I Bought 3 Jeep Wranglers for LESS THAN $5500!!! How Bad are They??? 

It’s cool seeing a father and son spending quality time together even in adulthood.

I went through this with my wife’s grand Cherokee. It was throwing codes for the cam and crank sensors. I replaced them multiple times and it was driving me crazy. Finally a buddy who i used to work with at a Jeep dealership told me to replace the TPS and damn if it didn’t fix it. May want to try it it’s much cheaper and easier to change than the other sensors

Keep the half doors for your jeep and color match them when you paint it. Trust me the half doors are nice!!

I love how your dad is so supportive of you and your projects. Super cool.

the 2.5 is a gutless wonder, but a running engine is a running engine

Zack, it`s nice to see you and your father spending time together. Family is everything.

I would make sure you use mopar sensors for both cam and crank, make sure grounds are good, check connection to pcm, and then make sure timing is correct. Lots of things can cause the issue you’re having.

A friend of mine had the same crankshaft sensor code and nobody could find the problem…one treeshade mechanic decided to chase the wiring for the crankshaft sensor and a wire was burnt just enough to cause a problem. Replaced that wiring harness… no more issues.

That schoolkid was scammed by his garage, I’ll tell you that. They deliberately didn’t fix the car so they could buy it from them cheap. Well that didn’t work out at all, your dad is good with it, and I am sorry for the kid….

My 2014 Ram 1500 was doing the same thing and throwing the same codes.. Turns out the truck needed a Torque Converter. Figured id throw my experience out to ya.

at first i was like dang thats a cool looking jeep, then realized it looked way better when you were done! well done

The 2.5 is literally ( and I mean literally) the legendary 4.0 with 2 cylinders cut off. So slow it can barely get out of its own way but still extremely reliable! My '94 had well over 200k miles on the clock when I sold it and the engine/cherry red half doors were by far the best part(s)

23:06 THANK YOU SO MUCH for taking that ludicrous grill cover off. I just cannot understand people's love of those things.

So nice to see father son duo tinker with cars spending quality time, bonding that's seriously missing in today's world!! Me and my son too, do the same stuff and enjoy it! God bless you guys and may you enjoy many more years together - love from Dubai.

I love watching how this channel tackles everything. Scooters, jet skis, pontoon boats, cars, jeeps. Love the variety.

On the 05-06 TJ/LJs the OPDA can go bad causing the P0340 code which cuts fuel at 2500 RPM and on the automatics it will put the trans into a limp mode, I would pull out the OPDA and check the gear for wear because it will destroy the engine when it goes bad. Also the 05-06 wranglers are known for having PCM issues, but those are usually codes related to 02 Sensors/Emissions systems. Crown Automotive for the OPDA and WranglerFix if you ever need a PCM.

My man went from crying about being broke with a jetski to just emptying every pocket with three Jeeps

Awesome video as always. Love your laid back demeanor. I'm no mechanic but I agree with the others who say use OEM parts and check the timing and grounds. Heck, I'd check all the wiring in this thing after seeing how loose the starter connections were. Maybe take a torque wrench to all the bolts too.

Good stuff Zach, we look forward to seeing your next video within the next week or so...hint: post more often please, you've got our support

Timing chain stretch is common with crank and cam sensor codes. You may need to replace the timing chain

That Grey jeep looks great. It's insane that you got it for 3k and simply had to tighten up the starter. That's a huge dub

jeep engines are solid...as long as you don't overheat them. Very solid, including the 2.5

I grew up in Louisburg where the blue Jeep was originally sold. Cool to see it’s still around and down in Florida.

I’ve owned a lot of 4.0’s it sounds like a vacuum leak. I changed out the vacuum manifold lines. Spray starting fluid on lines while you keep it at 3k rpm

Respect when you said “I’m not a fan of the angry grill”. I’m also not a fan of those wheels.

PCM problem. Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep vehicles. Apparent high speed miss is in fact the pcm turning off and on and giving what feels like tranny shift issues/ignition miss as well as throwing all kinds of sensor codes. Chased my 2000 Ram Van for a couple years before i figured it out. It will also idle too high and use huge amounts of fuel. I live in lakeland and have been following your vids for a few years. I know a place that you can order a pcm that is pre programmed to your vin #.

