Hope this is not a silly question, after driving I can smell coolent from the front of my truck, through the grill etc. I have a late 02 w/360 I've had it about 8 months and have alway's smelled it, can't smell it inside at all, my coolent level is fine and I can see no visible leeks, temp needle stay's a needle or so below the middle, I have just figured the smell is normal because the grill is so open etc.. but I am not so sure... anything I could check? does this sound normal?

 

it could be burning off the hot engine if u spilled accidentely putting it in.

 

I can't really imagine the smell staying there for 8 months though. It sounds like a leak but if your coolant level is fine it couldnt be. Have you checked your resevoir to see if theres a crack or the cap isnt completely on or anything like that?

 

I will look around the front today, I have not really thought much about it, it goes in for regular service, no visible leaks so I figured it was nature of the beast. Then again when it goes in for service they could be topping of the antifrezze...[sm=confused06.gif]

 

You will probably have a small split in the rad.
It'll be weeping coolant ever so slighlty, when pressureised after running the engine.
Al.

 

If you take it in for regular service they usually do top it off. Mark the level on the resevoir with a sharpie, and check the level in the radiator pretty much everyday. Watch the leves, if you have to take it in request they do not top off the anti-freeze and see if the level goes down at all....

 

You will probably have a small split in the rad.
It'll be weeping coolant ever so slighlty, when pressureised after running the engine.
Al.

This makes sense, I do not see any leeks, the hoses are all tight and dry. Do you reccomend any of the stop leek typeaditives available? shouldI try that?

I marked the coolent level..

 

I agree with the small slit theory. If the level does'nt change then maybe thecapis defective. Its designed to blow off press. at a designated level/temp. Check the underside of your hood and cap for spray marks. Also you could pressure test the system.

 

Thanks, I'll check for spray marks also..

 

I'd wager that the most common place for a mechanically caused leak of coolant to start is out the weep hole on the water pump.

Other than that, gaskets can sweat out coolant, or sometimes paper gaskets can deteriorate to the point where they give out.

Other than that, this might sound dumb, but I recently test drove an '05 Ram that had just been certified by the Dodge dealer and they didn't turn the radiator cap on to the second detent... After the test drive it had squirted some coolant out in the engine compartment. Otherwise, maybe the cap gasket is defective, or the overflow nipple is cracked, they break easy, being plastic on the last radiator I serviced. Or perhaps the overflow rubber tube is deteriorated somehow...

--Matt