I just got home and my jeep started leaking coolant. As best as I can tell it looks like its coming from the water pump. The pump is only about a year and a half old or so, how can this be? Also I'm in a bit of a pinch could I use some stop leak just to hopefully stop it for a few day til I have some time off or is my pump shot and I cant drive? Thanks

 

Also how can I tell if my pump is bad?

 

Water pumps rarely go 'bad' per say... mostly the bearings or seals will go out causing it to leak... first locate where it is leaking from. if it is from the pulley, then it is the bearing and you need a new water pump, if it is from around the housing then you should be able to pull it off and clean if up real good and use RTV or get a gasket or a mixture of both and that should fix your problem.
Locate the leak.

(if im wrong please correct me... im not familiar with the 4.0)

 

Stop leak is never a great idea, it stops leaks but clogs up everything. The leak could just be the lower hose, check that first. Then there is a small hole in the water pump that will start to seep before you loose the pump all together. Check the pully for play, any play there could cause a leak. Its also good to remove the belt and spin the pully and check the bearings this way.

 

I did a quick pressure test and the leak seems to be coming from between the pump and the block. I'm thinkin its the gasket as it doesnt make any noise or anything, also when it leaks its not a little drip it leaks about a half a pint or so, even more when I did the pressure test. Thanks for all the input everyone if anyone has any other ideas please let me know. Thanks again.

 

sounds like gasket to me, grad some RTV and pull/clean/dry/bolt-in and your back on the road!