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Coolant in Oil - not head gasket, not cracked head

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Old 07-29-2011, 07:31 PM
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Exclamation Coolant in Oil - not head gasket, not cracked head

I think these are the last few days for my rig.

1990 Cherokee Limited 4L 6cyl

Here is what I am dealing with. My Cherokee overheated. Then continued to overheat a few more times over the next few days. I pulled the head and the gasket was fine. I REPLACED the head AND gasket. Also replaced the water pump, t-stat and t-stat housing (I broke it).

It runs just OK when it is cool, when it warms up to normal operating temp it runs like crap ie... it will stall if I take my foot off the gas, it sounds like the engine is vapor locking up/drowning.

My oil pressure gauge was working fine, but now reads way high off the scale!

That last part wouldn't bother me, I would just replace the sending unit and all, but with the other symptoms, it has me scared.

OK now the worst part. When I park it, it spews coolant. Not from somewhere it should, but from behind the dampener. I thought it might be the water pump gasket, so I replaced that. Still doing it, now the only wet spot on the engine is behind the dampener and below.

Anyone have any ideas?
Old 07-29-2011, 07:33 PM
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BTW - YES there was tons of coolant in the oil.

Oil change - Filter - no change.
Old 07-29-2011, 07:48 PM
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Kind of sounds like you broke the timing cover.
Old 07-29-2011, 08:10 PM
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When you did the rad flush, did you run the heater to flush the heater core?

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Old 07-29-2011, 08:35 PM
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Kind of sounds like you broke the timing cover.
If I broke the timing cover, would that allow coolant into the oil and make it overheat?
Old 07-30-2011, 02:15 AM
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Or a crack in the water jacket in the block.
Old 07-30-2011, 06:43 AM
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Cracked block was what I was thinking, but with the coolant coming out from behind the balancer I am leaning toward the timing housing....I am hoping that is what it is!
Old 07-30-2011, 08:21 AM
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consider two problems don't hold tight to blameing it all on one cause
Old 07-30-2011, 09:42 AM
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Originally Posted by DJKnightmare
Cracked block was what I was thinking, but with the coolant coming out from behind the balancer I am leaning toward the timing housing....I am hoping that is what it is!
Depends if the timing cover has any water flow passages in it. I've never seen one of those off a Jeep engine to know.
Old 07-30-2011, 09:58 AM
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Are you sure you didn't crack the head? Sometimes a crack can be quite small...
Old 07-30-2011, 08:40 PM
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Are you sure you didn't crack the head? Sometimes a crack can be quite small...
Yup, I replaced the head the other day. Would coolant in the oil create a ton of oil pressure?
Old 08-01-2011, 09:45 AM
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Would coolant in the oil create a ton of oil pressure?
Old 08-01-2011, 10:19 AM
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I don't know about that one. I think you might be due for a rebuild or new engine, though.
Old 08-01-2011, 11:03 AM
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Originally Posted by DJKnightmare
Would coolant in the oil create a ton of oil pressure?
No, it wipes the bearings which creates low oil pressure.
Old 08-01-2011, 11:17 AM
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Originally Posted by Firestorm500

Depends if the timing cover has any water flow passages in it. I've never seen one of those off a Jeep engine to know.
Negative not on our engines.


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