Return of P0344

bedhed

bedhed

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It lasted close to a year and a half, but OPDA frustration has returned. Man, this issue is beyond annoying and frustrating.

In January of 2017 I installed the Dorman OPDA and sensor and the worst of the issues were gone, until yesterday.

With mine, it creates a shuttering-like issue. Push down on the throttle a little too far, and the engine begins to buck like it's hitting a rev limiter. Hell, just getting up hills along the highway is a tricky task. I have to back off the throttle for the bucking to stop, then ease into the throttle again.

Over the course of time since I installed the Dorman unit, the problem that remained was the same shuttering and bucking, but only if I pushed the throttle down about 3/4 of the way. Passing cars had to done cautiously. No pushing the throttle to the floor.

I see there are various threads that others have talked about theirs, but do we have a one-stop thread for the 05'-'06?


It's been a few years since I really dug in and read through the shared info on the root of this infamous problem, and various mods, so my question now is, what do we do?

For those with the 05'-'06, what is the silver bullet for this problem? An entirely different engine and computer system?

From what I recall through all of the reading that I did in the past, by simply replacing the OPDA and/or sensor, we are essentially putting a bandaid on an arterial bleed, or putting a knee brace on a shattered knee.

Would putting an '04 setup in the '05-'06 be an option worth looking into?
 
@Chris I just saw your reply and another in the "If you could choose your year model again" thread. You guys seem pretty chill about the OPDA in the '05 and '06.

This thing has been a thorn in ass. What have I missed with fixing this thing?
 
bedhed said:
@Chris I just saw your reply and another in the "If you could choose your year model again" thread. You guys seem pretty chill about the OPDA in the '05 and '06.

This thing has been a thorn in ass. What have I missed with fixing this thing?
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I honestly can't say, probably the timing or the CPS unit.

Never had an issue with any of my 05-06s, and I've owned three.
 
I've never experienced the issues or symptoms you're referring to before or after I change my OPDA. Actually never heard the shuttering issue being a symptom of a bad ODPA. Perhaps the timing but not the inherent flaws found with the 05-06 OPDA.
 
Weird. The shuttering that it's doing now is the same as it was a couple of years ago. When it happened the first time, I took it to a shop. They put in a Duralast unit and sensor, and told me that I needed to replace the cam shaft and lifters too.

I know for sure the cam shaft has some questionable wear. The shop at that time said it was moderate.

Anyway. Didn't go down that road, for a couple of reasons. Here I am again with the same symptoms.

I've read the symptoms that others here posted, but the shuttering is the only symptom that I've had from mine. If I let it progress, the rpm range that the shuttering starts becomes lower, in the 2500 area, if I remember right.
 
I'll get a video of it when it happens. I can't remember if the needle on the tach jumps or not, but rpms of the motor sure does.

It's as if I'm continually pulling my foot off the pedal and pushing it back down, in a rhythmic pattern, and it won't stop until I take my foot off the throttle.
 
Chris said:
Also, see this thread:

https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/interesting-opda-findings.32670/
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Man, that's a good thread. Just read through it. My OPDA has been changed twice, and the sensor three times. I don’t think that was ever done to mine.

I did take it in to the chrysler dealership to have a relearn done. That was done around the same time as the first OPDA problem, but it was done after I came across a TSB that may have been related to the P0344 issue. I can't remember the details off the top of my head, but the relearn was definitely only the one time. Didn't make any lasting difference though, so I'm not sure what change was made.
 
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bedhed said:
Man, that's a good thread. Just read through it. My OPDA has been changed twice, and the sensor three times. I don’t think that was ever done to mine.

I did take it in to the chrysler dealership to have a relearn done. That was done around the same time as the first OPDA problem, but it was done after I came across a TSB that may have been related to the P0344 issue. I can't remember the details off the top of my head, but the relearn was definitely only the one time. Didn't make any lasting difference though, so I'm not sure what change was made.
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I can’t say for certain, but I believe that thread may be the key to your issue. It might be nice if you could somehow try and find a Mopar CPS, but they no longer make them, so that might be tough.

