Alright. From one problem to the next! At this rate, I'll never be able to get my wife a newer, reliable car...

My wife was pulling out of the parking lot after having her weekly doc appointment (she's due with our baby this month), when our 4.0 XJ decided to dump fluid and smoke. It made a gurgle sound apparently. It would not hold any fluid once She started accelerating (after putting more in), and it started smoking again.

She said it spilt fluid all over the reservoir and the ground. We have had all sorts of cooling issues.

I'm thinking: water pump (previous owner had one installed last June, have paperwork), water pump gaskets, or something else I don't know about.

When speaking with my father about it, he said it could be the fan clutch. Though that doesn't really seem to fit, in my mind. The smaller fan, when played with, will spin freely when off. The larger one will not.

 

cracked head might do it, bad gasket somewhere...

 

Sounds like it could be a cracked head, or a lower radiator hose that split. Mine did it a couple months ago. Check the hoses first chances are one of them split. If all hoses check out, check waterpump gasket and t-stat housing gasket. It may have a crack in it.