fatfartenson

12:30 in the morning, on my way home (5 mile drive total). About 2 miles from my house when I hear a hot-tea-kettle sound. Sometimes that sounds indicates problems with my coolant system, other times not. Turn on the heat, and it's ice cold. Check gauges lights up and the thermometer rises a dash above the normal operating temp. I've been down this road a hundred times and I'm waiting for it to spike up to 275. But I make it all the way to my road and it holds steady. As I'm pulling in I see smoke billowing out from the front of the hood, towards the radiator. I turn off the engine and it starts pouring out. Almost as much as when I blew my radiator by running almost straight water through the lines in the dead of winter. And it keep going for almost a minute. I was honestly waiting for it to catch fire.

I've had persistent coolant problems with this thing for over a year now. I can never keep the coolant reserve tank full, so I honestly stopped bothering. I haven't had any problems since the radiator was replaced a few months ago. But now this. And I'm in a wicked pinch because I have a super important exam tomorrow, and my school is 15 miles away. I'm extremely hesitant to drive it, and I have absolutely no time to look at it.

kgm

Sounds like some kind of head / head gasket issue. Hot exhaust gasses going into your coolant and spiking temperatures. Change the oil asap if you need to drive it again. Coolant kills bearings very fast. Engine go boom boom.

Firestorm500

Better rent a car or call a taxi.

As another poster said, you have block/head/head gasket issues. Probably medium to major problems and expense.

extrashaky

You really should include make/model/year/engine in your post if you want help, because they're not all the same.

You probably should plan on getting a ride.

I agree with kgm. It sounds like a cracked head or blown head gasket. Is this a 2000 or 2001 by any chance?

It sounds to me as though you've let this problem get serious enough that you can't just ignore it any more. I definitely wouldn't drive it until you've identified the issue.

Fred/N0AZZ

A little late to tell you now but why didn't you park it till you were sure that it was repaired before this happened, now could be to late. The bad part it may have been a $50 part that cost you an engine. Never drive one when its hot your about to find out why and that's a real shame.


Sorry you didn't check sooner.

1arunem

Could have blown out a bad/rusted freeze plug..... I have a very similar situation when my front freeze plug let go..

Firestorm500

Naw, he cracked the block and/or head when he had no antifreeze in it in subfreezing temps.

1976gmc20

What could go wrong with that plan ?

fatfartenson

It's an 01 60th anniversary edition

I've heard a lot about it being a cracked head. When I brought it into the mechanic they said it was fine, on two separate occasions. Not sure if I trust that now.

And I just changed my oil two weeks ago.

Firestorm500

Most mechanics don't know what to look for on 00-01s with the 0331 head. And what that head does.

Now it's time to either change your engine or change your vehicle.

I'm not trying to be cruel. This is just the sad reality you are facing.

extrashaky

You have the 0331 head. How did I see that coming?

I had two different mechanics each with a wealth of experience misdiagnose my 0331 head crack. The heads are not supposed to do that, so it's not unusual for a mechanic to be puzzled by the symptoms and look for some other explanation.

From what you described above, sounds like that engine is gone. Sorry for your loss.

Firestorm500

Yeah, you and I talked about this very same thing a couple of weeks ago.

Since the OP appears to only have this Jeep to drive, he probably needs to hitch a ride down to a new or used car dealer and pick out another vehicle.

It would be nice if someone in his area was having a push, pull or drag sale going on.

Heck, the Jeep gave him a year to get ready for this. I hope he saved up his money, because he for sure didn't fix this one.

fatfartenson

lol damn. I just need a vehicle to finish the semester. After that I was planning on selling the jeep and putting a motor kit on my bicycle. But how the hell am I even going to sell the jeep now? Did it just lose all its value? It is in great shape otherwise.

Cheddarnut

It's not worthless but it is worth a lot less if it's not running. You basically have to find some nut job like us who want a project vehicle and don't mind sourcing a motor. I've never sold one like that but I've got to think it's worth like a third of a running model. It's not a small project to buy and swap a motor or rebuild that one...

Firestorm500

In my area, a motivated buyer might pay $1000 knowing they have to replace the engine. And assuming it's a 4 X 4 and mostly rust-free.

Salvage yard will come get it for $250-350 or so.

You might get $1000 +/- in a trade-in for another car. The dealership can send someone out to appraise it.