Jeep Cherokee leaking coolant

[mickfoely]

My Jeep has been leaking coolant for the past few days. I can't really tell from where, seems to be under and or behind the water pump. When the truck is hot it seems to be leaking from where the bottom hose meets the water pumps. When it's cold I filled it the radiator with water and it seems to be leaking around the manifold seal below and behind the water pump.

again I can't tell for sure because the Jeep is parking on an angle, and the fluid could just be running along the manifold.

I suspect there is a number of problems going on with the cooling system. The thermostat seems to work, the pump don't know bad it is. I've been driving around the past few days and kept putting water in it. Yesterday it got hot for the first time and coolant leaked out the top hose by the thermostat. Then a hissing sound from the drivers side part of the engine.

This is 92 Jeep Cherokee laredo In-line 6.

I'll list some pics I have of the general location of the dripping fluid below.

Are there sites that specialize in cooling systems where I could get advice?

Also any temporary ways I can stop the leak or leaks, lower the pressure, and keep the engine from overheating? I need to drive back and forth to the auto parts store.

I also checked the oil, didn't seem to be coolant in it, but it also needed oil.

Thanks for any help. Not sure how difficult it would be to replace the water pump in this Jeep. If that's my problem.


Leaking while hot near the lower hose.

http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/1667/bottomhose.jpg

Top hose while hot.

http://img193.imageshack.us/i/tophose.jpg/

Lower dripping/leaking while cold

http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/4865/lower1.jpg

Lower again. Different perspective.

http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/632/lower2p.jpg

[RahX]

As with any leak, you follow it towards the front of the engine and at the highest point to start. It looks like the lower hose leak is coming from higher up as you can see a clear trail running down. That coolant looks reaaaallly nasty too. You may be opening up a can of worms trying to fix this. Newer coolant usually washes away rust buildup and uncorks other leaks. Usually the first things to rust out are the core plugs on the sides of the block. Next usually involves the heater core.

[Airjer_]

Its either the t-stat housing gasket or the water pump. Both are easy to do. Once you have the fan shroud, fan, and serp belt off you should be able to see in between the pump and the housing. If its wet above the pump than the housing gasket is leaking. If its not than look at the weep hole on the underside of the pump. It will be easier to see when the pump pulley is off. If its wet the pump is bad.

[mickfoely]

Well I let the jeep sit all night and most of the day without disturbing it. I checked underneath and It wasn't leaking. Then I remove the radiator cap and it starts to drip. Then I put the cap back on and it stops dripping in a few minutes. This is happening while the Jeep is cold.

I looked underneath and the leak seems to be coming from above the lower hose, and just a little in front of it. Looks like it's dripping from behind the pulley.

I have some photos of this below.

http://img844.imageshack.us/img844/8347/drip1.jpg

http://img837.imageshack.us/img837/1717/drip2.jpg

Up close pic from behind the pulley.

http://img827.imageshack.us/img827/5260/pully.jpg

Now what kind work load Am I looking at to replace the water pump on this straight six? Looks like I have to remove both fans to access it, and that might not be enough room.

Here is a few pics from above.

http://img833.imageshack.us/img833/895/top1.jpg

http://img837.imageshack.us/img837/9991/top2.jpg

Anyone have any links to some good online tech manuals for replacing the water pump in this exact jeep and straight six engine? Thanks for the help...

Oh I pulled on the serpentine belt and pulley and it was tight.

About how much life do I have left in this water pump? Any tricks to extent it and keep the Jeep from losing coolant, and overheating?

[Airjer_]

Looks like a water pump to me

[jdmccright]

You can try and borrow a cooling system pressure test kit that lets you pump up pressure in the system without having to run the engine. This is great for finding pinhole leaks in hoses and seeing weepage minus all the whirring parts.