Failed Rocker Arm & Camshaft Replacement

[bllprk]

Just did my right side Intake Cam , Rockers, Tapets.
Mopar online has the Intake Cam 68661147AA for $464.49 (which includes the ROCKERS and Valve cover gasket, sparkplug gaskets, RTV)(it DOES NOT SAY THEY ARE INCLUDED) .... thatis cheaper then just buying (6) rockers separately 5047896AD for $519.78

Please post pictures of your cam!

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[Old Dogger]

Thanks OP, great post..

 

[A_Null]

A post for true amatures, rookies and mechanical dweebs who'd prefer not to do this job themselves but are either too cheap or too poor to have it done. Learn from me....you'll save time and frustration. This is not a How To from start to finish....plenty of those elsewhere. This is my story and a few major things to watch out that made me do each bank TWICE!!

The below are my tips that I havent actually seen, read or been told of elsewhere......

1) Each side can be done independently as separate projects
2) my left/right side is as you are sitting in jeep facing as you are driving. So the right side is the left side (battery side) as your outside the jeep facing the engine bay towards the window.
3) I replaced all 24 lifters and rockers. I only removed one damaged cam. The other 3 cams I did not remove in order to replace the new lifters/rockers. In short…I loosened the cam cap bolts, used the phaser inserts to loosen the cam chain, raised the cams as much as the loosened cap bolts would allow….which gave just enough room to remove/replace the lifters/rockers.

Time consuming PITA reduction RIGHT SIDE tips

1. Need to remove air box/intake - inorder to get your arm/ratchet down to the crank
2. Dont need to remove plenum (intake manifold)
3. Dont need to drain antifreeze. Use towels. Detach 4 hoses from 4 pipes atop the valve cover. As you remove each hose, use towels to catch antifreeze - not much comes out.

Use bungie cords to pull and hold back the 4 hoses vertical while you work. Pull them back so they are not over the valve cover. To remove the 4 hoses from the pipes you will need a wide nose pliers, and windex. Spray windex on the metal clamps to lubricate the rubber and then squeeze and wiggle the clamps back off the pipe portion. The windex will lubricate the rubber so the metal slides better, and the windex will quickly dry and leave no mess. Top up the antifreeze overflow tank at end of project.
The metal side of the hoses you can also bungie them back….you cannot fully pull them back….but just enough to get at the valve cover. Youll pull them towards the front of jeep and hold with bungie cords.

1. No need to remove battery, or battery basket/holder. Many people say need to do this in order to remove the bolts holding the spark plug coils. But no need. The battery basket does make it very difficult but what you use is: find your shortest 10mm socket, mini ¼ inch wrench - closed end, and a 2.5 cm long socket to ratchet adaptor - see photo. (napa part BK 7755959). Put these together and you will be able to squeeze it onto the coil bolt and turn it off and on, all without removing battery and basket.
2. Remove the spark plugs - makes it much easier to turn crank later - make sure your spark plug socket has a rubber insert to grab the plug - otherwise it will just fall off the socket as you try to pull plug out after unthreading. On the flip side, tape the socket to the ratchet extension when re-inserting the plugs as the rubber insert will hold too tightly to the plug, and separate from the ratchet extension as you attempt to remove the tool after threading the plug back in, the socket will just stay stuck to the plug down in the hole as you pull out the ratchet/extension.
3. Removing the valve cover, even with everything off, is tricky, frustrating and maddening. Go slow and dont man handle it - I did and that didnt turn out well for me. It seems if you lift the front first, then slide it back towards firewall, then a little twisting, and then left back side of cover, then forward a little, and then if your lucky completely off without blowing your blood pressure.
4. Now the fun begins. You can see the cams etc. For starters…..when removing the 8 hex bolts holding the cams on……be sure to clean the oil out of the hex hole before removing…..alcohol works (you will be changing the oil anyway at the end, right??) These bolts are in tight and subject to easily stripping. The oil makes your hex bit not get good grip and slip. Also, use your hands, dont use an electric tool for these. Push down hard with one hand and turn slowly with controlled force with the other. I stripped one, and it took me 2 hours to cut into it, make a grove and back it out….not to mention a trip to the dealer to buy a new bolt.

