New Jeep owner and boy do I need help 😅

Jonmz8

New Member
Original poster
Joined
Jul 15, 2020
Messages
8
Location
Long Island, New York
Hey everyone, so I bought a 2002 Wrangler X about a month ago. And let’s just say it’s already been a ride. *pun intended*. The previous owner(s) did a bunch of stuff to it to make it look “nice” (some things I liked most I didn’t) but neglected to really take care of it. So far I’ve had to get the rear U-Joints replaced, back driver frame welded, purchased a used exhaust that needs to go in, the list goes on. Basically I’ve been having a few problems that maybe someone can point me in the direction of peace and resolution to them. They are:
  • It has had a check engine light since I’ve bought the car with two codes reading P0442 & P0445, both EVAP leaks. Do you guys know what some of the solutions have been to fixing this issue? I know it can be a plethora of things, but I’m reaaaally hoping I don’t have to replace the fuel tank.
  • Theres some ticking noise that comes and goes it sounds like a high pitch tap as if you were bouncing a metal ball on a metal surface. It’s not a knock as the mechanic confirmed but we can’t figure out what it is. Any ideas?
  • Most of the time when I step on the brakes (which work well) there is a noise that is like a rattling and I can kind of feel it on the brake pedal when I step on it. It doesn’t feel like it’s a big deal it’s just a nuisance.
The Jeep is basically a “rig” and it runs like one. While I understand that it’s not going to be like a brand new car, more so than mods like tires and lifts, I like the idea of having a smooth, comfortable, safe, vehicle to drive everyday and then later on can come all the fun Jeep things I want to do.

As a new Jeep owner it’s exciting to be a part of this community and I hope it leads to lasting friendships!

Thanks for reading!

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I fixed the evap code with an official Mopar replacement gas cap. $25 Didn't occur to me the leak/seal issue could be at the gas cap but luckily the folks here suggested it.
 
Welcome!

Does the metal ball on metal sound have a constant rhythm or does it speed up with the RPM's or as the car moves faster? Where does the sound come from?... under the hood? .... or outside /underneath.

The gas cap fix for those codes seems to be a very common one and a good place to start the elimination sequence.

The brake "clunk" could be a loose caliper but there are a couple break specialists who are active on this forum who will be a much better source than me on TJ brakes.

I've had Jeeps most of my adult life however my first TJ is only 3 months old to me so I'm getting used to them as well.
 
For the brakes:
I'd pull the wheels off, one by one, and take a look at your brakes. Inspect the shoes/pads to see if they are in good condition or need replacing.
In the rear (drum brakes), make sure none of the hardware is missing like springs, clips, etc.
In the front (disk brakes), verify that the boots and bushings are in good shape (the calipers are intended to be able to float in/out on the bushings).

A ton of good resources are available on the resource page, including Parts Manuals and Factory Service Manuals (right at the top of the list) which I would strongly suggest you download for your year TJ. The Service Manual can be a good guide to suggested checks and inspections.

Here's a good video on the brakes that you will have on your TJ...at least for the rears since they don't do any work on the fronts. Other vids are out there and can be really handy.

EDIT:
Here's another vid from the same guy on the front disk brakes. I should mention here that it is STRONGLY suggested by our resident brake guru, @mrblaine, that you bleed your brakes BEFORE compressing the calipers to release the pressure on the rotors so you can remove the calipers/pads (the pry-bar and c-clamp parts in this video). This is to flush out any crude that may be in the piston bores so it won't get forced back up into the system or into the seals when you compress them, possibly causing issues later, like locked pistons (not good).
 
Last edited:
Congratulations on the purchase of your Jeep.
There are a lot of knowledgeable members on the forum.
IF you have questions about your brake problems and cannot be resolved with suggestions from other members; contact the resident expert MR.BLAINE. I am sure he will know what is wrong and how to fix it.
 
For the brakes:
I'd pull the wheels off, one by one, and take a look at your brakes. Inspect the shoes/pads to see if they are in good condition or need replacing.
In the rear (drum brakes), make sure none of the hardware is missing like springs, clips, etc.
In the front (disk brakes), verify that the boots and bushings are in good shape (the calipers are intended to be able to float in/out on the bushings).

