OEM 2000 Dodge Durango Camshaft

2000 Dodge Durango Camshaft Parts and Q&A

• Q: How to Successfully Remove and Install a Camshaft on 2000 Dodge Durango?

  A: To get the camshaft out, start by taking off the radiator, then if present, the A/C Condenser and following that, remove the engine cover, intake manifold, cylinder head covers, timing case cover and timing chain. Once that is done, get rid of the rocker arms, push rods and tappets, tagging them along the way to put them in order for reassembly. Remove the distributor and the oil pump and drive shaft together, then take off the camshaft thrust plate and remember where the oil tab is. Add a long bolt to the camshaft front to help you pull it out, but do not knock against the cam bearings while doing so. Before installing the camshaft, smear oil on the camshaft lobes and bearing journals. Align the shaft internally in the engine block so it is 51 mm (2 inches) from its final place. With the back of the distributor drive gear, push in the tongue piece of the Camshaft Gear Installer Tool C-3509 and hold it in place with the distributor lockplate bolt. Fit the camshaft thrust plate and chain oil tab so that the tang goes into the lower right hole and tighten the bolts to 14.5 kgfm (210 lbs.in.) torque. Put both sprockets together on the bench and make sure the timing marks match, then loop the chain around them both. Turn out the crankshaft and camshaft so they are in the keyway positions, raise the sprockets off the flywheel, keeping them tight and move both over the shafts in an even way, checking the timing marks with a straightedge. Screw in the camshaft bolt with a cup washer, applying torque to 68 Nm (50 ft. lbs.) and test end play of the camshaft. If it does not match specs, add a new thrust plate. After the work is done, place each tappet at its original spot on the engine. Use all new tappets if the camshaft was also replaced. Install the distributor and distributor shaft, as well as all the pushrods, rocker arms, the timing case cover, cylinder head covers, intake manifold, engine cover, A/C Condenser and the radiator, then complete re-filling the cooling system and start the engine to look for leaks.