So as the temperature has gotten colder in Ohio I have noticed a few new sounds with my 98 XJ.
98XJ limited, 4.0, auto,
Im going to try and get videos or at least a recording of the noises tomorrow morning and get them posted up.
These noises have never came to light until this past week when Its been getting cold and I have been turning on the heater.

#1)When I go to start the car in the morning or when its been sitting and the engine is cold I get a "yawning" noise when I turn the steering wheel in either direction(its only there for a second then goes away until I turn the steering wheel back the other direction) and this isn't when I crank the wheel to one way or the other its just when driving around and turning left or right.

#2)Also when I start the engine with the defrost/heater ON I hear a loud hiss/steady noise like releasing pressure kinda/ its there for 3-5 seconds and then goes away...this is only when the car has been sitting and cold outside and the engine is cold/not at temp...it might come back again for another 5 seconds if its really cold outside. Now if I leave it off and turn it on when the engine is at temp it does NOT make the noise.

#3)So got up and went to work tonight and made a stop at the store to pick something up and came back out to the XJ and see a small puddle on the ground underneath in the middle of bumper of antifreeze and some dribble lines on the passenger side bumper next to the factory fog light. Looked under the hood with a flash light as its dark now and see some fan spray on the electric fan and little fluid by the passenger side upper hose but the hose seems fine and so does the bottom hose..I drove to work about 2miles with the heater on and it only got to 210 and never went over

Now I was planning on replacing the entire cooling system the beginning of december because thats when I will have the funds to allocate to it. tomorrow morning I'm going to look for the coolant leak more in-depth when I have more light to see where that might be coming from...hoping its a hose but with my luck I will have to replace everything now. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated.

 

My power steering has always made that yawning sound when it's cold or when the I've been driving a lot. That coolant leak is worrying though. Check for coolant in the oil? Check all the hoses and the thermostat housing.

 

#2: vacuum leak, probably under or behind dash

#3: water pump leaking

#1: cold fluid is denser, increasing resistance/noise in system until warmed

 

I will definitely look for the coolant in the oil...my understanding it looks like a brownish color on the oil cap?

 

For the possible vacuum leak would running seafoam possibly help by chance? Im kinda green to mechanics with exception of standard stuff, oil change, brakes, etc.
Will check about possible coolant leaks in the morning with more light other than a flash light. Thanks guys, any more input would be awesome!!

 

Seafoam won't help vacuum leaks. You've got a cracked plastic or rubber hose somewhere. Or something has fallen off it's fitting.

Don't go off the deep end looking for head gasket problems or water in the oil yet. You've just got a coolant LEAK. Based on the location you described, I'd take a good look at the water pump first, followed by the various hoses and clamps close to the front of the engine.

 

Change your power steering fluid. It does wear out.

 

Well I came out to the rig this morning and there was hardly any coolant on the ground, however the coolant res was past the low line. I also checked the actual radiator under the cap an it was full with bright green coolant so I just filled the coolant res and kept peaking around and couldn't really find a leak. I drove about 5miles and the temp went past 210 to about 215-220 with the defrost/heat on level 1 but then cranked it to level 3 and it dropped back below 210 and stayed there. So got my fingers crossed that it will last a few days till I can get all the cooling system parts. Thanks for the help

 

Under the line the comes off the back of the power steering fluid tank that bends back behind it theres a decent amount of "dirty wetness" not sure how long it's been there. Is changing the power steering fluid like changing the oil? I have never had to change it before. Also cruiser54 is it possible my 98XJ limited has the 0331 head? I'm still a little confused on the "0331" head about when it was on XJ's and when it wast.

 

0331 head wad 2000 model.

The clamp on the PS return hose is probably bad or the hose is splitting there. I do the "okie" PS fluid change. I suck it out with a turkey baster and add fresh. Yo ucan do a flush but I've never felt it necessary.

 

That is the same way that I did the power steering fluid change out on mine and it works pretty well and you don't have to get to messy doing it.

 

Yeah, and if it's still a bit dirty, do it again.

 

Now if I have to replace that hose would it be beneficial to flush it because of air getting in the system? But the turkey baster sounds like a very easy way of changing out the fluid.

 

Most of the time you can bleed the system by cranking the steering wheel all the way in both direction a few time or until it stops make that horrible noise.
Also, When I changed out the fluid I had to use the turkey baster 3 time until the fluid looked nice and clean.

 

Thanks for the input, I will definitely look into changing out the power steering fluid. If anyone has any more input in this let me know. I'm going to get videos of the noise coming from when the heater turns on with a cold engine. There's still no "active" leak in the cooling system.