Broken Water Pump? Did I ruin my Jeep??

[RChris173]

I was driving my Jeep and on my way back to the office the red battery light came on. I did the ignition switch test and got a diagnostic code indicating that there was something wrong with the charging system.

Well, it turns out that when I parked the Jeep I noticed a lot of water vapor coming out of the hood. I popped the hood and noticed there was coolant around the engine.

Since I am in cold weather, I let the engine cool off for the rest of the day and then planned to drive it to the shop on my way back from the office.

I was about 15 minutes away from the shop when on the highway the vehicle stalled and shut off. The low oil pressure light came on and I started hearing grinding noises when I restarted the vehicle as if a bearing or something was rattling.

Since there was a lot of traffic and it was stop and go, I drove on the shoulder and got off at my exit and straight toward the shop.

About 5 minutes from the shop, the check engine light came on and "ding ding ding ding ding." I looked at the temperature gauge, and it was all the way on HOT in the red zone.

I was very close to the shop so I kept going for the next 5 minutes and got there.

The battery was putting out over 13.4 volts with everything off. We let the engine cool off for a while before attempting to start it.

It had a hard time starting and made all sorts of noises. We waited even longer for it to cool then it started okay without any issues.

The mechanic thinks it is the water pump because it wobbled around and could explain the reason the charging system, power steering, and coolant boiling.

He is going to keep the Jeep overnight and start it up in the morning when it is cold and see how it starts up. We are hoping that it starts without any issue as that would indicate there is a serious engine problem if it has trouble from a cold start.

If it starts fine, he will replace the water pump.

What are the chances I ruined the engine driving while it was overheated for about 5 minutes?

 

[kj04libby]

Not to worry you. But if your vehicle ever overheats do NOT continue on your journey no matter what!

 

[RChris173]

Not to worry you. But if your vehicle ever overheats do NOT continue on your journey no matter what!

I realize that, but it's done and over with. I hope I didn't damage it. It was a short drive when the temp gauge was in the HOT zone.

 

[Slims]

I was about 15 minutes away from the shop when on the highway the vehicle stalled and shut off. The low oil pressure light came on and I started hearing grinding noises when I restarted the vehicle as if a bearing or something was rattling.

It had a hard time starting and made all sorts of noises. We waited even longer for it to cool then it started okay without any issues.

Id say your gonna need a rebuild going off what you posted. I'd get it done now while its at the shop. If you don't, you will have oil pressure issues and end up with a blown motor and you'll be out more money. Especially if a rod comes out of it.

 

[Slims]

If you don't do a rebuild, check you oil level and coolant twice a day. Check your tail pipe for oil. If it rinses off, it's soot not oil. Change your oil after a week for two weeks and look for water or glitter. (Bearings) If for some reason it dosn't want to start and wont turn over completely after sitting over night or for a couple hours, take two spark plugs out and try again. After you do that and it won't turn over, put those two back in and take out two different ones. Do that till you've checked all cylinders. If you take a spark plug out and turn it over and water shoots out, you have a blown head gasket or a warped head.

 

[CactusJacked]

Stopping to get a tow is a lot cheaper than it is to keep driving when overheated and ruining the engine. Maybe you lucked out, but you certainly didn't do the engine any favors.

 

[RChris173]

Id say your gonna need a rebuild going off what you posted. I'd get it done now while its at the shop. If you don't, you will have oil pressure issues and end up with a blown motor and you'll be out more money. Especially if a rod comes out of it.

Well, the noises sounded like it was coming from the water pump bearings. I guess I will have to wait until tomorrow morning when the shop attempts to start the vehicle from a cold start and see what it does.

Hoping it starts without issue.

 

[Slims]

Well, the noises sounded like it was coming from the water pump bearings. I guess I will have to wait until tomorrow morning when the shop attempts to start the vehicle from a cold start and see what it does.

Hoping it starts without issue.

Me too. Keep an eye on it and good luck!

 

[tommudd]

Did you check the coolant level before you left work?
It doesn't take too long running these engines hot for them to be done for.
If you do get by with just a water pump now, I'll bet you have issues later.

 

[RChris173]

Did you check the coolant level before you left work?
It doesn't take too long running these engines hot for them to be done for.
If you do get by with just a water pump now, I'll bet you have issues later.

The overflow reservoir had coolant in it before I left work. That's why I felt it was safe to drive. It wasn't until I got about 5 mins away from the shop that it overheated to the point of the temp gauge alarm going off.

It has about 109,000 miles on it and a few months ago I just put a frankenlift on it.

I don't know if I should just get a new vehicle or keep repairing this one if it turns out the engine is badly damaged.

 

[profdlp]

I wouldn't get too upset just yet, there's always time to panic later. Let them have a good look at it first. Your hair will get gray soon enough.

 

[02redKJ]

Scary! Mine never even overheated and my engine blew at 134000 miles. Oil light came on once for about 10 seconds until I gave it gas and then it went off. No water in oil, not oil in water. Just blew. I hope your luck is better than mine. Look for my thread about a good source of getting an engine. Anyone use these guys, and should be on main page right now.

