amazon is saying the Crown ODPA linked in the OP won't fit my 2004. Are they nuts, or do I need a different part?
The OPDA was an 05/06 issue. Before that it was a camshaft synchronizer and a different part entirely that isn’t known to fail, at least not in the same way.
 
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Sorry for the silly question, but Amazon is saying the Crown ODPA linked in the OP won't fit my 2004. Are they nuts, or do I need a different part?
If i remember correctly, only the 2005-2006 wrangler have the OPDA ( large round black top). 1997- 2004 have what is called the camshaft synchronizer (little gray top).
 
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The OPDA and camshaft synchronizer are the same thing. The 05-06 FSM always refers to it as the camshaft synchronizer. The design was slightly different in 05-06.

Fortunately it is only a $100 part and only takes about 30 minutes to replace.
 
The OPDA and camshaft synchronizer are the same thing. The 05-06 FSM always refers to it as the camshaft synchronizer. The design was slightly different in 05-06.

Fortunately it is only a $100 part and only takes about 30 minutes to replace.
I changed mine approx 6 months ago. Just make sure when you do change it, that you put the new one in exactly how the old one came out or use a scan tool (make sure the scan tool has this special line) to make sure your cam/crank differential percentage is within spec ( i believe it is +/- 8 degrees) or you will be in limp mode. I have an image of my Snap-on Ethos scan tool ( photo earlier in this thread) which has this measurement. I know my OTC (Bosch) 1300 scan tool does not have this measurement.
 
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Hello everyone. I’m a new member with an 05 LJ Rubicon. I’ve been getting this rig back to road worthiness, and getting use to what noises are normal and what are not. When this new noise appeared intermittently, I was concerned. Once I pinpointed it to the cam sensor, I did a little searching. Thanks to this excellent forum the “laughing monkeys” described it perfectly! I was shocked how easy it was to diagnose a noise via the Internet. Replaced mine the other day with a crown unit.
 
Slowly going over my recently purchased 2006 LJ doing PM etc. OPDA is coming up on my list of things to check/replace. I have seen lots of new items already done by previous owner such as new PCM.
Question...Is there a way for me to tell whether I have the original or a replacement OPDA? Maybe some identification on the outside? Its currently running fine...no strange noises. No service records available. Don't want to go to the expense and effort to replace it if its a new/redesigned one. I'll move on to shock replacement!
 
Is there a way for me to tell whether I have the original or a replacement OPDA?
From what I remember, many of us had a sticker on the original one. It was on the outside wall near where the plastic cap meets the metal and said something like LKI?

I'll move on to shock replacement!
Given your location, start getting kroil or liquid wrench soaking the rear upper bolts.
 
I changed mine approx 6 months ago. Just make sure when you do change it, that you put the new one in exactly how the old one came out or use a scan tool (make sure the scan tool has this special line) to make sure your cam/crank differential percentage is within spec ( i believe it is +/- 8 degrees) or you will be in limp mode. I have an image of my Snap-on Ethos scan tool ( photo earlier in this thread) which has this measurement. I know my OTC (Bosch) 1300 scan tool does not have this measurement.
I think it may vary slightly but the spec is 10 degrees either side of 0. Easy to find out if you have a scanner, loosen the bolt and turn it slowly until the engine dies. Check the timing and do it the other direction. The most we've seen where the won't rev above 3500 rpm is 11 degrees.
 
If i remember correctly, only the 2005-2006 wrangler have the OPDA ( large round black top). 1997- 2004 have what is called the camshaft synchronizer (little gray top).
97-99 have a distributor. 00-06 have a camshaft synchronizer according to the FSM. We call it the oil pump drive assembly or OPDA for the 05-06.

Lest we forget, them long spinny things that go to the axles from the t-case are called "propeller shafts" by the FSM, we call them driveshafts because that how we know them.
 
Slowly going over my recently purchased 2006 LJ doing PM etc. OPDA is coming up on my list of things to check/replace. I have seen lots of new items already done by previous owner such as new PCM.
Question...Is there a way for me to tell whether I have the original or a replacement OPDA? Maybe some identification on the outside? Its currently running fine...no strange noises. No service records available. Don't want to go to the expense and effort to replace it if its a new/redesigned one. I'll move on to shock replacement!
How many miles on your rig?

If I were you and didn’t have symptoms, I would pull the old one out and inspect it. Check the shaft spins freely and inspect the gear drive. If all good, I may go the extra step and punch out the dowel pin and clean any carbon build up.

But, it’s also one of those things where you’re already taking the old one out. You might as well replace it with a new one. Your choice.
 
How many miles on your rig?

If I were you and didn’t have symptoms, I would pull the old one out and inspect it. Check the shaft spins freely and inspect the gear drive. If all good, I may go the extra step and punch out the dowel pin and clean any carbon build up.

But, it’s also one of those things where you’re already taking the old one out. You might as well replace it with a new one. Your choice.
134K
Yeah if I went to the effort of pulling it I'd just spring the $125+/- and put a new one back in. Have already laid in a spare set of O2 sensors, TPS, ignition switch and pin set, crank and cam sensors for if/when any one of them goes. Them going bad would seem to be just PIA and lousy running or not running. OPDA going bad seems to have the possibility of catastrophic engine failure which would suck. Only small consolation is I'm assuming I'll get a little warning when it starts screaming
 
Another 2004 failure here, a tick at idle that progressively got worse. Closer inspection revealed the upper bearing had started to fail. Nothing as bad as @RMETeeJay detailed here but the same basic issue. Very obvious play in the upper section. The tick was intermittent and got worse over several months. I didn't even see his post until I was about to make a thread about it.

opda.jpg


I replaced it with a Dorman 689-200 and lined it up. I took a photo of the old one, matched the photo and tightened it up. I either got lucky or it is much easier on the earlier models because the DRB reports in sync.

Edit: about 150,000 miles on the 4.0 when it failed and the drive gear seemed fine
 
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