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Dorman opda install

26K views 82 replies 38 participants last post by  jhjikl 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
I want to see how many people have installed this new part by Dorman, part# 689-201, that is available in rock auto. It is supposed to be a fix introducing a new design to replace those bad OPDA's. It is also named a camshaft synchronizer. i want others who have installed this to use this as a place to keep updates on its performance. when i install mine I will add pics and my thoughts on it as time revealssynchronizer.installing it myself and will add pics and my thoughts as time reveals them. Basically this is a thread I would
 
#2 ·
Boliver Kegnails said:
I want to see how many people have installed this new part by Dorman, part# 689-021, that is available in rock auto. It is supposed to be a fix introducing a new design to replace those bad OPDA's. It is also named a camshaft synchronizer. Ii want others who have installed this to use this as a place to keep updates on its performance. I will add pics of my install and my thoughts on it as time reveals any if any.
 
#11 ·
Put mine on last week! so far its working fine although I did have engine light come on and pulled a code P0218 something to do with tranny temp but I think thats related to the p.o.s pcm issues my LJ has with the hard shifts when cold, just have to reset it when it starts acting weird.
 
#14 ·
I'm curious to see someone put this Dorman unit on a fresh camshaft. I got rid of my TJ not because of the OPDA alone, but the "unsolved" cam gear wear.
 
#16 ·
any issue with installing this on a camshaft which may already have some gear wear from the old OPDA?

i'd imagine this would accelerate any wear, if there is any, on the new OPDA gear
 
#17 ·
It's best to do it on a brand new cam... that would be the closest thing to "starting fresh"

Otherwise, your new OPDA gear will get worn down to the same point in no time.

If your cam gear isn't too bad then I think it's worth a shot. Mine were getting close to resembling knife blades
 
#20 ·
Just ordered mine and after shipping came to $183 and some change. Will post up pics of install and all that good stuff. I show no signs that i can tell so far of it needing replaced but this is one fix i dont mind doing before it would be an issue. I do hope that my camshaft will have no signs of wear and that i will be catching this early, as of now i have 46,634 miles and will update when its installed, and continue to update for years ahead on the dorman part.
 
#21 ·
Just got my Dorman OPDA in! Ordered it on the evening of the 19th got it the evening of the 22nd, pretty quick shipping from rockauto. I found this out just a little late but here is a post from jeepforum.com, maybe someone else can benefit from it:
Just a heads up for anyone ordering their Dorman through rock auto. They have a 5% discount code that is good until 3/24/2013. Just enter code 710F1AC6FB23 in the 'How did you hear about us?' section.

Ok so now just need a day of no rain as my jeep is to tall to fit in the garage, and i will be posting pics of the old and new. And any other install issues.
 
#23 ·
efm-7 said:
Maybe you could just stick the front end into the garage? haha
Haha thats exactly what i did today, i was impatient! Even though today it rained all day and tomorrow is supposed to be sunny. Well anyways, i got it installed pretty quick, the one bolt everyone has issues with i got undone easy! I used the install info on jeepforum and did mot use the marker but rotated my engine till both holes lined up, put a allen wrench in then pulled it out. Unfortunatly i do have slight wear on both gears so o e day in the fiture i will be replacing the cam. To follow are my pics.
 
#26 ·
I did get the p0016 code so i gotta redo my timing but its pretty close. A lot easier than i thought it would be, and a huge thanks to the enormous thread at jeepforum and bigbob and the rest of the contributrs there. Just wish i didnt have any wear on my cam but at least it isnt to bad
 
#27 ·
Just use the TDC method and you'll be good! I've used the hole method once and that's the only time i"ve ever had a problem.

And don't forget to update with pics in a few thousand miles. afaik, nobody has posted down-the-road pics of the Dorman units.
 
#28 ·
Once I got my jeep last year I was trying to diagnose a slight tick sound and reading around I came across the OPDA problem .. So I yanked it to find this

Circle Metal




Product Auto part


Some wear on both and with only about 46 k .. I chose to do the oil cup mod

Valve Plumbing Auto part Nozzle Plumbing valve




Auto part Transmission part


Just to be safe .. I know my worn cam will slowly wear the new OPDA but now I know it's getting lube ;) the large feed with big bob was a huge help in that process .. But I still have my slight tick :) come to find that it is a common 4.0 noise :)
 
#29 ·
I invented and had the "Oil Bath Mod" going for a while... Never really had a binding issue with my OPDA, and that's what scared me... My opda spun very well, even with 160,000kms on it, but the Cam gear was toast and looked like it was about to let go at any given moment. If the OPDA is not binding, then why was my cam gear so worn? It was anyone's guess at that point, so I decided to let the TJ go before it went on me :(
 
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