I dig the fact that your dad is helping out, great to see

Dad's Jeep looks much better already! nice work! looking forward to seeing the rest!

Well done! I miss my Jeep with that 4.0. I had to replace the crank sensor multiple times, but they were free after the initial purchase.

Good on you for helping your parents out. I'm sure they appreciate it more than you know.

A bold "Guy Move!" What you did was the equivalent of a "Good Samaritan Move" . Like picking up 3 puppies that were in serious need of a new home and it needed to happen fast. Any Jeep lover worth their salt respects what you did. Carry On Sir!

It's not uncommon for an engine sensor to be faulty yet not throw a code, though usually it's the crank sensor that falls into this category. Make sure you're checking the 5v supply (orange wire) for the crank, cam, MAP, and throttle position sensors with the ignition on; proper voltage range for the supply is 4.8 to 5.1 volts. If the 5v supply falls outside of the correct range it'll induce a false signal from the sensors to the PCM. In the event you find the 5v supply out of range, try disconnecting one sensor at a time to see which one allows the 5v supply to return to normal; that sensor would then be suspect. It's a good idea while troubleshooting sensor issues to clean the connector and sensor terminals with contact cleaner and make sure you don't have any loose connections, the fact that tapping on the MAP sensor improves how the engine runs sounds to me like you have a loose or corroded connection at that sensor.

I had the same issue, changed out both sensors with oem no change. Check the cam shaft sensor and it was off a few degrees!

Love that bug! Still looking good as when you first did it, can’t wait to see this project in action

That’s great. I can’t wait to watch whole video😊 I found you today and subscribe.

You seam a lot more comfortable Infront of the camera now good to see your confidence grow well done keep up the hard work it will pay off in the end pall

Great video! Keep them coming. 😀

I didn't see any suggestions for paint on the new Jeep so let me recommend military green. A Jeep looks best when it goes back to its roots and modern Jeeps with old school colors and styling, in a throwback tribute, look amazing. That is what I would like to see for it. Awesome video and thanks for reminding us that killer deals are still out there!

Had a '94 that ended up with a crack in the frame back in 2008-ish. Hillybilly welded a plate over the crack and drove it for another decade. Frame repair failed and I sold it to a guy that wanted to cut it up and turn it into a rock crawler. Havent heard from him in about 6 months but I know for a fact that old girl was still working!

Fuel pump stumbling at higher rpm? Great series, knew somebody would be hooked on jeeps after yours was fixed up! Next is more mods! It never ends with jeeps, lol!

I so look forward to watching your video's, you have a great Dad too!, thanks for uploading Zach, be well

Love the videos!! Can't wait for more content like this.

Awesome video buddy love it and love you and your dad are fixing it together

Lots of good comments on here about your codes. As a tech for 24 years I have also seen those codes when you have bad ignition wires or corroded ignition coils or bad spark plugs. Anything that would allow the spark to escape and get a secondary spark causing the sensors to read too many sparks. This causes a conflict between the two sensors therefore throwing the code. Take a spray bottle and spray the ignition wires (spark plug wires) (AKA Lightning hoses as per Vise grip garage). Many times if you have a bad wire you will see arcing from the wires when wet. If you see nothing remove the wires and look for corrosion on wires and coil/distributor posts. Next remove the plugs and check for tracking/black lines on the sides of the spark plugs. It is never a bad idea to do a complete tune up when buying a used vehicle even if it has already been done. You have no idea what parts have been used. I always recommend OEM tune up parts. Check to see what type of plugs are in it now. Many time putting in platinum plugs in a vehicle that does not call for them will cause one or both of these codes as well. Stick with OEM. Especially when chasing down an issue like this. Enjoy this project with your dad. Please check out our two IG pages @jeep_bigbird_warmachine and @skittlesgarage

Man that blue one is sweet! My grandma had one just like it but with the tan soft top! Too bad it’s too far gone

Had an issue with a 95 Cherokee year’s back, it would hesitate and sputter when driving. The fix was the ground for the fuel pump. Figured you said the kid replaced it so could be something to check.

My guess is a loose timing chain, maybe wiring connection, cool vid, these jeeps look fun!

