Thank God this happened just as i got home

'96 XJ 4.0 here ... So doing about 10 mph, right before turning into the driveway I hear some kind of rattle/clunking sound for about 2-3 seconds coming from the engine and just that second I lose power steering. I crank it on into the drive, pull around back and get out to see I've been putting out coolant all the way back to where I lost the steering out in the street. And right there as I'm parked the engine temp is normal but there's all kinds of coolant pouring out the front of the engine. It continues to rain down for the next 3-4 minutes while I scamper around getting my face burned in the stuff trying to see where it's coming from. After getting a couple angles on it it seemed to be coming out from behind the top big pulley in the center of the engine.



Isn't that the water pump pulley? So what type of equipment failure do you have when there's a rattle sound followed by coolant pouring out the front of your engine around the water pump? Almost sounds like something failed mechanically in the pump which led to the leak. I'm guessing replacing whatever it is shouldn't be too difficult.

But then why did I lose power steering? Could coolant on the belt have caused that?

Water pump is shot and yes fluids made the belt slip!

You need a water pump, and yes, coolant on the belt can cause slippage and thus no power steering.

The rattle is an interesting failure mode, but probably means the water pump bearings failed more spectacularly than usual. Normal failure mode is some extra play leading to a small leak from the seal. It sounds like yours was more than just some extra play, and not just a small leak.

At least the timing was as good as possible.

Maybe pick up a lottery ticket along with that new pump.

So now I've confirmed it's def the water pump I need to be replacing. I've got Oreilly's, zone, advance and quest close to me. Any particular brand I should go for? I'd like to at least get OE.

NAPA has Gates pumps, pretty good quality. I would avoid the house brands.

I'm a little confused on the pricing of the water pumps I'm finding at Rockauto...

http://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/jeep,1996,cherokee,4.0l+l6,1180314,cooling+system,water+pump,2208

Is the second one down, the GMB 1101080 for $16.06 the one I'm looking for? If it's OE seems like it would be more expensive compared to the others that aren't listed as OE.

bradleyheathhays said:

I'm a little confused on the pricing of the water pumps I'm finding at Rockauto...

http://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/jeep,1996,cherokee,4.0l+l6,1180314,cooling+system,water+pump,2208

Is the second one down, the GMB 1101080 for $16.06 the one I'm looking for? If it's OE seems like it would be more expensive compared to the others that aren't listed as OE.

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Go to NAPA and spend the $40.

Spend money and get a Hesco pump.

Do not try Autozone Durajunk lifetime Water pumps. 2 died in 6 months, that was was enough for me.

I have CQ water pumps in both my heeps. No issues.

Funny story. Had something like the same failure. Scratch clatter from the engine which I planned to take in to the mechanic. As the wife and I were headed out to the wilderness it starts again, so we start driving to the shop. Two turns away we lose power steering and pull into the mechanic's lot just as we begin to overheat. Second piece of good luck we've had with breakdowns.

In my case it was just the water pump's bearings failing, causing the pulley to go out of alignment and the belt jumped off.

Thanks for all the perspectives everybody. I ended up going with a NAPA for 34 and everything works like it should after getting it all back together.

But yeah on how it failed... fairly dramatic, no warning. Haven't been seeing any coolant in the driveway and I'd that's something I'd probably notice. After I got to the pump pulley it wanted to stop about every 2 or 3 rotations when I tried to hand rotate. Propellers were in tact, they had just dug out some scrapes from the sidewall they're close to. I've had a squeak somewhere in my belt system for a couple years now and b/c I hadn't found it the only solution was to tighten the idler pulley more. Well it turns out the squeak was coming from the idler pulley the whole time. So now that I'm replacing it hopefully I'll be able to learn what proper belt tension looks like and not get things too tight, which may have been the reason the water pump bearings failed.

bradleyheathhays said:

So now that I'm replacing it hopefully I'll be able to learn what proper belt tension looks like and not get things too tight, which may have been the reason the water pump bearings failed.

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Burnt a few alternator bearings myself back in my younger days from over tightening. I have a Krikit for both belt types now. Some Napas carry in stock, some don't.

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_...refix=krikit,automotive,206&crid=VCOUQ8T3WHTP

MACH90XJ said:

Burnt a few alternator bearings myself back in my younger days from over tightening. I have a Krikit for both belt types now. Some Napas carry in stock, some don't.



https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_...refix=krikit,automotive,206&crid=VCOUQ8T3WHTP

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I've had poor luck with those, for the op I'd definitely look up the reviews as I know others have had bad experience of those things not getting the right tension and being way tighter than what it reads.


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Anyone have any experience with the FlowKooler water pumps? https://www.quadratec.com/products/71212_100.htm

A little pricey but sounds like a good upgrade over the OEM.