07 Odyssey Valve Cover Photos and Cam Scoring

[The Critic]

2007 Odyssey, 168K. This is the J35A7 engine with VCM. Second owner. Oil changes have been done per the OLM with conventional. The engine consumes a lot of oil and does not get topped off.

Vehicle was experiencing misfires under load. Had a P0300 and various cylinder specific misfires. Also heard a light tick. Removed both valve covers and found exhaust valve clearance to be almost zilch, intakes were in spec. Front camshaft had pitting/scoring on the #4 and #5 lobes. Was not able to inspect the rear camshaft due to the design of the rocker arms. #1 and #3 plugs were worn and ashy, others were fine.

Temporary fix for now was to adjust the valve clearance and install new spark plugs. Misfire issue has been resolved for now but it will need a new cam.

 

[blufeb95]

With as much as my mother's 2008 with similar mileage consumes if you were to go by OLM and not top off, it'd be completely out of oil and probably seized before you'd make it to change the oil.

 

[Flyingdutchman]

I dont think we got these engines a lot here in europe, the largest we have here are the 2.4 k24s so i dont have hands on experience with these.

However i do see these pass by regulary on BITOG, something was wrong from the factory with the metalurgy and from what i can see no ''wonder'' oil or short oci can ever cure this.

Even with 15k ocis manufactureres expect there engines to easily make it to 200k, after that they just dont care. Only we bitogers care.

Indeed it will need a new cam, and if its from the same batch as the current cam it will probably go out again in 160k but then its probably not with the current owner anymore but at least its fixeable and its not like that the cam journals in the head are scored like some manufacturers experience.

 

[OilUzer]

Is this one of those engines that is varnish friendly? I recall the vcm thing. Maybe it was a similar engine someone else posted. Was that you?

btw, I like real pictures. Thanks for posting. Pictures are much better than I have used xyz oil with 10K oci and the car is still running ... therefore it must be a good oil.

 

[michaelluscher]

Honda's VCM implementation was nothing short of a disaster for engine longevity

No wonder there was class action suit after class action suit

Even if you did a 3k OCI on these things, they'd lose compression and need re-ringed

Plus $700+ engine mounts, and a questionable AT

Odyssey and Pilot/MDX from that era are far from Honda's better vehicles

 

[Lubener]

Not getting topped off took its toll. Needs much more than just a cam. Unless you can do the work yourself, I would run it till it dies and then give it a peaceful ride on a flatbed to the boneyard.

 

[blufeb95]

Plus $700+ engine mounts, and a questionable AT

Odyssey and Pilot/MDX from that era are far from Honda's better vehicles

My mother's 08 doesn't have VCM it has the JA6, but it ate through a set of engine mounts in 5 years, blew the tranny at 140k, I think it's went through another set of engine mounts again, but she's just gonna drive it until it dies, it's got some rust on it, and when you consider what'll cost someone to replace the engine mounts, the valve cover gaskets, the timing belt, water pump, tensioners and the serpentine belt, might as well put the money towards a new vehicle.

 

[MParr]

This is the second Honda V-6 that we’ve seen recently with the same problem.

 

[doublebase]

I’ve had a few of these in the shop...usually with low oil lights on. These things get abused like nothin I’ve ever seen. Family haulers, driven all over the place. Cheapest oil, using the OLM. And they’re done when they reach 160,000 miles or so...and quite honestly, I guess that isn’t the end of the world really. They kind of got their money’s worth out of them by then.

Nice job finding that cam lobe that was pitted like that...I had to look at the picture twice to see it. I wonder how long this thing can go with that lobe like that? Probably a good while.

And if the engine doesn’t get you on these things, the transmissions will.

 

[BAJA_05]

My dentist just traded in her 2005 Honda Odyssey on a new Subaru Ascent. Said she had over 200k trouble free miles. Kids are off to college and she wanted something new. Running engines low on oil is never a positive situation, regardless of manufacturer/engine.

 

[Trav]

2007 Odyssey, 168K. This is the J35A7 engine with VCM. Second owner. Oil changes have been done per the OLM with conventional. The engine consumes a lot of oil and does not get topped off.

Vehicle was experiencing misfires under load. Had a P0300 and various cylinder specific misfires. Also heard a light tick. Removed both valve covers and found exhaust valve clearance to be almost zilch, intakes were in spec. Front camshaft had pitting/scoring on the #4 and #5 lobes. Was not able to inspect the rear camshaft due to the design of the rocker arms. #1 and #3 plugs were worn and ashy, others were fine.

Temporary fix for now was to adjust the valve clearance and install new spark plugs. Misfire issue has been resolved for now but it will need a new cam.

Don't waste you time with this one, you may find a good JDM engine for it.

 

[JeffKeryk]

There is a lot to be said for 5K OCI and Synthetic oil.

 

[Pablo]

Amsoil and extended OCI caused................oh wait. I shouldn't kid about that, but a couple were quick to blame.

Mike - good reporting again. Thanks. I think the evidence is pointing to some design or manufacturing flaw. I still think they (Honda) had a batch process with the cam hardening.

In defense of this engine/minivan series in general, our 2006 Ody with NON-VCM (I somehow knew I did NOT want that) went over 250,000 miles with zero issues. AT was perfect. Changed to 100% Amsoil ATF very early (under 10K) and didn't touch since, the engine oil was changed at 10-15K intervals typically using Amsoil 0W-30. Sometimes 5W-30 sometimes 0W-20, OE/XL/Sig. The body was a little beat and the wheel bearings/running gear were getting tired.