The following is the biggest and most important “tip” Not knowing this is why I had to tear this apart twice! So, if you see that the right intake cam is a gonner and you need to replace it…..there is a critical re-installation tip to know about. So, as you’ve read elsewhere the first thing you do is turn the crank to align the lines on the phasers, with the cam holes sticking up, all to take the tension off the rockers….this is good and well but……in this position NOT all the tension is off the rockers. This point is KEY. The rear two rockers will still have a little tension on them. So what happens is that as you separate the phaser from the cam, the cam rotates slightly clockwise. Its hardly noticeable and easily missed…..especially after having struggled with the valve cover removal, frustration, and maybe even a few beers in. On old cam removal its no big deal…..your just happy to get that damn thing out. But when you put the new one in, and torque (160nm) the cam to the phaser you need to pay attention to this….barring ruining your new cam. Keep reading…..The inside of the phaser where it attaches to the end of the cam has a locating pin that sides into a hole at the end of the cam - this is what keeps your timing correct - (assuming you have placed the phaser sprocket into the very same chain link when removed). So as you place the new cam onto the bearings, and then torque it down with the 4 caps (at this point it is NOT connected yet to the phaser/chain) its orientation will be off (slightly clockwise) because there is nothing holding it in its correct orientation. The next step obviously is to slide on and torque the phaser with the oil control valve bolt to the cam - but be careful! I am sure most of you already know what I did…..as you screw on the oil control valve bolt thru the phaser and into the cam, you will eventually apply lots of muscle (160nm). If the locating pin is not aligned with the little hold on the cam as you torque then your screwed. I did this. I literally torqued so hard that the pin gouged into the cam and created its own new hole!!! (I put the whole damn thing back together like this….started it up…..and it immediately threw a code of missed cam timing with rough idle). So, what you need to do……with the torque wrench in your right hand pushing clockwise on the oil control bolt, your left hand holds a big crescent wrench on the cam pulling counter clockwise (dont need to pull much), enough to pull the cam counter clockwise slightly so the holes are back pointing up and so you can turn the oil control bolt and pin into the cam correctly and smoothly. Now that the phaser is attached to the cam, it will hold the cam in its original orientation - with slight tension on the rear 2 rockers as you started.

So yup, I ran the jeep for several thousand miles like this. Rough idle, cam timing off, and horrible gas mileage and down on power…..all because I didnt notice that the cam was not aligned into the phaser locating pin upon torquing it down. I bought another new cam and re-did the job and the engine runs normal….except for the mistake I did on the left bank!!!! Read on for that one.

My LEFT SIDE tips -

1. The left side is much easier than the right. No antifreeze hoses to deal with, but the valve cover is a huge PITA to remove and replace. I damaged mine removing and replacing…..read on for how that happened.
2. The biggest tip for the left side is dealing the EGR and a some stupid bracket that holds the EGR, the plenum and other crap on that side. Both the EGR and this bracket obstruct easy removal of the valve cover. 1) the EGR needs to move. BUT it does not actually need to come off. You do need to fully remove the EGR pipe though. After that you need to back out the 2 bolts holding the EGR to the side of the engine. These bolts are fairly long…..I think 1 ¼ inch…..so you can back them out enough to be able to move the EGR and not have to take the bolts fully out……this is good because aligning the EGR bolt holes back up with fully removed bolts is a HUGE PITA…(youll use your fingers to get the bolt to the hole, your arm will be contorted down left of the antifreeze tank, down and then back up at your elbow and your hand reaching blind to the holes….all with the bolt and not dropping it, and your right hand operating the wrench to turn the damn bots).....keeping the bolts in you still have to do that but its much easier. So pull the EGR down and away from the block (sliding on the bolts) as you remove/replace the valve cover. As for the bracket….this is the black bracket that two left side, horizontally protruding threaded screws are sticking out of the plenum have to go into. This bracket needs to be pulled sideways, left or away from the engine in order for the valve cover to clear it during removal/install. I used a 2 foot long tire iron. I stuck it down between the engine and bracket and pulled or bent it back - about 4 inches or so….and even this the valve cover hits it. Other than these two huge PITA items….the left valve cover is quite obedient at doing what you want. So why I had to do this side TWICE as I did the other bank twice…..is upon the left valve cover removal I did not move the EGR enough. It was stuck and I yanked it out forcefully. This broke off pieces of the plastic lip where the gasket fits into. I found the pieces and superglued it back together…..yup thats what I actually did. But there is more…….upon re-installing the cover…and again not moving the EGR enough I man handled the cover back into place. As I pounded the cover back down near the EGR, unbeknownst to me the rubber gasket got caught up on one of the sharp edges of the cam cap and ripped. But I had no idea at the time. As far as I was concerned the cover was on!! Well……upon starting the engine….with my right bank screwup giving me missed cam timing, the left side now wasnt able to produce just enough vacuum inside the valve cover during start up, hence a slow build up of pressure of the lifters….I got cold start ticking (despite brand new lifters/rockers), and as a bonus the valve cover leaked oil to the undercarriage of the jeep and driveway!! I drove a few thousand miles like this.

