spikeypuck

yesterday morning on the way to work i stopped to get my smokes. when i came out i had fluid pouring out the bottom and a nice puddle on the ground. i took out my flashlight, and chased the leak. it was coming from the top radiator hose, where it meets the radiator. my clamp is tight and there is no crack or hole.
i took it home, and stole the wifes car. when i talked to her later in the morning she said there was no leak, or puddle under the jeep. she took it out around town for a few hours and still had no leak problems. so when i got home and looked the radiator was still full. but my reserve was empty. i read somewhere that in an 85 with a 4 cylinder engine i am supposed to keep fluid in the reserve.

any ideas or suggestions of something to look for? i dont see how pics could help, but im willing to take a pic of anything you need to see

captainwoot

overheat and boil over? i would think that if the overflow was empty that you lost some somewhere. perhaps pressure test the cooling sys. might be a leak that will only show at certain op or ambient temp

4.3L XJ

Was your AC on by any chance?

spikeypuck

ac was not on. i head out at 4:am. it was a nice day here, lol but not that nice. the only thing i can think of that i did any different from any other morning is, i always let it run for about 5 minutes before i leave. but i just started it up reved it a few times and went on my way.