Engine Slight coolant smell

ggradtech · Jun 23, 2020

My car has a slight coolant smell when it gets hot. No leaks, drips whatsoever, and I’m not loosing coolant anywhere. I just can’t figure out why I detect a slight coolant smell after it gets warmed up. Maybe I’ll swap out the radiator cap. I don’t know what else it can be coming from. I don’t have a heater core, it was bypassed a long time ago. Car doesn’t overheat. Runs at about 190* with AC on when it 110* outside. Using a dual a Contour type fan. Thanks

General karthief · Jun 23, 2020

If you have a coolant odor you have a leak. It is seeping someplace, it is just not enough yet to effect the level.
suspected areas are corners of lower intake, hoses at the egr valve or the egr valve itself, timing cover at the water jacket, freeze plugs, these are not all the places.
A leak may appear like white runs if it is very small and dry.

ggradtech · Jun 23, 2020

I looked everywhere. No trace of any kind that I can see. If I “sniff“ the radiator neck/ cap area, it does slightly smell like coolant. Maybe a new cap and see if it helps?

Cheapskate207 · Jun 23, 2020

A coolant pressure test may make short time of finding your leak.

91GTstroked · Jun 25, 2020

What about having the stock coolant reservoir? The top of the stock reservoir is open in case it overflows. Can't that create a coolant smell being it's open?

General karthief · Jun 25, 2020

You should not smell coolant unless it is leaking. Just a drop or two on a hot surface will stink for awhile.

ggradtech · Jun 26, 2020

Still not finding any evidence of a leak. No white drips or puddles. The overflow is an aftermarket type, and it looks good and seals well. The rad cap does have a slight hot coolant odor. I should at least change that out I think.

7991LXnSHO · Jun 26, 2020

The coolant leak down test will pressurize the system, check your cap and everything else without the system being hot. I got a tester from Amazon, but Advance Auto usually has one for check out. It can make short work of finding little leaks like this, and was worth the money!

Cheapskate207 said:
A coolant pressure test may make short time of finding your leak.

Habu135 · Jun 26, 2020

Is it when you turn on your heater? That would be an indication of your heater core going bad.

91TwighlightGT · Jun 26, 2020

Habu135 said:
Is it when you turn on your heater? That would be an indication of your heater core going bad.

He said he doesn't have a heater core.

I'd definitely pressure test the system. If you are smelling it, I would be more apt to think it would be in a hot area on the engine itself or contacting the exhaust system.

Habu135 · Jun 26, 2020

91TwighlightGT said:
He said he doesn't have a heater core.

I'd definitely pressure test the system. If you are smelling it, I would be more apt to think it would be in a hot area on the engine itself or contacting the exhaust system.

Sorry. Skimmed over too quickly.

7991LXnSHO · Jun 26, 2020

The core was also my first thought until I saw it was bypassed.

Habu135 said:
Sorry. Skimmed over too quickly.

Rdub6 · Jun 26, 2020

When my thermostat housing first started to go, I realized it from the smell, then I found the “oily spray“ on the underside of the hood.
No real leak or puddle anywhere else at first.
I guess only as the pressure built, the leak was small enough causing the spray to appear.

Engine Slight coolant smell

ggradtech

Active Member

General karthief

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair

ggradtech

Active Member

Cheapskate207

The left one hangs a little lower

91GTstroked

General karthief

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair

ggradtech

Active Member

7991LXnSHO

wanna catch the space herp

Habu135

91TwighlightGT

Habu135

7991LXnSHO

wanna catch the space herp

Rdub6

So while I wait to figure out my rear end issues

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Engine Slight coolant smell

Active Member

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair

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The left one hangs a little lower

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair

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wanna catch the space herp

wanna catch the space herp

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