In the end I had to re-do both sides. The jeep is tight now, no noises, no oil leaks….lets see whats next.

Man, I just want to know how you got a screwdriver to break that cap bolt loose. I've got nothing that will bite on mine without twisting. I think I'm going to have to cut the head off and vise-grip the body out once the cap & cam are out. But of course, mine's on a van, and it's naturally the passenger exhaust, so the bolt is hiding behind a spark plug tube in the far reaches under the cowl. /FML

 

[moto jeep]

Man, I just want to know how you got a screwdriver to break that cap bolt loose. I've got nothing that will bite on mine without twisting. I think I'm going to have to cut the head off and vise-grip the body out once the cap & cam are out. But of course, mine's on a van, and it's naturally the passenger exhaust, so the bolt is hiding behind a spark plug tube in the far reaches under the cowl. /FML

For the stuck cap bolt.......I grinded a slot (like a flat head screw driver slot) into the top of the cap head. I used an electric hand drill with a tiny circular grinding bit...then I cut the slot. Then I used a big (wide enough to fit accross the cap head) flat head screw driver bit attached to a ratchet, then I had to push down hard with one hand on top of the ratchet over the bolt, and the other hand slowly turn the ratchet. beofre turning I also put some drops of WD40 at the seam of the bolt head and the cap face to try to get the WD40 down to the threads, and gave it about 10 minutes. (dont get WD40 on the top or your flat head bit or will slip). Trying other things, and thinking up this plan etc etc took me about 2 hrs to get the damn thing off. really sucked. Good luck!!

 

[A_Null]

For the stuck cap bolt.......I grinded a slot (like a flat head screw driver slot) into the top of the cap head. I used an electric hand drill with a tiny circular grinding bit...then I cut the slot. Then I used a big (wide enough to fit accross the cap head) flat head screw driver bit attached to a ratchet, then I had to push down hard with one hand on top of the ratchet over the bolt, and the other hand slowly turn the ratchet. beofre turning I also put some drops of WD40 at the seam of the bolt head and the cap face to try to get the WD40 down to the threads, and gave it about 10 minutes. (dont get WD40 on the top or your flat head bit or will slip). Trying other things, and thinking up this plan etc etc took me about 2 hrs to get the damn thing off. really sucked. Good luck!!

Thanks. I have to keep remembering that this is a Jeep forum and not Chrysler in general. I do have screwdrivers that would be stout enough to break the bolt loose, but they're 12 inches long or longer, and since mine is a Town & Country, and there's that cowl thing over the transverse engine, it's just ... not... fun.
I guess I could cut one down, but I might as well roto the bolt head off I think.

 

[moto jeep]

Thanks. I have to keep remembering that this is a Jeep forum and not Chrysler in general. I do have screwdrivers that would be stout enough to break the bolt loose, but they're 12 inches long or longer, and since mine is a Town & Country, and there's that cowl thing over the transverse engine, it's just ... not... fun.
I guess I could cut one down, but I might as well roto the bolt head off I think.

ya the jeep has no clearance either.....Thats why I used a bit. Not a long screw driver. Try a ratchet with a bit socket attached, then a flat screwdriver shaped bit in the socket thing. That total height (with a small ratchet) is a couple inches....then you need an inch or so to put your hand on top to push on it. So if ya got maybe 3 inches clearance above the cap bolt.....that might work.

