Jeep Overheated and Now Has Major Problems HELPP!!!!
So here's the back story. about a week ago i noticed a vapor coming from my defrost vents (heater core leak) so i have been very **** about not letting my coolant go low. A few days later i filled her up with coolant and drove about 25 miles on the freeway and noticed a weird clicking noise. I left off the gas and the clicking went away. At that point i noticed my temp gauge all the way pinged on 260 check gauges light came on and immediately pulled off the freeway onto the exit which at the end the jeep shut down. Lucky had lots of water so i filled the reserve up, cracked the radiator cap and relieved the pressure. Let her cool and filled the radiator all the way. Managed to get her started and she chugged to the nearest gas station (2 Blocks) trying to die on me. Anyways figured out she was almost out of oil so i poured in 4 quarts. Let her sit and started her up. She continued to chugg unless i really revved her and she would sound like normal. Shut her off and noticed a **** ton of oil on the passenger side. Checked the dip and she was empty again.
She starts but sounds like complete crap. Doesn't have a huge pinging noise or anything like that but chuggs and chuggs.
Does anyone know what could be leaking oil that bad and what kind of damage occurred when she over heated?
Im new to jeeps and dont know what to do. This is my only family car. Please help me out.
She starts but sounds like complete crap. Doesn't have a huge pinging noise or anything like that but chuggs and chuggs.
Does anyone know what could be leaking oil that bad and what kind of damage occurred when she over heated?
Im new to jeeps and dont know what to do. This is my only family car. Please help me out.
CF Veteran




Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 3,141
Likes: 360
From: Andover, VT
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0 L
Sounds like you got some issues. As far as the oil goes, you're going to have to crawl under there and find the source of the leak, which should be dealt with immediately. For the over hearing, there's a good chance you warped your head, which will need to be machined flat again.
It is a major leak yet I can't seem to find it. It's coming from the passenger side of the engine. When i get under and look it seems to be somewhere above the engine mount but below any view from the top. Is there anything on that side that could leak that much oil. We're talking 4 quarts in a matter of a few mins if that.
Old fart with a wrench
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 14,398
Likes: 741
From: Manlius, east of Syracuse, NY
Year: 2000 XJ Sport & WJ Laredo
Model: Grand Cherokee (WJ)
Engine: 4.0L
My thought exactly. He never said what engine he has, but he probably melted the oil filter gasket. If it got that hot, it could have toasted the bearings and scuffed pistons. My wife did that with my Chevy 350. She blew a heater hose in the pouring rain and never noticed it until it stopped running.
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Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 311
Likes: 1
From: South Florida
Year: 1998
Model: Grand Cherokee
Engine: 5.2L

The light, glasses, and dye are probably all you need to find the leak. Overheating a motor can do some really horrible things. Even if you pull the heads and machine them down, there's no telling what other things might have been impacted by the overheating.
How long has it had cooling problems? Is this the first time you've noticed or has it had some trouble and now finally culminated in what you've described above?
Last edited by po0dingles; May 21, 2014 at 08:38 AM.
Old fart with a wrench
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 14,398
Likes: 741
From: Manlius, east of Syracuse, NY
Year: 2000 XJ Sport & WJ Laredo
Model: Grand Cherokee (WJ)
Engine: 4.0L
Don't you think we should cure his oil leak before we tackle the A/C?
Maybe you have a cam cover leak.
Maybe you have a cam cover leak.
I'm gonna check that oil leak out today. Gonna have to take her apart a little. I figured out the horrible noise my engine is making is from the low oil pressure. The heater/ac problem I know is my heater core. It started leaking a week or more ago. That's why I kept dumping coolant in it. I know I can do that myself. I will get back to you guys with some picture later and maybe you could tell me what it is that's leaking. Thanks guys for the input so far.
It is a major leak yet I can't seem to find it. It's coming from the passenger side of the engine. When i get under and look it seems to be somewhere above the engine mount but below any view from the top. Is there anything on that side that could leak that much oil. We're talking 4 quarts in a matter of a few mins if that.
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