Have you inspected the wiring thoroughly to make sure it’s okay? How about cleared the code to see if it comes back?
 
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Chris said:
I can’t say for certain, but I believe that thread may be the key to your issue. It might be nice if you could somehow try and find a Mopar CPS, but they no longer make them, so that might be tough.

Have you inspected the wiring thoroughly to make sure it’s okay? How about cleared the code to see if it comes back?
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I think you may be right. I always log any maintenance done, so I went back and looked at what all was done from the start.

The shop I took it to, they put in the duralast OPDA and sensor. The shuttering problem seemed to have left, but it returned within a week or so. I went back and they swapped out that sensor with another duralast. Same thing happened. The shuttering stopped, but not for long.

Then I took it to the dealership to see if the update would fix the problem. If I remember right, I think the same happened. Shuttering left, then returned.

Oh, and colder temps seem to play into it too. Wether it's the first run of the day, or it's in winter, it doesn't shutter.

Yeah, I wish I could locate an original sensor. I tried that a year or so ago and had no luck. At that time, many more folks were on the lookout, so they dwindled quick.

But, if it's like what Bill said, that may be the ticket.

I really don't even recall them setting the timing neither. I've got a timing code showing too, so that isn't helping matters. Never a timing code before though, so idk.
 
bedhed said:
I think you may be right. I always log any maintenance done, so I went back and looked at what all was done from the start.

The shop I took it to, they put in the duralast OPDA and sensor. The shuttering problem seemed to have left, but it returned within a week or so. I went back and they swapped out that sensor with another duralast. Same thing happened. The shuttering stopped, but not for long.

Then I took it to the dealership to see if the update would fix the problem. If I remember right, I think the same happened. Shuttering left, then returned.

Oh, and colder temps seem to play into it too. Wether it's the first run of the day, or it's in winter, it doesn't shutter.

Yeah, I wish I could locate an original sensor. I tried that a year or so ago and had no luck. At that time, many more folks were on the lookout, so they dwindled quick.

But, if it's like what Bill said, that may be the ticket.

I really don't even recall them setting the timing neither. I've got a timing code showing too, so that isn't helping matters. Never a timing code before though, so idk.
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The fact that any reputable automotive shop would use a Duralast sensor is very concerning to me 😮
 
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Chris said:
The fact that any reputable automotive shop would use a Duralast sensor is very concerning to me 😮
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No doubt! Not uncommon here in this small town. Had I known beforehand, I would have taken this issue straight to the dealership.
 
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bedhed said:
For those with the 05'-'06, what is the silver bullet for this problem?
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If you haven’t checked the wiring harness, you need to do that next. If the sensor is shorting to ground, this will disrupt the signal and you’ll go into limp mode.

If it’s not a wiring issue, you need an OE Mopar Camshaft Position Sensor. Not a new sensor but one that was originally installed in an ‘05-‘06 4.0L at the factory.
 
The video I made was too long to upload, but you can see here what it's doing.

Screenshot_20200618-203912.jpg


Screenshot_20200618-204050.jpg
 
AjRagno said:
If you haven’t checked the wiring harness, you need to do that next. If the sensor is shorting to ground, this will disrupt the signal and you’ll go into limp mode.

If it’s not a wiring issue, you need an OE Mopar Camshaft Position Sensor. Not a new sensor but one that was originally installed in an ‘05-‘06 4.0L at the factory.
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I've gone over my wiring fairly recently while trying to pinpoint another oddity, and found no damages there.
 
bedhed said:
I've gone over my wiring fairly recently while trying to pinpoint another oddity, and found no damages there.
Click to expand...

Then fInd an OE sensor. You’re in limp mode because the PCM in not receiving a consistent signal from the CPS.

I went through the same issues with Dorman and Crown sensors. No more issues after going back to the OE sensor 3 years ago.
 
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