gmcgixxer

Hello,
-I have 98 cherokee with a 4.0. It over heated due to what I thought was a loss of coolant from a leaking lower radiator hose (there was a small pin hole and the hose was badly bulging). I flushed the coolant, replaced upper and lower hoses as well as the thermostat.

-Fired it up and waited for the system to get up to operating temp. It continued to leak. I pinpointed the leak to what I thought was the water pump (drivers side where it mates to the block). I replaced the water pump with a new unit. It continued to leak radiator fluid from the same location.

-I am now thinking it is a leaking head gasket. Looking at the front of the engine, the coolant flows out from the area closest to where the drivers side of the water pump meets with the block, and right under where the head meets the block. I cant get my head or a mirror in the right position to confirm that it is indeed coming from the head gasket. I can only spot the coolant flow as it runs down the driver's side of the block along where the water pumps meets the block, but I cant get my head down there to confirm from where it originates.

-The motor runs like a champ, which is why I was doubtful of it being a head gasket problem. However, I can't think of where else it could be coming from given the general location of the leaking.

-Is there another nearby area from where it could be leaking?

Thank you for any input or experiences you can share.

gmcgixer

Mattpar

your best bet is probably do a cylinder leak down test on the 1st cylinder. Or throw some UV dye in the oil and/or coolant. Maybe that will help you find where the leak is truely coming from