Got a surprise when I went to refill my washer fluid

The washer fluid bearings had spun! No, not quite so simple I saw coolant in various spots looks like a V-shape starting around the thermostat.. some on the A/C compressor, air intake on back. Coolant level is lower than it used to be. Pulled the oil filler cap and saw the beginning of white build up. Pulled the oil dipstick and the oil looked OK. Looks like the head gasket let go sometime between Monday and today when I changed the oil. I've driven to work every day this week, about 700 miles total. It has been very cold this week, but I have never associated cold weather with head gaskets... usually radiators. The Jeep has been running great, starts great, no noticeable smoke, lifters are quiet.

Given that the likelihood of head cracks on 97 XJ's is pretty low, I am guessing the head gasket let go. I plan to pull the head and look things over and drop it off at the machine shop unless I see any noticeable cracks.

Has the outside temperature dropped since you changed your oil? Might just be basic condensation, not necessarily the headgasket... Try some Seafoam in the oil for a week first (clean the 710 cap when you do it so you will have a clean testing slate)... It's a trick a very old Jeep mechanic taught me like 20 years ago, he started working on them in Europe during the war (the one they were basically invented for)...

Yes, we got an arctic blast. Yes, it was about 50-60F when I changed the oil before going to work on Monday morning. Temps dropped about 45 degrees on Monday and have been hovering roughly between -6F and 10F since. I was thining exhaust gases mixing with coolant forced some out? Either that or the dealer water pump has gone on me. But it seems weird that that would put radiator on the top of the engine and hood. The coolant looks like its on top and also bottom. At first I was in denial and wondered if it was someone elses coolant That's when I pulled the oil filler cap and saw the white creamy stuff.

The coolant in your engine compartment could be from a hose, fitting, gasket (pump or thermostat), or the radiator itself having a small leak. Sudden severe temperature changes can wreak havoc on parts like cooling systems and electrical components like the starter and alternator. Just pull it in the garage with a heater for a few hours. Let it thaw a little, wipe down where you see the coolant, and thoroughly inspect everything slowly and methodically with a small, bright LED flashlight. Start with inspecting the radiator and work your way back. Look at the fins in the core, where the tanks attach to the core, mounting points along the radiator, where the hoses connect to the radiator and engine, heater hoses, everything.

Thanks, I couldn't see any traces on the radiator but I'd need to remove both shrouds to be sure. I'll go through and make sure all the bolts are snug. I suppose the fact that the oil filler cap build up was very white rather than oil colored means it may not be head gasket after all.

I got the same shock when I was working in middle of nowhere western Wyoming a few years ago. My 87 MJ did the same thing when the first hard freeze hit...

I fired it up this morning and saw coolant running down the upper radiator hose at the thermostat housing. I tightened that hose clamp and the lower radiator hose clamp. The other hose clamps are the self adjusting tension ones. It was 30-50F outside today but no leaks. And the white stuff under the oil filler cap I cleaned off has not come back yet. It was the first time I can remember having that kind of build up on the oil filler cap. Thanks!

Not a problem. Put some Seafoam in the oil as well, it will help prevent it from coming back and helps clean nasty oil residue...