Whats that smell?

UB2 SLOW · 01-06-03, 09:43 PM

Yep! Its anti-freeze and it is driving me FREAKING CRAZY!!!!!

I keep smelling anti-freeze. I have checked the hoses and the resevoir. I have no leaks coming from the water pump or anywhere else that I can find. The car is not overheating and the levels seem to be steady, yet I keep smelling anti-freeze.

This has been going on for about a 2-3 weeks. It is starting to drive me

Any suggestions? Did I forget to check something?

01-06-03, 09:46 PM

You have got quite possibly a pin hole leak in the heater core...it is a bear to replace...you might try Bars Leak...I have resealed a blown head gasket with the stuff...

UB2 SLOW · 01-06-03, 09:47 PM

Inside and outside. I can smell it on occasions on the outside, but not strong enough to locate it.

Top · 01-06-03, 10:00 PM

Check your thermostat housing. Mine was leaking just enough that you could smell the antifreeze but the heat of the block evaporated any visible fuild. Look to see if you have any brown discoloration around the bottom of the housing. Took me a week to figure it out. It was driving me nuts also. Be careful not to break the bolts off if their frozen in tho'.

Good Luck

UB2 SLOW · 01-06-03, 10:05 PM

Unfortunitly, I already thought about that and that was not it. The housing was as tight as a nuns.... OOOPPSSS. Never mind.

ramrod · 01-06-03, 10:05 PM

Any chance the heater core is plugged or leaking ?

UB2 SLOW · 01-06-03, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Any chance the heater core is plugged or leaking ?

Quote:

You have got quite possibly a pin hole leak in the heater core...it is a bear to replace...you might try Bars Leak...I have resealed a blown head gasket with the stuff...

I dont know, but it is worth a look.

Carrot · 01-06-03, 11:08 PM

I also have a hot coolant smell inside the car, and it gets stronger after a little acceleration.

I am generally driving around with the climate control turned off, though. So the heater isn't working, I hope.

I guess I'll go to Advance Auto and get some stop-leak.

EricVonHa · 01-06-03, 11:35 PM

Surprisingly, even just the littlest drop out of the weep hole in the bottom of the water pump can cause the infamous smell. It may not look like it leaks, but even being unnoticeable, it will give you "the smell". Clean off the interior of your hood. Then take the car for for a couple rides, hot cool, hot cool. Then look at the inside of the hood again. If you start to get residue on the inside of the hood, it's from the pump dripping and slinging it up there.

Also, when all else fails, re-gasketing the thermo housing and water pump and using some new clamps is enough p.m. to hopefully make it go away. Bring it over, we'll fix it!

01-07-03, 12:19 AM

Might be a freeze plug that has corroded.

UB2 SLOW · 01-07-03, 09:34 AM

Thanks everyone, I plan on tackling this problem this weekend.

Eric, I wish I could get up there. I am restricted to NC right now. Uncle Sam has me in a holding pattern. I should know something this week or early next week.

TerryD · 01-08-03, 08:39 AM

After replacing my coolant, I found myself with an intermittant leak which would manifest itself at various times with no set pattern. After a few months I finally discovered it was coming from the radiator drain plug. I didn't have it tight enough! Needless to say, I have been leak free since.

Carrot · 01-08-03, 07:37 PM

My smell didn't start until I let a quicklube shop do their mechanical flush and replace. I've gone back and checked all my clamps and hoses for signs of deterioration, but nothing is visible, hot or cold...

muddywaters · 01-09-03, 07:55 AM

Hi, My 88 vette has an engine block heater that has been leaking since I flushed and refilled the system, it's located on the LH side of the engine above the oil filter, it takes the place of a freeze plug which it is getting replaced with, what a pain! Muddywaters