GreeenXJ

So about 20 minutes ago I walked out of the market and right as I approached my Jeep I heard a psssshhhhhhhh sound along with steam pouring out from under the hood.

I noticed a large amount of coolant on the ground.

I popped the hood to find the coolant level full and the radiator very cool, not even hot.

I let it sit for a few before I started it again in hopes to just get it home, roughly 2 miles away. Engine turned right over as if nothing happened, thermostat was right in the middle, so I figured everything was OK enough to get me home to check it out.

About 1 mile into my journey the car stalled out, thermostat still reading normal. I cranked it and started it again and drove another 1/4 mile before it cut off for the second time.

Called the tow truck and had it brought to my local mechanic.

-My question is could I have seized the engine? It wasn't making any knocking/pinging sounds, it drove fine, oil was full, but it did stall out twice? I am just worried they may find something when they fix the coolant issue....

I'm guessing it's the thermostat, and probably a hose had cracked?
It's a 98 4.0 and I just hit 100k, it's just a baby!

Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

n8dawg

If it was seized you would hear a noise kind of like a "clunk" if it would even start. Did the motor get real hot? the right mixture of coolant is also important, as too much water will boil over at alot cooler temps. Where did the coolant leak out from? Did it boil out of the reservoir?

mrmikey32

you would know if you seized it... maybe you wouldnt, but the car would not start again.

ken72

since this happened a couple of hours ago did you learn what happened yet? I worry that you blew your head. I did this quite a few years ago but my temp was redline back then. Good luck and keep us informed.

Just got to say to anyone who might experience something like this, do not drive in this condition. Try to find the leak before you drive. Something like a broken or loose hose could be cause. I made this mistake a long time ago and a simple t-stat or hose repare would have been a lot cheeper than a tow truck and a new engine. I am not comming down on you Greeenxj because I made this mistake once as well, I just want to help future drivers.

superj

happened to the wife and i on new year's eve and has cost us 500 bucks in a 4 hour tow and then 1750 for a new engine for the liberty. temp gauge never moved but the radiator dumped the fluid on the highway

ken72

That sucks! And I worry about that myself.

tuxfan212

Yeah mine overheated the other day on the highway. Just a Heater Control Valve but it blew coolant all over the highway. Luckily my dad was able to just route the hose differently and fill it up with coolant.

89cherokeelimited

I put a new thermostat in every year and check hoses once a year since that happened to me in my yota about 4 years ago.

n8dawg

thats a little excessive on the t-stat...why not just get a failsafe t-stat? and visually inspecting hoses yearly is always a good idea, I always do look when i change my oil on my vehicles, which is normally every 3 months.

caged

failsafe t-stats are garbage. cause you never know when or if they fail.

did you not put more coolant or at least water in the system when you seen the puddle on the ground, before you decided to drive it home?

you might have warped your head. it's hard to do cause we all know how tough this block and head setup is, but it's been done if overheated enough.

good luck, i hope it doesn't cost you too much.

n8dawg

You know when they fail...your car will take forever to heat up, if it even heats up. I have used them in all my cars and had one go bad once, you could drive the car for hours and the temp gauge wouldnt move. Pulled the t-stat and replaced and it worked again....its a hell of a lot better then your car overheating.

Anyways, did you take your truck in? keep us updated