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2005-06 Jeep OPDA_CPS_Distributor Failure

971K views 6K replies 527 participants last post by  ha1o2surfer 
#1 ·
This post is meant to consolidate the information originally found in these threads.

MAJOR UPDATE: 4/17/12: Video of porous upper bushing in Differences Section.
UPDATE: 4/13/12: Included brief explanation video of one of the alternate designs. It's added in the Alternate Designs section under the Oil Bath.
UPDATE: 4/11/12: Included Clocking video that shows how to align the OPDA for TDC removal in the Removal Section. Big thanks to Bigbob!

UPDATE: 4/5/12: Added link to 2002 Jeep OPDA with abnormal wear. The link is in this intro post below.
UPDATE: 2/25/12: Included Oil Flow Through Design in Alternate Designs Section.
UPDATE 2/21/12: Included OPDA replacement in Q&A Section.
UPDATE 12/22/11: Included links to Shell Rotella Oil to the Oils and Grease Section.
UPDATE 12/14/11: Included new Laughing Monkey video to the Problems Section. Video provided by DME.
UPDATE 12/10/11: Included additional link to Oil Cup Alternate in the Alternate Designed section below. I recommend this over the grease fitting.
Update 9/16/11: Cleaned up the links below. Added link to newest Poll.
Update 7/12/11: Cleaned up the Q&A section and added links to help navigate the 100+ page thread.
Update 4/27/11: Included additional section. Section 11: Alternate Designs. See below for more info.
Update 2/21/11: Included link to Crown correspondence for a replacement aftermarket OPDA.
http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f9/new-opda-design-05-06-tjs-crown-1171313/#post11017999

Update 1/30/11: The sections below will be updated as we find more details and facts. At the top of each section I will include a BOLD Update notifier and a brief description. If you have a question regarding an update please let me know. I'm trying to make the first page easy to navigate. Also be aware that the Q&A section near the bottom will be updated with questions as I receive them. I may make small edits to conserve space, but I will like the original post in the Q&A for further review.

Section 1: What Is It?
Section 2: Problems
(Laughing Monkey Video)
Section 3: Differences
Section 4: Dissection
Section 5: Acquisition
Section 6: Removal
(Removal Video)
Section 7: Modification
Section 8: Oils and Grease
Section 9: Questions and Answers
Section 10: Results

Section 11: Alternate Designs

For those of you new to this problem, please understand that while the 2005-06 OPDA is flawed, the cam and lifter issues are wide spread over other model years. This is covered with the ZDDP and engine oil changes over the years.

First Discussion Thread!

First Discussion Thread Spreadsheet (Thanks RubiOR)

Laughing Monkey!

Registry!

Poll Thread!

Catastrophic Failure!

And for those of you who think you're not affected, below is a link to a 1999 distributor with the laughing monkey. (though as you'll read the 2005-06 is more susceptible due to the upper bushing problem)

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f9/name-noise-video-971819/

Here is a link to a 2002 with the same unusual wear of the 2005-06!
http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f9/opda-failure-2002-a-1350053/

I will split the information up in sections.

Full Disclosure
The fixes and modifications on this subject were a group effort from members of this forum and supporting contacts. There is only a small amount of information regarding the results of these changes. I'll update as more information is provided.
Also, I'm not a tech guy so if there are some details that are omitted please let me know. The hope is to limit this thread to only a few pages of actual information regarding how to handle this problem.


 
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#5,277 ·
Done

So I took the approach that if I clocked the engine over to the TDC (pin in the hole method) and the sharpy method both... it would be simple... and it was! 20 minutes tops... i errored on the side of cuation and picked up a Crown and swapped the OEM sensor in and it has not thrown any codes... assembly lube on the gear and drive interface and I will start running 40 weight on the next oil change. while I was at it... fresh plugs, belt, belt tensioner and idler... so I should be good to for a while!
 
#5,281 ·
NHfireLJ said:
Its not a matter of IF but WHEN the crown sensor will give you problems... Just install the OEM sensor into your crown OPDA and be done with it...
+1. I did the same thing last winter and after two weeks the Crown sensor failed. Use the original or buy the Chrysler replacement. Or at least keep it in the car with the wrench.
 
