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Blown Head Gasket - Have Coolant - Can I Drive 20 Miles?

Hi all. I'm not much of a car guy, so I was hoping someone could give me advice. I already checked some of the boards for an answer to my question, but would like clarification on this. I have a '98 Jeep Cherokee Sport, 6C 4.0L.

I was driving from home to work and about 15 miles into my trip my temp gauge shot through the roof and engine started running hard. I pulled over and shut it off, opened the hood and smoke was rolling out from where the front belts are and around the middle of the engine. I got a tow to the nearest town and got it to a shop and, stupid me, I didn't have any coolant. So now there is coolant but I'm pretty sure the head gasket is blown (so coolant is leaking into my oil).

Okay, so my question: I know that worse things happen to an engine when antifreeze/coolant gets into the oil, but I only have to drive it

20 miles to get it home (and from there get it towed to my mechanic). Is it safe ENOUGH to drive it the 20 miles to get it home?

Hope to hear from someone soon, thanks! :-)

Jason

Reply to
jasondefra
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It'll be cheaper to get it towed than get a warped head fixed.

Reply to
Duncan Wood

No, get it towed/trailored.

If it was a 15 year old Fiat Panda, yes (DAMHIK, IJK).

Si

Reply to
Mungo "Two Sheds" Toadfoot

Thanks for the advice guys. I'm gonna get it towed, I just checked some of the problem signs (half of the anti-freeze I put in that tank is gone, water is dripping out of the tailpipe, it runs rough on startup) and definitely don't want to risk any further damage. Now all I have to do is win the lottery :-(

Reply to
jasondefra

Obviously not a car guy then... ;-)

If it is a gasket gone, your coolant is what you saw as smoke... it wasn't that you forgot to check it (although that could be true as well...)

What makes you sure? What symptoms do you see?

If it was mine, I wouldn't. When coolant (water and antifreeze) gets into the oil, it doesn't mix. So sometimes you get oil lubricating your expensive engine, sometimes you get water, or a foamy mixture. Neither of which is a very good lubricant.

I know it wasn't what you wanted to hear, but...

If you try and drive twenty miles with lots of water in the oil, you could well kill your engine and need to replace it. Not cheap at all, even if it wasn't four litres...

Reply to
PCPaul

It's a four litre jeep. A win win situation I'd say.

Reply to
malc

Are the 4L Jeep engines built poorly or something?

Reply to
jasondefra

No it's the concept of using a 4X4 with a four litre engine for commuting. Unless your work involves getting into inaccessible places in the American logging forests of course.

Reply to
malc

I live in Northern Wisconsin... everything up this far is inaccessible (particularly during this time of year). Plus, I bought it in 2001 for 8 grand.

:-)

Reply to
jasondefra

rec.autos.tech is probably more use to you in general then.

Reply to
Duncan Wood

It's becoming more tempting. Shame there isn't a (readily available) conversion kit for the motorbike as well.

Reply to
malc

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