My 1998 xj started to leak coolant. It is dripping off of the flywheel shroud. From all the research I have done it looks to be a bad water pump. When I look at the water pump I cannot see any place it is leaking. Where are the common places for a water pump to leak? Any other common places for a coolant leak? Have already checked hoses and thermostat housing and still cannot locate the leak.

 

The water pump has a weep hole hidden behind the pulley (I forget above or below, I think below) and it will usually leak when the bearing has seized. Coolant on the flywheel housing suggests one of the heater hoses running from the thermostat housing (very front, top of the motor) to the heater solenoid (back of the engine compartment, same side as the reservoir). The hoses then go from the heater solenoid to the heater core in the cab and to the water pump outlet. The heater solenoid is plastic and breaks fairly often, usually leaking small amounts of coolant at first. I would check that, and the hoses going into the cab.

 

Unless you mean the radiator fan shroud over the radiator, then water pump is a good first guess after upper hose! Do you hear any squealing from the water pump?

 

First of all your flywheel is in the rear of the engine. So I do know that you must be talking about the fan shroud. Anyways, If it looks like it leaking from the water pump more then likely it is coming from the weep hole on the bottom of the pump. When it starts leaking from the weep hole you popped a seal in it and you will need to change out the pump.

 

I meant the flywheel. Did a pressure check and found a leak at the thermostat gasket. Replaced that and all looks good

 

Flywheel is at the opposite end of the engine as the tstat.

You cannot see the flywheel unless you remove an inspection cover at the trans bell housing.

 

Glad you found it. Up front is the crank pully, Aka, harmonic balancer. Like said the flywheel, (manual trans), or torque plate, (automatic), is indeed at the rear, under an inspection plate.

I'm not aware of any heater hose "solonoid". Earlier Jeeps have a vacuum controlled valve.