#5,287 ·
I swapped a Crown replacement with OEM sensor in today with no problems. I did notice uneven wear though.
One side barely had any wear marks while the opposite side had typical wear that I have seen in other pictures.
Hard to tell in the pictures though
06 54k
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#5,288 ·
Replaced my OPDA with a Crown unit today. When I took the cap off of the old one, I noticed sharpie marks from the previous owner. They were just like the ones shown in the YouTube videos. That told me that he had, at least once, checked it out prior. Here are some pics I took of the old unit: My question: Does anyone know if, by looking at the LDI Inc sticker, is this the original OPDA? While there is some very minor wear on the one side of the gear, there wasn't any deforming at all. I would assume that it's all good. I bought the jeep last year with 29000 miles on it. It has 34000 now.
 

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#5,291 ·
The over spray & the # 4311 which I think may be the serial # says it is original to me. I have REV-B & 4358. Mine has an engine build date of 1-12-05 & final assembly date of 1-22-05 which is within the E05 TSB & had the gear changed. If yours is within the TSB dates those marks could be from the TSB.

You can get the build (final assembly) date from the build sheet on request from jeep.com & go to the "owners" tab. Also get a free download of the owner's manual while there. The engine build date is coded on the engine block if interested.

Wish mine had looked that good. I got the laughing monkey at under 25K & the gear was worn unevenly & significantly more than yours.
 
#5,293 ·
Is the Crown thing proven to be the right fix? Or are there still some shakey issues? My '06 Rubi has 23K miles on it, I have never checked the OPDA but it is running really good (KOW). Because of some bad rust issues, some other stuff, I'm weighing pros and cons of either fixing it up or trade in for a new JK.

This OPDA thing has been in the back of my head, for a long time, and I check in on this thread every now and then to see. I'd like to keep the '06 and not have car payments, but I don't want to put a bunch of money into this and still have to worry about the OPDA. If the Crown unit is the real deal, it may make my decision for me. I'll have my mechanic install it and I can address the other smaller issues.
 
#5,294 ·
Is the Crown thing proven to be the right fix?
I'm not sure it's been out long enough to prove it right. I think a lot of us are confident, but I don't know if it can be proven yet. That may take another year or two worth of miles on the Crown OPDA. But for not too much more than $100 for the part, I thought it was a no-brainer to try it. That's way less than a JK, though I did think about that, too :)
 
#5,301 ·
As mentioned, it is a pretty easy process. It sounds more intimidating than it is. Your mechanic will not have any trouble with it. However, I would still advice watching a couple of those videos to know whats going on. And as others have suggested I would keep the factory sensor on hand or just have the mechanic swap it out right away. It does seem that the crown sensor is not as good as the factory.
 
#5,302 ·
Thanks and I will tell him to use the stock sensor. I did watch a YT video on the Crown install and it does look simple.

Has anyone had the Crown in for a year or so and then pulled to take pics of the gear and see if they had any wear or concerns? Still on the fence on whether to trade. If this is a reliable fix, I'd rather keep my rubi.
 
#5,305 ·
That is not a retainer; it is a thrust washer, hardened to allow the gear to ride up against it without damaging the aluminum housing or the gear. Are you sure it was there when new? There was a post long ago (see link below) with a photo of a new (OEM) one right out of the box with no thrust washer installed! Not good of course but the poster spotted it before installation & avoided any damage.

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f9/2...tor-failure-1144202/index68.html#post11361307
 
#5,307 ·
What happened to the missing thrust washer? Was it in the pan in pieces or ground to nothing? The first one that is. It is not like there is any great force or stress on it. Makes me wonder if the part is not properly hardened & the gear is just grinding it away. Then it starts on the aluminum. Just the gear riding up that much more shouldn't be causing the gears to get destroyed like that. So maybe the ground up material is falling on the gears as they mesh & is acting like grinding compound & tearing them up like that.(?)
 
#5,308 ·
The first Dorman OPDA the failed in February. The Thrust washer was chewed up and I found it in the bottom of the oil pan. I haven't pulled the pan from this failure, but I'm gonna assume it will be the same. I'm ordering parts to replace the cam, lifters and a CROWN OPDA instead of the Dorman unit that has failed twice.
 
#5,310 ·
I had a friend that owns an off-road shop replace the original OPDA with the Crown (he did keep the original sensor) and I just drove home about 100 miles. I had not heard any noise from the original, and here are pictures of it after 47,480 miles. Any opinions on how it looks?



 
#5,311 ·
I had a friend that owns an off-road shop replace the original OPDA with the Crown (he did keep the original sensor) and I just drove home about 100 miles. I had not heard any noise from the original, and here are pictures of it after 47,480 miles.

When I pulled mine at 50k for the SG mod I did, I thought mine looked bad, yours looks much worse. What is the condition of the cam?
 
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