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Cam Thrust Plates

2K views 8 replies 3 participants last post by  peva 
#1 ·
My car's been leaking oil at the cam thrust plates. I've got me some Viton #136 O-rings. Looking for advice for the best way to get access to each of the cam thrust plates. Thus far I've removed the wipers, wiper cowls, steel brace in front of the wiper cowls and air filter assembly. On the driver's side, I couldn't get access to the bottom bolt as it's being blocked by a metal coolant pipe that seems to be rigidly held there. The top 2 bolts were easy to get access to. I was able to free the rubber hose that was clamped to this metal pipe but don't know/see how this metal coolant pipe is anchored in that exact spot directly behind the thrust plate's bottom bolt. Also could not get access to the passenger side plate as it is also being obstructed by something else. For those who have successfully replaced the o-rings was the removal of these items to get access to the cam thrust plate bolts the only way to go? I just don't want to damage anything in the process. Thanks in advance!
 
#2 ·
You don't want to disturb that metal pipe as the forward end of that pipe connects to the underside of the lower intake with an o-ring, and that o-ring will start leaking if disturbed.

I never had to replace the rear cam plate o-rings on my 3.2, so I don't know any secrets to accessing. Perhaps the people that have done it went ahead and removed the plenum and lower intakes to replace the heater core supply pipe o-ring and the cam plate o-rings at the same time. I realize that that increases the scope of the job. Hopefully someone knows a better answer.

I'm pretty sure Bob (FireM) has posted a How-To on the cam plates - I'll try to dig that up. You've probably seen my comments on putting RTV on the threads of the cam plate bolt that goes into a thru hole. That recommendation also originally came from Bob.
 
#7 ·
Spent all day replacing upper and lower intake manifold gaskets and the passenger side cam thrust plate with a new Viton 136 oring. Got full access to the passenger side cam plate after removing the EGR. Applied RTV to the lower (thru engine) bolt. Still trying to figure out how to remove the driver side cam plate lower bolt. Looks like that rigid pipe/heater core supply pipe has to be unbolted then pushed out of the way. Peva, is the oring (116?) at the forward end of that pipe that you mentioned located to the left of the 2 clamps in this picture?



I've looked from underneath the vehicle and noticed that this pipe is held in place by a bolt accessible from underneath. The bolt is attached to the Y opening on the left side of pipe in picture.



Pictures courtesy of Joe and Charger72 from this thread:
http://www.dodgeintrepid.net/18-gen...lant-tube-rusted-fried-my-starter-w-pics.html
 
#4 ·
Thank you, peva, for all your help and quick responses as usual. I actually have some new valve cover and intake manifold gaskets purchased last summer but haven't got around to installing them. Will do that this spring and when some of those components are removed have another look at the cam thrust plates again.
 
#5 ·
You're welcome.

I strongly suggest that you replace the o-ring where the heater core supply pipe plugs into the underside of the LIM while you're in there.
 
#8 ·
Peva, seems I've got parts names wrong! The pipe with an oring at the forward end you're talking about is the heater supply tube (fig 12, 7-25, 2002 FSM) per your post from another forum. When I was removing it from the bottom of the lower intake manifold, there was next to no traces of the previous oring there, although it was held in there very tightly. The Fel-Pro MS92165 intake manifold gasket kit I purchased did come with this oring (non-round), which, is identical in size to the Viton 116 oring that I also purchased for this project.





And this is the top view of rigid pipe (coolant inside) that is obstructing the driver side lower cam plate bolt's removal. Lower cam plate bolt is to the left of pipe. Pipe connects to the thermostat housing at the other end:
 
#9 · (Edited)
Glad you found that thread and got it figured out.

To be honest, I was thinking only of the heater supply pipe and not the down pipe to the thermostat on the driver's side, so I probably added to the confusion. But you had already planned on doing the intake gaskets, so it worked out. :)
 
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