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Who wants to bear the bad news?

D

desertfox1023

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Burlington, NC
So my water pump went out on the jeep - 94 4.0 HO. I replaced it but the gasket apparently didn't seal and the antifreeze ran out of the jeep. So I flushed it out with water to see were it was leaking which I discovered was the water pump gasket. I was tired of working on it all day and decided to do it when I get back to school. Problem is the temperature dropped into the 20's last night and I'm scared the blocked could have cracked. Anyone got something reassuring to say like the water could have drained out and not have ruined the block or that it could have just ruined the new water pump? Does the 94 Cherokee blocks have freeze plugs on them? If so how hard are they to replace? I can't get down to school where the jeep is till Wednesday hopefully it's ok.
 
More details needed here. Did it overheat?

Best bet is to fix it, ensure a 50/50 mixture of coolant/water, verify no leaks and see how the engine operates.

BTW, yes it has freeze plugs. Why are you asking about them?
 
birchlakeXJ said:
More details needed here. Did it overheat?

Best bet is to fix it, ensure a 50/50 mixture of coolant/water, verify no leaks and see how the engine operates.

BTW, yes it has freeze plugs. Why are you asking about them?
Click to expand...

It didn't overheat, it was overheating so I replaced the water pump. The OEM Gasket I put on it didn't seal properly and the anti-freeze leaked out the bottom of it. I ran water through it to see where it was leaking from. I'm thinking the water all leaked out the bottom of the gasket of the water pump so the block wouldn't have cracked. That's what I'm hoping anyway. I read that the freeze plugs keep the block from cracking.
 
20 degrees for a night or 2 max should not freeze all the water to the point that it will expand and break the block. maybe a freeze plug but i doubt it.I guess the daytime temp is above freezing.
 
Sponge Bob said:
20 degrees for a night or 2 max should not freeze all the water to the point that it will expand and break the block. maybe a freeze plug but i doubt it.I guess the daytime temp is above freezing.
Click to expand...

Ya it's been in the 40's. I'm pretty sure it's fine now. I just wasn't sure how full the block had to be to crack. It is most likely less than half full. I didn't refill it with ATF cause it would have leaked back out on the concrete so that should say something about how bout how bad it was leaking.
 
desertfox1023 said:
oops ya, wrong abbreviation:roflmao:. I would have a problem if tried running it with transmission fluid in the block.
Click to expand...
But you wouldn't have to worry bout it freezing? LOL. Sorry, could not resist.:wave1:
 
No one can predict what happens when the coolant (or water) freezes in engine. But the weakest part of any cooling system is the radiator and heater core. They are very thin aluminum. And the "freeze" plugs are actually core plugs. They are there only to get the core sand out after the casting process. Some are easy to replace, some are not.

Fill er back up with water when you get back and run it until it gets good and hot. If you can't see any leaks (fingers crossed) in new spots, drain all you can out, fix the water pump gasket and put in straight antifreeze until you have put in half of the system capacity. Then add water to top off. Don't put antifreeze in right away because when it runs all over, you can poison a lot of critters. Although they supposedly have non-poisonous now.
 
Yesterday a friend's 96 ZJ froze...had the wrong coolant concentration, too much water. Blew his head gaskets and radiator. First thought the block had cracked but apparently it is only the head gaskets.
 
Well me and my friend went down to Charlotte today. We pulled the water pump off and there was still anti-freeze in the block, so the block was good. The gasket had got pinched in one corner when we put it on the first time. So I installed a new one with some RTV sealant and she runs like a champ now. Thanks for the advice and assurance guys and praise God that this mistake didn't cost me the jeep.
 
desertfox1023 said:
Well me and my friend went down to Charlotte today. We pulled the water pump off and there was still anti-freeze in the block, so the block was good. The gasket had got pinched in one corner when we put it on the first time. So I installed a new one with some RTV sealant and she runs like a champ now. Thanks for the advice and assurance guys and praise God that this mistake didn't cost me the jeep.
Click to expand...

Yay, gotta love a happy ending! :cheers:

Merry Christmas!
 
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