I just got towed

[whatis42]

I was on the freeway going up a med. grade. I started to loose power so I pulled over and then a lot of steam started to come out of the engine bay.

 

 

So loss of power and coolant leak.......... head gasket? I'll pull the plugs to see if there is oil or water on them after I EAT...

 

Any tips or ideas?

 

Thanks,

Kendrick

[speed_racer]

Loss of power can be simply from the overheating, itself.

 

First thing I'd check for is old cracked/worn hoses, your pressure bottle (if closed system), your radiator cap (if open system), thermostat, and flush motor.

 

Start simple.

[Eagle]

Yeah, you have an '88. The plastic coolant bottle on your firewall is part of the pressurized system. It is NOT an overflow catch tank. If the cap doesn't seal (or wasn't put on tight), or the bottle cracks -- your system can't hold pressure and you'll gradually boil off coolant until it gets low enough to let you know something is amiss.

[whatis42]

ya I kinda jumped to conclusions, it was just that the po seemed shifty. I have not had a change to check it yet, I worked 11 hours to day so I'm tired. Thanks tomorrow after work I'll check those things.

 

What could have caused it to over heat?

 

Was it just this?

 

 

 

thankss

[speed_racer]

that, has nothing to do with it.

 

Once again, what caused it? STart simple.

 

Have you been wheeling? If in mud check sensor on front panel of fan clutch.

 

Next, check Pressure bottle up by firewall for any cracks whatsoever.

 

Then all hoses.

 

If that checks out, replace thermostat.

 

If still warm, check fan clutch by using the "warm-motor-cardboard trick"...

 

If still overheating... I'd recommend wiring elec fan to a switch, and having radiator AND block BACKFLUSHED at a shop, not jus the stuff you can do yourself.

 

But up to the top of the list, make sure your rad is flowing, and has no damaged fins.

 

Hope this helps.

[DirtyComanche]

Every overheating problem I've ever had with 4.0 MJs/XJs is because either I blew the lower rad hose off (umm, long story...) or the plastic bottle decided to go bang.

 

 

 

The best one was when I was 1 hour from home and the plastic bottle ruptured... Just a tiny crack, but it wasn't holding pressure and I was losing coolant. The hot coolant sprayed on my alternator - killed it. So I drove to a gas station, let it cool off and bought lots of coolant. Then I limped it back home driving a ways and stopping to add coolant and let it cool off (all the time the battery running down) until I made it back... It was misfiring like hell coming down the last hill to my house. I shut it off in the driveway and tried to start it again and the battery was so dead it couldn't even throw the starter solenoid completely...

[87manche]

been there, I vote pplastic bottle cracked or the cap not holding it's pressure.

I sympathize with DC, I had the coolant bottle pop it's lower hose off, it doused my starter and killed it.

[carnuck]

The design of the Blackstone rads has tubes that are too small and they plug up easily. People will put tap water in to make their pure antifreeze 50/50 and wonder why the system clogs up too. (I run premix because the water is correct PH, with no chlorine or other engine killing chemicals added)