I have a 1999 Cherokee sport with the straight 6 in it has a leak that drips from the middle of the engine wondering if it is the water pump that needs to replaced or should I check somewhere else only overheats on hot days and also leaks on those hot days I need to know asap so I can take care of problem before something worse happens. Please and thank you for the advice...Chris

 

Forgot to say the middle of the front end of the engine behind the radiator.

 

Most likely waterpump. and if you replace it you might as well replace the thermostat which is right above that.

 

2nd the water pump.

 

Yep, sounds like the water pump, and like JoshMan88 said, replace the thermostat and flush the whole system while your at it.

 

The t-stat should be good before it started leaking it would ride along 210 and nothing above that yea diffently a radiator flush..thanks for the quick replies...what would I need to replace that tool wise.

 

Isolate the leak. Doesn't sound like you have done that yet.

Get the vehicle up on a hoist or up on ramps. Get underneath it with a good light and with a warm engine (cooling system pressurized), look for where the leak is coming from.

The weep hole on the water pump is a prime suspect. If it is leaking there, you must replace that pump ASAP, as catastrophic failure can occur at any time.

Inspect and or replace all old and marginal cooling system hardware. There is no better money spent than on cooling system maintenance.

 

Oh I know its coming from the water pump..fiancée drove it and brought it home and said that it need coolant added coolant and it just was pissing out from where the front end of the engine near where the water pump is located

 

Make sure you clean off the surface of the engine before you put on the new water pump and gasket. It needs to be clean. Don't do it with a wire brush or you'll scratch the surface.

Also take note of which way the thermostat is facing when you take yours out. When you install the new thermostat, make sure it's inside the water pump as it goes in, not sitting in the engine block as you install the water pump.

You don't want to mess either one of those up then have to drain the radiator and pull off the water pump again.

 

^ so you know what the problem is.... Then why did you create a post about it?

 

Haha I thought that too.

 

Appears since he wrote the original post the leaks gotten worse after his gf drove it and now it's pissing out the spot, where as before he couldn't tell where it was coming from...he just found out.

 

Hey coffee, I just replaced my G\F's entire cooling system almost and she still is having some trouble. I noticed your reply about making sure I know which way to put the thremostat in once I replace it. I am wondering if you are saying that the side of the thermostat with the spring goes into the block of the engine or does the side without the spring go into the engine. I think I installed it correctly, but your post has me wondering.. If you know or not will you please reply and let me know what you think.
Thanks

 

Every time I've replaced a thermostat in an XJ they will only fit one way, the right way.

 

Dayum! A overheating thread the I didn't respond to.......I must be gettin' old .

FWIW, the t-stat sits in/attaches to the head and the water pump sits in/attaches to the block. Yes, I'm being a .......again.