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Engine running weird, OPDA just replaced helped needed

2312 Views 11 Replies 6 Participants Last post by  redmosquito83, 
R
Ok, so this weekend I changed out my OPDA and everything seemed to go smoothly. It is an 03 Rubi for reference. I changed it out Saturday and drove a decent amount the rest of the day and on Sunday. Monday morning it ran fine but after a very slow (lots of snow and not 1 salt truck) 30 mile drive that took about 3 hours it started running kind of weird.

It almost sounds as if it is missing slightly, or firing order is off a bit, especially at higher RPMs above 3K.

Could this possibly be caused by the CPS being out of perfect alignment? I would rather track down another issue than spend $100 for the dealer to reset an already correctly set CPS.

A few things to note about the install - The new part was slightly larger than the hole it goes into so I ground it down slightly. My old man seems to believe this could cause an issue in the alignment of the OPDA drive gear and Cam gear, I don't agree as the mount is static in the oil pump and that should align it, and that my old one had a decent amount of play in the hole and on the shaft it self.

I am not throwing any codes for CPS alignment but did throw a P0420 catalyst code. I am almost 100% certain that has come up in the past quite often but I never wrote it down. The codes were cleared after I installed the new OPDA to be allerted if the code for misalignment popped up.

The last question, which I will ask in my thread about the OPDA as well, is when the dealer connects there programmer do they have to move the OPDA to get it right or do they simply reset the value of the OPDA in the computer? Reason I ask is because I used RTV instead of the paper gasket as I had that and not paper gasket material. And didn't know that the gasket doesn't come in the kit.

Any help is much appreciated guys, I'm just concerned I may blow this motor.
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SweetPee
That code you threw, catalyst code, could have a part in it. I'd have to research that one. Might type the code in here on ROF search and see what pops up.

If it is out of synch, I do think it could cause some of your symptoms. But I cannot guarantee that is all your issue is. I'm going to have to think some more and research myself on this some.
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bob1340
So you are saying it did not fit into the engine block bore? If you just ground the housing down it could be off center. If it's off center the gear could already be eaten up.
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R
Correct, it wouldn't fit in the bore correctly. I'd be shocked it if destroyed the gear already as there was a ton of play in the old one, but maybe it could have.

I'm planning on pulling the old one out relatively quickly and putting a paper gasket on there. That way I can check out the gear and allow the dealer to move it and set it right, incase that is the issue.

Who knows.
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JCRocks
redmosquito83 said:
Correct, it wouldn't fit in the bore correctly. I'd be shocked it if destroyed the gear already as there was a ton of play in the old one, but maybe it could have.

I'm planning on pulling the old one out relatively quickly and putting a paper gasket on there. That way I can check out the gear and allow the dealer to move it and set it right, incase that is the issue.

Who knows.
Click to expand...

If you remove the DORMAN can you snap a picture or two showing the area you had to grind?
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TheGovner
This should be interesting..i'd like more details
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SweetPee
redmosquito83 said:
Ok, so this weekend I changed out my OPDA and everything seemed to go smoothly. It is an 03 Rubi for reference. I changed it out Saturday and drove a decent amount the rest of the day and on Sunday. Monday morning it ran fine but after a very slow (lots of snow and not 1 salt truck) 30 mile drive that took about 3 hours it started running kind of weird.

It almost sounds as if it is missing slightly, or firing order is off a bit, especially at higher RPMs above 3K.

Could this possibly be caused by the CPS being out of perfect alignment? I would rather track down another issue than spend $100 for the dealer to reset an already correctly set CPS.

A few things to note about the install - The new part was slightly larger than the hole it goes into so I ground it down slightly. My old man seems to believe this could cause an issue in the alignment of the OPDA drive gear and Cam gear, I don't agree as the mount is static in the oil pump and that should align it, and that my old one had a decent amount of play in the hole and on the shaft it self.

I am not throwing any codes for CPS alignment but did throw a P0420 catalyst code. I am almost 100% certain that has come up in the past quite often but I never wrote it down. The codes were cleared after I installed the new OPDA to be allerted if the code for misalignment popped up.

The last question, which I will ask in my thread about the OPDA as well, is when the dealer connects there programmer do they have to move the OPDA to get it right or do they simply reset the value of the OPDA in the computer? Reason I ask is because I used RTV instead of the paper gasket as I had that and not paper gasket material. And didn't know that the gasket doesn't come in the kit.

Any help is much appreciated guys, I'm just concerned I may blow this motor.
Click to expand...
Ok, I got to say that I honestly am clueless on this one. I can offer suggestions, and I can research and learn along with you. One thing I found is this thread. It covers the issues two different people had, and it lists your error code, but the P0420 code you have is not the main error code that was at the core of these individual's problems.

I emailed Doctor D with a link to this thread as well as a copy of what your first post said in this thread. His advice is:
DoctorD said:
The cat code and oil pump drive synch are totally unrelated. I'd synch the drive and start over.
Damon
Click to expand...
Man of few words, but I think if it were something glaring he would have spelled it out for us. On a seperate note, in the back of my FSM I found the attached document, not much to go on, but every little bit helps.

Attachments

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R
Update -

Well, randomly everything has seemed to rectify itself. The Heep is back running normal again, the noise is gone and so is the rough running. I didn't do anything so I have no clue what it was. I just hope it doesn't return. I didn't pull the OPDA as I'm waiting for the correct gasket, and when it comes I'm going to pull it just so that if it returns I can stop by a dealer and have them check the alignment and fix if needed.

I am at a loss for what caused this, only thing I can possibly think is snow.

Like I said everything was better when the OPDA first went in and suddenly started running odd. Well I had driven through a deepish snow drift so only thing I could think is maybe some snow got stuck up in the motor somewhere throwing the balance off and finally it melted off. I can't think of anything else that would have caused this.

Weird
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SweetPee
Those are the solutions I like the best sometimes... The jeep self healing :laugh:

I hope it is gone. Another theory to throw out there is perhaps the computer was adapting to the new readings it was recording from the sensors.
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f9k9
SweetPee said:
Those are the solutions I like the best sometimes... The jeep self healing :laugh: ...................
Click to expand...
Or is it just lulling you into relaxing so, it can come up with a new and bigger plan of attack? :rotflmao:
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SweetPee
f9k9 said:
SweetPee said:
Those are the solutions I like the best sometimes... The jeep self healing :laugh: ...................
Click to expand...
Or is it just lulling you into relaxing so, it can come up with a new and bigger plan of attack? :rotflmao:
Click to expand...
I've had that happen once or twice also :laugh:
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R
Lol, I hope not. We'll see though.

SweetPea that's a pretty good thought. It disappeared after I got onto the freeway so maybe I just didn't drive at higher rpm to have the comp learn the new values.

Who knows
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