I think Dad is like a kid in a candy store Zach! LOL Gr8 find and is going to be a ton of fun for them!

I've known about 15 people over my life time who HAD to have a Jeep and I'd say 14 of the 15 had regrets about that decision.

lol I bought my TJ for $13,500! It was immaculate and I didn’t have to do anything. But great job on finding this one for sure!

Really enjoy the vids brother. I'd replace those fenders back to a stock set like the white jeep.

Use a ohm meter and sweep your TPS my bet is it has a flat spot right at cruising speeds, your scan tool might be able to show tps V. Tap on the MAF with a screwdriver and see if anything changes, I have seen both cause drivability problems. Last if the cam chain is really worn then between full throttle and coast the sync will get thrown out..The transfer case is worth saving along with the axels ,drive shafts ,windshield, wiper motor heater box rad. I think the gear ratio is lower on the 4cyl as well better for off roading. Never hurts to have spare parts. I would do exactly what I did with a 500 jeep I took it apart and stored everything right down to e brake cables. I had a caliper stick on sunday and walked into my shed and pulled one out, parts are not getting cheaper so if you have them keep them,. That looks like a brass rad on the 4 so thats gold they cool way better than the plastic junk an can be fixed.

Good content. Keep up the good work. 👍🏼

I'd add the lizard skin heat protection before you replace the carpet. The transmission tunnel cooks your feet on long trips.

I had the same issue with my 2005 wrangler , this i major issue , this is the OPDA need to be change or it's your timming chain need to be replaced , i first changed my timming chain but finally it was the OPDA... fix that fast , good luck Bruno....🤟

I had a similar problem in my 04 wrangler..they replaced throttle position sensor and put in new plugs and it worked fine from then..im not a motor guy so i dont know what all that means, but it fixed the problem .

Use OEM sensors always and when you replace the crank sensor need to preform a crankshaft relearn. Timing chains could use replacement also

Wow, the headlights and chrome bezel are a lot like the ones from my '66 Jeep Gladiator I had....except the old Jeep's were bigger and heavy metal.

I would try and replace the spark plugs and coil pack. I had same symptoms and that did the trick…good luck!

Some wheels spacers (1.5") will help with the stance. Take the fenders off and sand down the rust and hit them with a rattle can. It will be like new.

I had a camshaft sensor code on my 02 wrangler that I found was actually a chafed spot on the wiring harness that was shorting the wires. Wasn't the sensor at all.

Your timing chain has stretched and that is causing the the cam sensor to miss read. I had the same issue with a mini. I think you need to paint your dad's jeep pink LMAO. You had me looking every week for a video and I know you have a lot going on, but man I need my weekly fix of #Ulatimate Rebuilds.

look out..Dad's got a hammer :) So awesome your doing this for them!!!

my ideas for your jeeps. Repaint the blue doors and put those on your parents jeep. Rhino line the interior. (of yours as well). waterproof covers for the seats. For yours you should fab up some door inserts out of tubing and paint them black.

Omg there is a lot of work right there good luck

the 98 i need the front side side markers and hood latches headlight switch tailgate windshield if not cracked im in Indianapolis Indiana the jeeps from 97 to 07 have wiring problems in harness and where they connect to gauges check wires and make sure no cracks or corrosion you can try wd 40 to see if it helps its great for trouble shooting wires some dielectric grease on connections helps a lot bad clutch fans can cause overheating problems .the air intake by the windshield has a drain that gets clogged and causes water to get under dash pull the cowl off and clean drain water inside causes all kind of unexplained problems

Excellent content.

You mentioned he had a transmission put in that silver jeep...it's possible the sensor ring on the flexplate got damaged and the sensor can't read correctly over a certain rpm. I had something similar happen on my cherokee.

Hey! So I've never actually commented on a video before but have to step in. I have a jeep that was showing all the exact symptoms yours is. Cam and crank shaft sensor codes, occasionally map sensor code. I went months trying to figure it out, replacing sensors, multiple shops. It started get worse, then one day a new code popped up, erratic voltage... I popped the hood myself, took a look around. There were 2 wires on the main power train harness that had rubbed and frayed. THAT WAS IT! Literally 5 min and 2 butt splices everything was back to normal and it's driven perfect ever since I highly recommend checking for more loose/damaged wires or grounds. Hope this helps!

