OPDA Replacement

[taylormade73]

I've never heard my OPDA make a noise but bumping it the other day and moving it while installing my MML caused me to have to look into it anyway. I had trouble finding the correct alignment on it but help from @g.hayduke helped me learn how to set TDC and align it properly. I purchased a new OPDA just in case I needed one, but didn't really expect to need it since it's never made a peep. Well, just for my own due diligence, curiosity, and sanity, I removed my existing OPDA today to inspect for wear. Alas, even though it has been quiet, I found quite a bit of wear. Cam gear doesn't look all that great either. Let's be clear, I'm not an expert by any means. I expected some wear because it is metal on metal after all. However, the wear looks abnormal to me. So, I installed my new OPDA and transferred the old sensor to it. Started it up, ran it to operating temp for several minutes and all seems good. Please look at my photos and let me know what you think of the wear on the OPDA and cam. I'm glad I took the time to inspect it and change it. Perhaps I avoided some expensive damage down the road.

 

[Chris]

How many miles are on it?

Wear is a normal part of engine life, there's no way around it. However, that wear looks possibly a bit premature if the miles are lower. For a higher mileage vehicle, I would accept that as normal wear and tear however.

It's been a while, but can you set the gear mesh with these at all? If those gears were pressed too tight, it would cause premature wear like this.

You did the right thing by inspecting it. Everyone should do this just as a precaution.

@MX952 is still working on figuring out if he can use the OPDA from the 04 and earlier models on the 05-06 models. It's looking like this might be a possibility.

 

[taylormade73]

How many miles are on it?

Wear is a normal part of engine life, there's no way around it. However, that wear looks possibly a bit premature if the miles are lower. For a higher mileage vehicle, I would accept that as normal wear and tear however.

It's been a while, but can you set the gear mesh with these at all? If those gears were pressed too tight, it would cause premature wear like this.

Just hit 90k.

There is a bit of tolerance when setting it. I tried to set it in the middle of the tolerance so it wasn't too tight either way.

 

[Chris]

Just hit 90k.

There is a bit of tolerance when setting it. I tried to set it in the middle of the tolerance so it wasn't too tight either way.

From those wear marks, it would appear as if the gears were too close. This time around it sounds like it should be better off.

 

[MountaineerTom]

I don’t think that looks to bad myself, for 90k miles.

 

[bluescapegoat]

Looks fairly normal to me, swapping it out was a good choice. The OEM one is a turd. I modified mine several times before Crown finally made a replacement.

 

[Wheeling diver]

Looks about like mine did, but mine had already started up with the monkeys.