 

[aquariuscsm]

The 02 Ody I help maintain has almost 300,000 miles on it (or maybe a little more than 300,000 now) and runs like a dream. Doesn't use a drop of oil between 3K oil changes with 10W30 (has 5W30 on oil fill cap). Were these engines different?

 

[Trav]

Yes sir, no VCM. Great engine, one of the very best in fact until they put that awful crap in it.

 

[AutoMechanic]

Great glad you could address the issues.

 

[gregk24]

I dont think we got these engines a lot here in europe, the largest we have here are the 2.4 k24s so i dont have hands on experience with these.

However i do see these pass by regulary on BITOG, something was wrong from the factory with the metalurgy and from what i can see no ''wonder'' oil or short oci can ever cure this.

Even with 15k ocis manufactureres expect there engines to easily make it to 200k, after that they just dont care. Only we bitogers care.

Indeed it will need a new cam, and if its from the same batch as the current cam it will probably go out again in 160k but then its probably not with the current owner anymore but at least its fixeable and its not like that the cam journals in the head are scored like some manufacturers experience.

Metallurgy off, maybe. The more likely cause is being run low on oil multiple times. Even the engines with the best engineering won't last long if low on oil.

 

[MuzzleFlash40]

My father in law had an 05. It had 300k on it when he traded it. Had 3-4K OCIs with castrol gtx. Engine looked like it was made of brass there was so much varnish looking down the fill cap. But it ran like a top.

 

[The Critic]

Is this one of those engines that is varnish friendly? I recall the vcm thing. Maybe it was a similar engine someone else posted. Was that you?

btw, I like real pictures. Thanks for posting. Pictures are much better than I have used xyz oil with 10K oci and the car is still running ... therefore it must be a good oil.

This thread?

Honda J35 V6 (J35Z4) Sludge and Cam Scoring

Front Cylinder Head was removed due to a broken spark plug on #4. The owner tried to remove the broken plug, but broke the ez-out. Prior to this incident, the front bank had an audible knock/tick. After disassembly, two scored cam lobes were found on #5. All of the rollers on the rocker were in...

bobistheoilguy.com

I’ve had a few of these in the shop...usually with low oil lights on. These things get abused like nothin I’ve ever seen. Family haulers, driven all over the place. Cheapest oil, using the OLM. And they’re done when they reach 160,000 miles or so...and quite honestly, I guess that isn’t the end of the world really. They kind of got their money’s worth out of them by then.

Nice job finding that cam lobe that was pitted like that...I had to look at the picture twice to see it. I wonder how long this thing can go with that lobe like that? Probably a good while.

And if the engine doesn’t get you on these things, the transmissions will.

This one isn't as bad as the Pilot that I posted about. Correcting the valve clearance issue did make the engine somewhat noisier - noisy enough to mask the slight ticking that was previously audible. Eventually the cam wear issue will manifest into an audible knock.

Don't waste you time with this one, you may find a good JDM engine for it.

I think they're selling the van this year. It also needs the usual oil pump reseal, p/s pump and some other deferred maintenance. But for now, after the valve adjustment and plugs, it sounds and runs fine.

The 02 Ody I help maintain has almost 300,000 miles on it (or maybe a little more than 300,000 now) and runs like a dream. Doesn't use a drop of oil between 3K oil changes with 10W30 (has 5W30 on oil fill cap). Were these engines different?

Looks like the earlier J-series motors are not completely immune, either. Take a look at this post on a 04: https://www.odyclub.com/threads/cylinder-leak-down-test-after-valve-job.361960/#post-2409333

Great glad you could address the issues.

It has been fixed well enough to run....for now. Bandaid fix, I suppose.

Metallurgy off, maybe. The more likely cause is being run low on oil multiple times. Even the engines with the best engineering won't last long if low on oil.

Not sure if oil level was the issue. The camshafts receive plenty of splash lubrication at all times.

 

[wolfox03SS]

Betchya my Dollars against yer doughnuts that if there was a lack of timely oil changes - it was the most salient contributing factor. But I'm posting out of my freshly picked nose here - no amount of preventative maintenance and SuperSILK-2000 hootchy cootchy manly-man-dude oil's going to smooth over a manufacturing issue.

That said, *I* haven't really ever, never seen any Honda power plant lube failure issues stemming from timely, proper by-the-book-oil-changes. Oil. Filter. Change. Repeat. Profit! 🤟

It's the college kid or the elderly mums that pinches pennies and ignores OEM book/OLM/Walmart windshield sticker reminders that run into trouble....? Maybe this one sample is a one in a million or two outliers that left the factory with three of her wheels in the grave?

EDIT: It bears mentioning that this may simply be a middle man problem. I trust that the majority...not all - oil manufacturers that can make product to spec and API guidelines will make a trustworthy product. I also trust that an *EXPERIENCED* auto manufacturer will stand behind their product and put it forth in the best of faith and will to honor a warranty as long as an owner follows reasonable guidelines between the petroleum folks and an upstanding automaker.

It will and seriously, egregiously fall to shambles if the *OWNER* themselves does not take due and proper diligence on their behalf to see to it that their machinery isn't maintained to minimal specifications. I suspect that there is more to this sordid tale.

Cheers, friends!