The 1998-2002 Honda Passport (3.2L) V6 engine has a “non-interference” design. This means the valves never contact the pistons, even when the valves or camshafts are not correctly timed, or even if a valve is fully open and its piston is at top dead center (TDC).
• The ratio between the camshaft drive gear and the camshaft gears is 1.33 to 1. This means the timing dots on a correctly timed camshaft will only align with the dots on the camshaft drive gears every 4th turn of the camshaft pulley.
• The left and right intake camshafts are different. On the cam lobe side of the camshaft gear, the left intake camshaft is marked “LI,” and it has dual timing dots; the right intake camshaft is marked “RI,” and it has a single timing dot.
• The left and right exhaust camshafts are the same. On the cam lobe side of the camshaft gear, both camshafts are marked “LE” and “RE,” and both have dual timing dots and a single dot.
• Service manual page references are to the 2002 Passport Service Manual.
1) Before you install the camshafts, preload the subgears (preloading must be done whenever you remove the bearing caps from a camshaft):
• Make sure the spring is installed between the camshaft gear and the subgear.
• With the camshaft held in a soft-jawed vise, attach the gear spring lever (P/N J-42686) to the subgear, then turn the subgear until its threaded hole lines up with the hole in the camshaft gear.
• Lock the subgear to the camshaft gear with a 5 x 0.8 mm bolt through either side of the gear hole.
• Preload the subgears on the other camshafts.
2. On the right cylinder bank, turn the camshaft pulley until its green mark is at 12 o’clock in relation to the head surface, at the center of the head. Turning the pulley brings the timing dots on the camshaft drive gear into their correct position: to the left and right of the gear’s centerline .
3. On the left cylinder bank, turn the camshaft pulley until its green mark is at 12 o’clock in relation to the head surface, at the center of the head. Then turn the pulley counterclockwise until its green mark points close to the timing belt cover bolt hole. Turning the pulley brings the timing dots on the camshaft drive gear into their correct position: to the left and right of the gear’s centerline.
4. Install the intake and exhaust camshafts in the right cylinder bank:
• Set the camshaft marked “RI” into the intake side of the head. Make sure the single timing dot on the camshaft gear aligns with the timing dot on the camshaft drive gear.
• Set the camshaft marked “RE” and “LE,” into the exhaust side of the cylinder bank, with “RE” at the 12 o’clock position. Make sure the single timing dot on the camshaft gear aligns with the timing dot on the camshaft drive gear
5. Install the left cylinder bank intake and exhaust
camshafts:
• Set the camshaft marked “LI” into the intake side of the head. Make sure the dual timing dots on the camshaft gear align with the timing dot on the camshaft drive gear.
• Set the camshaft marked “LE” and “RE,” into the exhaust side of the cylinder bank, with “LE” at the 12 o’clock position. Make sure the dual timing dots on the camshaft gear align with the timing dot on the camshaft drive gear
6. Install the camshaft bearing caps in the same locations and directions they were before you removed them.
NOTE: On the right cylinder bank, the directional arrows on the bearing caps should point towards the front of the engine. On the left bank, the arrows should point towards the rear of the engine.
7. Install the bearing cap bolts, then torque them to 10 N.m (7 lb-ft) in the sequence
8. Remove the bolts used to hold the preload of the camshaft subgears.
9. If not already done, inspect the camshaft thrust clearances (refer to service manual). If any clearances are not within specification, replace the cylinder head(s). 