Water leak overheating
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 9
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From: Bettendorf,Iowa 52722
Year: 97
Model: Grand Cherokee
Engine: 5.2
97 JGCL 5.2 V8.I am boiling out a lot of water in the resevoir and leaking above the water pump. I don't think it's a cracked head. I have already changed the upper and lower hoses flushed it replaced radiator cap. About every other day I am adding 2 liters travel mostly in town less than 20 miles a day. What am I missing.
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
As soon as the coolant in the reservoir begins to boil, see if it's cold to the touch. If it is, you are getting compression gasses into the cooling system. Aka, blown head gasket or cracked head.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
From: Bettendorf,Iowa 52722
Year: 97
Model: Grand Cherokee
Engine: 5.2
That water is boiling hot. Is there possibly a hidden water delivery hose inside the engine above the water pump. Maybe a gasket going or is bad. I'm waiting for the weather to cool down so my dad can help me and not have breathing problems and heat stroke. This issue has us both stummped
CF Veteran
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 2,215
Likes: 635
From: Hangover, PA
Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee(XJ)
Engine: 4.0L
Can you get a picture of where it is leaking?
try starting the engine(cold start) and watch for bubbles in the radiator(with the cap off). that is a sign of exhaust gases being forced into the coolant
try starting the engine(cold start) and watch for bubbles in the radiator(with the cap off). that is a sign of exhaust gases being forced into the coolant
CF Veteran




Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 2,863
Likes: 201
From: syracuse ny
Year: 1997 230,000 miles
Model: Grand Cherokee (ZJ)
Engine: 4.0, new lifters valve job with new springs and exhaust valves, preload set with shims
Go rent the radiator pressure tester from Autozone. Invaluable tool for figuring these problems out. From the picture it looks like you might have a leaking intake gasket. The cooling jacket does rout through the intake I think,..try tightening the intake? Most radiator shops will test the coolant to see if there are compression gasses.
Last edited by 97grand4.0; Aug 6, 2017 at 03:34 AM.