 

[A_Null]

ya the jeep has no clearance either.....Thats why I used a bit. Not a long screw driver. Try a ratchet with a bit socket attached, then a flat screwdriver shaped bit in the socket thing. That total height (with a small ratchet) is a couple inches....then you need an inch or so to put your hand on top to push on it. So if ya got maybe 3 inches clearance above the cap bolt.....that might work.

Oh, yeah - I did that, but my bits are 1/4" and they don't seat on both sides of the torx hole, so they don't grip well enough. One of them did actually snap off though, so there was that.
Maybe I can grind a custom straight bit from a 5/16" hex bit....

But I'm taking a break from the Florida heat for now. I have bolts on order, and I'll probably just piddle with things until they arrive. I'll leave the cam installed until I can torque it down fully. I don't want to wait days with the bearing journals exposed or with uneven torque on the cam, so I think it's best left in place until I can take it out and put it back completely.

 

[JLAFAKASI]

My neighbor is a Chrysler mechanic for 30 years.

I asked him to come over and look at my cam shaft. Without me telling him he knew it would be passenger intake… says he has done this 100’s of times. I borrowed his torque wrench and it was pre set to 22ft lbs and 45 deg (oil control valve). He says it’s a matter of when not if.

He is a Ford fan but his wife drives a JK with the 3.6. He is changing the oil every 2000 miles in hopes of preventing this…

I love my jeep, but this jeep is a piece of junk. Not selling, love this thing, but this engine design is over complicated and prone to failure.

The clutch was garbage, and every plastic clip wants to break, the paint bubbles, the black plastic fenders turn to gray and are held on by more plastic clips that break!

Just being honest and I love this thing!

All that said… this fix has been amazing. Proper idle, proper shut down, more power… loving having an engine again that works as it should.

Let the comments begin!

I’m just about there I think 145k and cylinder 4 misfire and rough idle engine….mechanic said it could be the cams he hasn’t looked yet…

 

[gen3benz]

Just did my right side Intake Cam , Rockers, Tapets.
Mopar online has the Intake Cam 68661147AA for $464.49 (which includes the ROCKERS and Valve cover gasket, sparkplug gaskets, RTV)(it DOES NOT SAY THEY ARE INCLUDED) .... thatis cheaper then just buying (6) rockers separately 5047896AD for $519.78

Thank you for this!!
I found this online for $346!
https://store.mopar.com/oem-parts/mopar-intake-camshaft-kit-68661147aa
Picked it up local for a $5 fee.
Title states 2021-2025 but it will fit all the VVL equipped 3.6L

 

[gen3benz]

Got the jeep running again.
Pulled the sub oil pan and cleaned it out.
Changed the filter and oil again. Used the cheap 5w30 synthetic walmart sells to flush out the metal and the engine runs more quiet than it ever has. Never using 0w20 again.

 

[roaniecowpony]

Got the jeep running again.
Pulled the sub oil pan and cleaned it out.
Changed the filter and oil again. Used the cheap 5w30 synthetic walmart sells to flush out the metal and the engine runs more quiet than it ever has. Never using 0w20 again.

I'd also do short oil change intervals for a while.

 

[gen3benz]

I'd also do short oil change intervals for a while.

Definitely, I plan to change the oil one more time...right before I sell it!

 

[roaniecowpony]

Definitely, I plan to change the oil one more time...right before I sell it!

Ah c'mon. Have a sense of adventure. Besides, what's the likelyhood of it happening again?

 

[gen3benz]

Ah c'mon. Have a sense of adventure. Besides, what's the likelyhood of it happening again?

Always the drivers side. I will leave the daily driving to my toyota and my offroading to my SxS. One Fiat is enough.

 

[jstockton]

I had one camshaft and a handful of rockers and lifters replaced in the new version of the engine right around the same mileage. Now it’s starting to knock again at 130k miles. I haven’t taken it apart yet to see the extent of it yet but it’s really disappointing that it needs two big repairs for the same reason. Especially with a new design that was supposed to fix the tick in the original version. It’s unfortunate that manufacturers aren’t held accountable for some of these flaws.

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