• Mustang Forums
  • 1996 - 2004 SN95 Mustang -General/Talk-
  • SN95 V6 Mustang Tech

smell gas in water

  • Thread starter Thread starter v8quest
  • Start date Start date Feb 8, 2009

v8quest

New Member
Oct 26, 2003
28
0
0
Alabama
Feb 8, 2009
#1
  • Feb 8, 2009
  • #1
let me tell you what its doing
had the car about 3 weeks now.about once a week,it wants to try and run hot...and the heater stops blowing heat.
last week,i changed the themostat..it was a 160 to a new 195.car ran all week long...most it has since we have had it.usually,it tries to act up every 3-4 days.Car ran with the hot hand never even getting close to half way
before i go on,it has a new radiator.
ok,car ran for one week,wife goes to buy groceris and comes back in and syas it is 3/4 way up..and heat stopped.i get in it...dive it..heater come son..hands goes down some.mostly stays at 3/4.i slow to stop..no heat..i go again..heat comes back.
soooo,i pull it in the yard...check everything...no gurgling of water...everything feels right.
check oil again..no mixing.
but i do take the radiator cap off.....smell it...smells like it has gas in it.I decide to take the vent plug off one more time. As soon as i do...i hear and see it burp 4 bubbles.
so,put the radiator and vent plug back on...tell the wife to give it a go...comes back in 5 minutes....temp hand is between cold and half way(perfect) and heater is working.
so,my questions
1)why the gas smell?
2)why trying to overheat/no heater?
would a small HG prick cause all of this.would thta make the bubbles in the water and the gas smell?
 

MustangLX-5.0

Founding Member
Dec 2, 2000
856
7
38
Lehigh Acres Fla.
Feb 9, 2009
#2
  • Feb 9, 2009
  • #2
It's either one of 2 things.Either you got a head gasket leaking or there's a small crack in one of the cylinder heads near one of the intake valve guides.The latter would explain why you would be getting gas smell in your radiator and bubbles coming out the bleed tube.The bubbles could be creating hot spots on the cylinder heads while driving.Then then you are at idle,the low system pressure lets the excess bubbles float into the heater core which would explain the cold air at idle.You may also want to check the carpet on the passenger floor.Make sure there aren't any wet spots which would be a sign of the heater core leaking.And if the heater core were leaking in the right spot,it could introduce air into the cooling system.

A head gasket could also introduce plenty of intake or combustion gases into the cooling system.And it doesn't always mix oil with coolant.It just depends on where the gasket is leaking.Now,if you recently change the t-stat and radiator,make sure you properly bled all the air out of the cooling system.You might've just got the last bit of air out.

How is the level in the overflow reservoir? Does the exhaust smoke? How many miles?
 

v8quest

New Member
Oct 26, 2003
28
0
0
Alabama
Feb 9, 2009
#3
  • Feb 9, 2009
  • #3
when i took the vent valve off...the bubble "burped" in the radiator.not in the vent valve.I had the radiator cap off and i watched them "burp".
I checked the floorboards..i also thought heatre core..no leak at all.all dry.
water level is fine....no smoke..and 113k miles
 

MustangLX-5.0

Founding Member
Dec 2, 2000
856
7
38
Lehigh Acres Fla.
Feb 9, 2009
#4
  • Feb 9, 2009
  • #4
Probably just had excess air in the system.Try running the engine a little more,shut off and then pull the vent plug (never pull plug when engine is running).There still may be a little more air in the system.Now,if air keeps popping up in the system constantly then you got one of the above mentioned problems.So you shouldn't have to bleed the air more than 2 or 3 times.Keep a close eye on it for a little while and post if anything else comes up.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

M
2001 v6 heater return pipe leak question
  • mnky99
  • Nov 11, 2025
  • SN95 V6 Mustang Tech
Replies
1
Views
252
SN95 V6 Mustang Tech Nov 11, 2025
mnky99
M
Engine Themostat
  • Mindseye007
  • Jan 30, 2026
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech
  • 2
Replies
21
Views
741
Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech Feb 1, 2026
86HO5.0
8
A
2001 Mustang GT, scorched metal smell and noise from trans/diff?
  • AndyE2255
  • Dec 1, 2025
  • SN95 4.6L Mustang Tech
Replies
4
Views
460
SN95 4.6L Mustang Tech Dec 28, 2025
gkomo
O
2001 mustang gt overheating
  • orinsmiley11
  • Jul 17, 2025
  • 1996 - 2004 SN95 Mustang -General/Talk-
Replies
1
Views
317
1996 - 2004 SN95 Mustang -General/Talk- Jul 17, 2025
Noobz347
Engine Gas in my oil
  • limp
  • Jun 15, 2025
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech
  • 2
Replies
35
Views
1K
Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech May 16, 2026
Mindseye007
Share:
Bluesky Email Share Link
  • Mustang Forums
  • 1996 - 2004 SN95 Mustang -General/Talk-
  • SN95 V6 Mustang Tech
Menu
Log in

Register

  • Forums
  • What's new
  • Media
  • Resources
  • Contact
  • Sponsor
X

Privacy & Transparency

We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:

  • Personalized ads and content
  • Content measurement and audience insights

Do you accept cookies and these technologies?

X

Privacy & Transparency

We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:

  • Personalized ads and content
  • Content measurement and audience insights

Do you accept cookies and these technologies?