A ton of good resources are available on the resource page, including Parts Manuals and Factory Service Manuals (right at the top of the list) which I would strongly suggest you download for your year TJ. The Service Manual can be a good guide to suggested checks and inspections.

Here's a good video on the brakes that you will have on your TJ...at least for the rears since they don't do any work on the fronts. Other vids are out there and can be really handy.

EDIT:
Here's another vid from the same guy on the front disk brakes. I should mention here that it is STRONGLY suggested by our resident brake guru, @mrblaine, that you bleed your brakes BEFORE compressing the calipers to release the pressure on the rotors so you can remove the calipers/pads (the pry-bar and c-clamp parts in this video). This is to flush out any crude that may be in the piston bores so it won't get forced back up into the system or into the seals when you compress them, possibly causing issues later, like locked pistons (not good).
I changed pads on a TJ I suspected had never been replaced and didn't follow this procedure..randomly , within a 1000 miles or so, I had to replace 3 out of 4 calipers due to stuck oistons. Headache.
 
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I fixed the evap code with an official Mopar replacement gas cap. $25 Didn't occur to me the leak/seal issue could be at the gas cap but luckily the folks here suggested it.
That was the first thing i did hours after i bought the car, cleared the code and it came back about 50 miles later :(
 
Welcome!

Does the metal ball on metal sound have a constant rhythm or does it speed up with the RPM's or as the car moves faster? Where does the sound come from?... under the hood? .... or outside /underneath.

The gas cap fix for those codes seems to be a very common one and a good place to start the elimination sequence.

The brake "clunk" could be a loose caliper but there are a couple break specialists who are active on this forum who will be a much better source than me on TJ brakes.

I've had Jeeps most of my adult life however my first TJ is only 3 months old to me so I'm getting used to them as well.
The sound does not have a constant rhythm as it comes and goes from time to time, and it doesnt speed up with an increase of RPMs, it comes from under the hood, definitely somewhere in the engine bay.

I tried the gas cap and cleared the code... no luck it came back about 50 miles later :(

A friend and I took off the front calipers and checked them out, surprisingly enough the brakes were near perfect and actually good quality brakes, i'm going to try to look a the back ones too, but i'm gathering that the noise is coming from near the actual break pedal. I could be wrong though.
 
For the brakes:
I'd pull the wheels off, one by one, and take a look at your brakes. Inspect the shoes/pads to see if they are in good condition or need replacing.
In the rear (drum brakes), make sure none of the hardware is missing like springs, clips, etc.
In the front (disk brakes), verify that the boots and bushings are in good shape (the calipers are intended to be able to float in/out on the bushings).

A ton of good resources are available on the resource page, including Parts Manuals and Factory Service Manuals (right at the top of the list) which I would strongly suggest you download for your year TJ. The Service Manual can be a good guide to suggested checks and inspections.

Here's a good video on the brakes that you will have on your TJ...at least for the rears since they don't do any work on the fronts. Other vids are out there and can be really handy.

EDIT:
Here's another vid from the same guy on the front disk brakes. I should mention here that it is STRONGLY suggested by our resident brake guru, @mrblaine, that you bleed your brakes BEFORE compressing the calipers to release the pressure on the rotors so you can remove the calipers/pads (the pry-bar and c-clamp parts in this video). This is to flush out any crude that may be in the piston bores so it won't get forced back up into the system or into the seals when you compress them, possibly causing issues later, like locked pistons (not good).
From above: A friend and I took off the front calipers and checked them out, surprisingly enough the brakes were near perfect and actually good quality brakes, i'm going to try to look a the back ones too, but i'm gathering that the noise is coming from near the actual break pedal. I could be wrong though.

But aside from that i'm going to take a look at those videos and see what we can try to do next. Hopefully the rear brakes are as good as the front, then i could narrow down the problem even more. Thanks for the links!
 
Congratulations on the purchase of your Jeep.
There are a lot of knowledgeable members on the forum.
IF you have questions about your brake problems and cannot be resolved with suggestions from other members; contact the resident expert MR.BLAINE. I am sure he will know what is wrong and how to fix it.
After i take a look at my rear brakes, that is exactly what i'm going to do. Thanks!
 
The noise could be the Oil Pump Drive Assembly (OPDA). Check out a few videos of it and see if it's similar. When they start to go they make a high pitch noise like that. Definitely something you want to get ahead of.
 
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