 

[RChris173]

The shop called and said the Jeep started up okay without issue. It did have a minute or so to adjust to normal.

They attributed that to the fact that it had a rough time from before.

But they think there is no damage.

So I'm getting a new water pump, thermostat, and coolant flush. I specified for them to use the HOAT kind, even though they said it didn't matter.

 

[02redKJ]

When you go pick up your Jeep, you need to listen very carefully to the engine and see if you hear any ticking at all. If there is, it will only be a matter of time before it fails. A shop that does not know what HOAT is, wouldn't be one I would use. It is imperative to use HOAT in these engines. Major damage will occur without symptoms until it is too late. Need to completely flush cooling system before refilling with HOAT, or protective properties of HOAT will be neutralized.

 

[RChris173]

When you go pick up your Jeep, you need to listen very carefully to the engine and see if you hear any ticking at all. If there is, it will only be a matter of time before it fails. A shop that does not know what HOAT is, wouldn't be one I would use. It is imperative to use HOAT in these engines. Major damage will occur without symptoms until it is too late. Need to completely flush cooling system before refilling with HOAT, or protective properties of HOAT will be neutralized.

What would the ticking noise indicate?

I made sure that HOAT was used.

I got a call from the shop and was told that the Jeep started up fine from a cold start and after the water pump and thermostat were replaced, they did a flush and filled it with the Mopar HOAT coolant.

I was told though, that the check engine light stayed on and it felt like there were misfiring cylinders while accelerating.

When I did the ignition switch to get the diagnostic code before dropping it off, I did get a P300 code indicating random cylinder misfire.

What should I do about the random cylinder misfire?

 

[02redKJ]

What would the ticking noise indicate?

As mine was, when you accelerate you hear it more pronounced. It turned out that the wrist pins on the rod had ovaled out and the play in them was causing the tick that eventually turned into a bang, bang, bang, bang sound. At that point, stop driving it and have it checked out by Chrysler experienced mechanic. He should be able to listen to it and tell you for sure if you are going to need a new engine.

When I did the ignition switch to get the diagnostic code before dropping it off, I did get a P300 code indicating random cylinder misfire.

Not likely to be the cause of your knock, but could be. Also could be the computer connection got wet. 300 is a generic code for misfire. Not sure which cylinder. Mine had a misfire code of 303 after rebuild and found it to need a replacement computer.

Start checking the normal stuff... Compression, water in oil, oil in water etc... Remove a plug pack at a time and see if it gets worse or better. A good mechanic should be able to diagnose this pretty quickly.

 

[CactusJacked]

You brought in a severely overheated engine. The shop doesn't know about the coolant your Jeep requires. You have a random cylinder misfire, which means it could be one or many cylinders but the system doesn't know which ones specifically. And with having a misfire code and feeling the misfire when driving, the shop isn't telling you anything? Did they send you on your merry way like this? I sure hope not. If so, you need to take your Jeep anywhere else but there. Given the circumstances (overheating), you could have anything from a blown fuse to a blown head gasket. (let's not over analyze the fuse suggestion, it was for demonstration purposes only). Knowing what happened, the shop should have done a combustion gases test on the coolant, a coolant pressure test, and perhaps even a cylinder compression test. Your possible causes for the misfire are many.

 

[tjkj2002]

1st thing I do when I get a overheated engine in is to do a block test,of course if a repair is required 1st to be able to run the engine the customer is made aware and will still have to pay for said service if the block test comes back as bad.

 

[RChris173]

You brought in a severely overheated engine. The shop doesn't know about the coolant your Jeep requires. You have a random cylinder misfire, which means it could be one or many cylinders but the system doesn't know which ones specifically. And with having a misfire code and feeling the misfire when driving, the shop isn't telling you anything? Did they send you on your merry way like this? I sure hope not. If so, you need to take your Jeep anywhere else but there. Given the circumstances (overheating), you could have anything from a blown fuse to a blown head gasket. (let's not over analyze the fuse suggestion, it was for demonstration purposes only). Knowing what happened, the shop should have done a combustion gases test on the coolant, a coolant pressure test, and perhaps even a cylinder compression test. Your possible causes for the misfire are many.

I haven't picked it up yet. I was told there would be additional fees for testing it for finding out the cause of the misfire.

I told them to not do it. I am picking it up today.

Should I take it to a Jeep dealership instead regarding the cylinder misfire issue?

 

[02redKJ]

You brought in a severely overheated engine. The shop doesn't know about the coolant your Jeep requires. You have a random cylinder misfire, which means it could be one or many cylinders but the system doesn't know which ones specifically. And with having a misfire code and feeling the misfire when driving, the shop isn't telling you anything? Did they send you on your merry way like this? I sure hope not. If so, you need to take your Jeep anywhere else but there. Given the circumstances (overheating), you could have anything from a blown fuse to a blown head gasket. (let's not over analyze the fuse suggestion, it was for demonstration purposes only). Knowing what happened, the shop should have done a combustion gases test on the coolant, a coolant pressure test, and perhaps even a cylinder compression test. Your possible causes for the misfire are many.

I couldn't find a nice way to say that. Good job CJ!