Great video

Check the OPDA. 2005 and 06 models tend to have issues with it. Sometimes they also become very noisy. If that's the problem, make sure to purchase a Dorman. Good luck.

on TJs you can twist the key 3 times and it will pop up the codes on the dash

Look into opda and inspect that. Even after replacing, it may need a fancy computer (dealer/snapon/etc) to perform a relearn on the cam and crank correlation.

Since you now have the soft top hardware, you can just get the canvas replaced. Quadratec sells it new for a few hundred.

It's always interesting how much most Wrangler owners hate every cosmetic mod. Lol The angry grill isn't for everyone, but I don't hate it. It's funny, that's all. When I talk to another wrangler owner, they usually say all that's wrong with someone elses Jeep and your left with stock Jeep. 😂

don't get a slant back designed soft top, not only does it help cook the interior, you lose space and the rear window deteriorates quicker

Sometimes when changing sensors you just have to drive it for a minute for the pcu to read the new part in order for the light to come off and sometimes around the block won't do it u may need to go for a good run hopefully that will work it has for me idk just a thought.

Had the same issue with a car before and changed the crank and camshaft sensors and nothing fixed the problem.. took a lot of time to figure out but it was the pigtail that went to the crank shaft .. wired in a new one and car run like new again

the fender flares and maybe the front grill could be saved. there is a lot more that may be salvageable.

Both cam and crank codes. If it's not a wiring or ignition fault , it probably has slop in the mechanical timing. I'm not that familiar with the 4.0 straight 6 but if it has a timing chain, I'd replace it. It may even have a tensioner or chain guide issue if so equipped. Often a bucking in the power train like that can be mechanical timing.

The new tire and wheels look good but those pointy lug nuts make it look worse then the tire and wheels you removed!! The grill looks much better now and I think the full top will look good too. Maybe a brown or copper/bronze color for a color change.

I have some info on the 06! I helped him before he took that jeep to the shop! Would love to get ahold of you I have recipts for everything. Kid really took good care of it shop destroyed that thing along with my truck have a ton of back story on the jeep! Have photos and everything to back it up

I love the father and son projects.

I like the silver! I'm an FJ man myself but nice find!

With change of wheels, make sure you calibrate the speedometer.

I need that blue grill and light buckets.

That is very cool!!

If its throwing a code for those sensors regardless of replacement, its probably the likely shares ground or the pins on the ecu are oxidized. Both common problems for EFI jeeps

Maybe paint the fenders, then maybe have it wrapped? That way any scratches will be in the wrap, I think they are self healing?? That if the wrap is to damaged that panel I easier to fix then repaint? Kevin and Britney on light bright had their jeep wrapped and did a whole video on it. Just a thought Oh ya the place they went to you are able to do custom color designs almost whatever you want

The original wheels & grill are the coolest part 😮

Welcome to Zach's Jeep Emporium! Lol! Enjoy them.

Could be a worn out TPS which could be causing the stuttering at 2500rpm and is common around this mileage. Also common is corrosion on the connector pins of the computer that is mounted near the right fender wall and gets full of salt spay in winter time and rain in the summer the corrosion allows signals to jump pins and causes false codes. good luck

But in a new timing chain for it. They run a much more sensitive timing on the 05 06 TJ ‘s and a stretch chain can cause problems

I agree with getting rid of the "angry" grille. They just look sad.

my jeep did somthing like that turned out to be a spark plug wire was done might not be what wrong with yours but every other wire seems loose might as well check lol

I couldnt read the scanner on the video - but it looked like "crankshaft position correlation" ? If so its the timing chain... Its stretched to the point that the readings from the crank and cam sensor no longer line up.

The 2006 was an awesome find!

Broken frame may have kinked or crushed the fuel lines. Sounds like a fuel starvation issue.

Make sure you rotate those Firestone MT/2 tires with every oil change (3000-3500 miles), otherwise they will wear very badly. I just learned my lesson and it's not an uncommon one. Otherwise, they;'re decent tires.

The problem is probably that map sensor. That Era of Chrysler is finicky with there engine sensors