This is really *****ing me off.
1999 GT - 4.6 ltr - Stock
For the past couple months I've been smelling coolant coming from the drivers side of my rad. Couldn't see any leak - got right under it. Even put a mat under at night to check for water pump leak after it cooled off. NOTHING. NO OVERHEATING AND THERMO HEAT IS NORMAL.
The 1999 GT rad is a closed system, meaning it has the overflow tube going straight back to the rad itself and the [stupid] reserve tank sits on top with a hose connecting to the lower rad outlet through a [stupid] tee. Anyway, I thought of everything and finally replaced the (dahhh) RAD CAP. That, for the most part fixed the collant smell. Looks like I probably had a leaky cap. BUT, I still smell what appears to be steam (no COOLANT SMELL) coming off the rad itself, especially in damp cool weather.
Today I did a cold start-up test, warmed the engine up and waited for the thermo to open. As soon as the hot water from the upper rad hose hit the cold rad, off came some vapor that eventually disapeared. I take it (and I'm asking your opinion) that moisture overnight builds up between the rad chambers, hence immediatly evaporates as soon as the hot water hits it (??)
Also, I notice the reserve coolant stays about the same - but is there a degree of disapation from the cooling system through the metel chambers of RAD?
WHY DO I SMELL STEAM (NOT COLLANT SMELL) FROM THE RAD? It's not bad, but something's there. Am I just worried about nothing? I took the car on a hard ass drive up the mountain the other day (12 miles straight up under cold air conditions). When I got to the top, the upper rad hose barly had any presure on it, although NO LEAKS I could see. Thermo heat was normal also.
Relieve me of my worries and explain what's going on here.
(No I haven't done a presure check of the rad)
1999 GT - 4.6 ltr - Stock
For the past couple months I've been smelling coolant coming from the drivers side of my rad. Couldn't see any leak - got right under it. Even put a mat under at night to check for water pump leak after it cooled off. NOTHING. NO OVERHEATING AND THERMO HEAT IS NORMAL.
The 1999 GT rad is a closed system, meaning it has the overflow tube going straight back to the rad itself and the [stupid] reserve tank sits on top with a hose connecting to the lower rad outlet through a [stupid] tee. Anyway, I thought of everything and finally replaced the (dahhh) RAD CAP. That, for the most part fixed the collant smell. Looks like I probably had a leaky cap. BUT, I still smell what appears to be steam (no COOLANT SMELL) coming off the rad itself, especially in damp cool weather.
Today I did a cold start-up test, warmed the engine up and waited for the thermo to open. As soon as the hot water from the upper rad hose hit the cold rad, off came some vapor that eventually disapeared. I take it (and I'm asking your opinion) that moisture overnight builds up between the rad chambers, hence immediatly evaporates as soon as the hot water hits it (??)
Also, I notice the reserve coolant stays about the same - but is there a degree of disapation from the cooling system through the metel chambers of RAD?
WHY DO I SMELL STEAM (NOT COLLANT SMELL) FROM THE RAD? It's not bad, but something's there. Am I just worried about nothing? I took the car on a hard ass drive up the mountain the other day (12 miles straight up under cold air conditions). When I got to the top, the upper rad hose barly had any presure on it, although NO LEAKS I could see. Thermo heat was normal also.
Relieve me of my worries and explain what's going on here.
(No I haven't done a presure check of the rad)