What is the OPDA and do I need to change mine?
- Thread starter Chris
- Start date
I had a problem with my OPDA making a clicking sound shortly after buying my 2006 Rubicon. I took it to the local dealer and they agreed that the OPDA was the source of the noise and I paid to have it replaced. No noise since that change. After reading this thread, I am wondering if the new OPDA the dealer put in might have the same factory flaws that the original did and if so, would I be ahead to spend the $$ for the newer OPDA that is recommended on this thread? I am not seeing any issues that might even remotely be associated with a defective OPDA but as I am frequently well off-road in my TJ, I do not want to have such an issue when I am so far back in that only a helicopter could get me out. Would rather get ahead of any potential problems. Thanks for any advice.
Thanks. I'll check with the dealer and see if they have a clue as to what they replaced the original with.
Just to clear the above info up... Jeep did NOT redesign anything with the recall. The dealers replaced the OPDA with the exact same OPDA that was initially installed by the factory. Absolutely zero differences in its design and no improvement. The factory has never fixed this issue. And the factory OPDA is no longer even available, they ran out of them and they are not making more.
Follow-on products by Dorman and then later Crown which has a slightly better design are just temporary band-aids but none of them fix the root-cause issue which is a lack of lubrication between the OPDA and camshaft gears.
I wonder if the OPDA issue is more of an issue in colder climates? The reason I say that is because I live in South Florida and my 2006 TJ has never has any OPDA noise except for one day on vacation in North Carolina during a cold morning it gave the screaming sound for a short time. This was back in early March 2012. Since that one morning it has never made any noise whatsoever.
So BC, winter climate. My '05 had a recall in '07 to do something to the OPDA. No idea what they did but 12 years, 200K miles later, no issues. I put a remanufactured engine in last spring because of a lot of tired engine issues. Low compression, Jeep would creep in gear parked on steep hills, low oil pressure at idle, RMS leak, valve cover leak, .... etc. But no issues with the oil pump drive assembly and full refund for the core.
So I'm sure a lot of the OPDA is hype.... But for $70.00 to change it out? Why not if yer worried.
ohiopatriot
TJ Enthusiast
This whole OPDA thing is no big deal. Easy to replace. Inexpensive in the overall scope of things. Rarely if ever is catastrophic, if you heed the warning signs. If this is the worse thing any vehicle you have owned does to you consider yourself lucky. Jeep stood behind it, and now they are 13 years old.
Seems the chronic O2 sensor or bad PCM issue would be a bigger topic. How about the convertors. Or frames. Or the radiators. Or the first tube headers. Or the spindly little tie rod/drag link.
All that's before we modify them and create our own problems.
Don't sweat it, other than the frame it's an easy fix. Buy it, drive it, enjoy it and fix it as needed. Its not the end of the world.
Seems the chronic O2 sensor or bad PCM issue would be a bigger topic. How about the convertors. Or frames. Or the radiators. Or the first tube headers. Or the spindly little tie rod/drag link.
All that's before we modify them and create our own problems.
Don't sweat it, other than the frame it's an easy fix. Buy it, drive it, enjoy it and fix it as needed. Its not the end of the world.
Is there a way to identify from the outside if my OPDA was changed to the crown? Would you change one on an 05 that you don't know the history on but is running fine currently??
OP
The Crown unit won't have any Mopar stampings or part numbers on it anywhere, though I'm not entirely sure where those stamps are on the OE one off the top of my head.
If it works fine, I would take it out and visually inspect it. If it looks fine, put it back in and buy a Crown as a spare to keep around just incase it starts to fail in the future.
Acctualy when mine failed (around 2012-13 and 60-75km) I started doing research on this issue. Although there was no visible change in the Mopar opda they did change the upper bushing materials. The issue is they have grease behind the bushing and it was supposed to melt and lubricate things as the engine warmed up. However the original bushing wasn't porous enough to let the grease through. The post recall one used a more porous bushing material so it worked as designed. A better design is the crown one that's built like the 04 and down one where it's lubricated by engine oil but the OE replacement will be fine until it runs out of grease (who knows how long that will be, but a long time) then if you wanted it could be drilled and tapped for a grease zerk.
—
There must have been a time
when we could have said no.
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There must have been a time
when we could have said no.
In the process of doing my OPDA, found a little bit of this wretched red clay on the CPS..
Gotta winder if this had anything to do with the misfire codes thrown on the 3 occasions that I got them.
Some clay also made its way into the OPDA itself..
Gotta winder if this had anything to do with the misfire codes thrown on the 3 occasions that I got them.
Some clay also made its way into the OPDA itself..
OP
Have you been wheeling down in the South?
That clay on the CPS may be enough to do it.
My Rubicon's origins were in Oregon, then somehow made its way up here 5-6 years ago. I don't know where the clay came from, but I just can't seem to get rid of it all! It drives me nuts
The picture that I uploaded was after a good chunk fell off. The side of the sensor was completely covered in clay too. I got the new Crown OPDA installed and cleaned up the original sensor - now this is going to sound crazy, but it is what it is - my Jeep has noticeably more pep and responsiveness! It is the damnedest thing.
OP
My Rubicon's origins were in Oregon, then somehow made its way up here 5-6 years ago. I don't know where the clay came from, but I just can't seem to get rid of it all! It drives me nuts
The picture that I uploaded was after a good chunk fell off. The side of the sensor was completely covered in clay too. I got the new Crown OPDA installed and cleaned up the original sensor - now this is going to sound crazy, but it is what it is - my Jeep has noticeably more pep and responsiveness! It is the damnedest thing.
That sensor isn’t supposed to be covered like that, so you likely may have found the root of one of your problems there. I have to wonder how all the clay got inside there to begin with!
The sensor doesn't fit completely flush in the OPDA, it is definitely not perfectly snug in there. Thought about putting a TINY bit of RTV on the end of the sensor, but I chickened out and ordered a new Mopar sensor!
OP
I don’t blame you. But really, I think that that clay being on the sensor could very well have been causing some issues for you.
Starrs
TJ Guru
I like jumping into my jeep everyday and saying is today the day....if it turns over and I don’t hear monkeys laughing at me I know it’s gonna be a good day.
OPDA didn’t get me today. It was a good day.
OPDA didn’t get me today. It was a good day.