# Coolant smell



## oldstyle81 (Mar 26, 2009)

I hope this is paranoia

When my car is on idle or low RPM driving, there is a smell of anti freeze coming from the engine. it only comes on when the fan comes on and then it goes away. i opened the hood and watched it tonight, the coolant would start to go up maybe about an inch, the fan kicks on. i start to smell the coolant.

the coolant then goes down quickly to normal cold level and the smell goes away .

is this normal, the coolant level in the tank is always at the normal level.

i have a 2004 with a4, mods are headers, catback and cai


----------



## badgoat91 (Jul 13, 2009)

is there a sweet smell coming out your exhaust? and also do you ever have to add coolant?


----------



## oldstyle81 (Mar 26, 2009)

badgoat91 said:


> is there a sweet smell coming out your exhaust? and also do you ever have to add coolant?


no, smells terrible but nothing sweet out of the exhaust

and yes i did refill the coolant once, it had leaked coolant on the ground from the overflow after i turned the car off. i just replaced what was lost. nothing since. i have taken it to the dealer and they had it for 3 days and could find nothing, service rep is a family friend so i know he isint screwing around.


----------



## badgoat91 (Jul 13, 2009)

well there could be a few scenarios that i can think of, you accidentally spilled coolant somewhere and you are smelling it, it can take up 2 two weeks to burn off, but since thats probably not the case since its an on going problem, you could have a tiny leak out somewhere very very small, this could be in your AC system , or out your water pump, or even the slightest blown head gasket. just make sure you check all those while paying very close attention to the smallest of problems, even your radiator could have a tiny leak


----------



## jpalamar (Jul 22, 2008)

Keep a close eye on your oil. As soon as it turned like chocolate milk, don't drive it and reaplace your head gasket if that is the case.

Other then that, I'm in the same boat as you. I have a slight leak. Check near where the lower rad hose connecs to the plastic on the radiator. Mine has a small crack that I cant find. I'm taking it out this weekend and expoying the whole thing lol


----------



## oldstyle81 (Mar 26, 2009)

so i went down this morning to check the cold level and it was about a inch or so lower than the normal cold fill level. Since i cant get it in till Monday at the dealer, i took it to a guy i go to for a pressure test. He told me that it was holding. He checked the oil and it was clean so i dont think its a head gasket. He looked around the engine and couldnt see anything leaking or any driping. I let it run and threw a piece of cardboard under it to see if there is anything.


----------



## jpalamar (Jul 22, 2008)

oldstyle81 said:


> so i went down this morning to check the cold level and it was about a inch or so lower than the normal cold fill level. Since i cant get it in till Monday at the dealer, i took it to a guy i go to for a pressure test. He told me that it was holding. He checked the oil and it was clean so i dont think its a head gasket. He looked around the engine and couldnt see anything leaking or any driping. I let it run and threw a piece of cardboard under it to see if there is anything.


Replace the screw on clamps with spring clamps. Its cheap and won't hurt anything.


----------



## oldstyle81 (Mar 26, 2009)

jpalamar said:


> Replace the screw on clamps with spring clamps. Its cheap and won't hurt anything.


i did my own tests today . i kept the coolant temp on the DIC and it never went above 228 without the fan blowing the temp back down to 200. The temp at normal driving was around 190 but would raise to 220 if sitting in traffic for a bit. i dont think its really serious but just annoying. it might be in my head

its only coming from the right side of the engine, i may look at it more tomorrow


----------



## jpalamar (Jul 22, 2008)

GM radiators also are known for leaking where the silver crimp tabs seal the gasket arroudn the plastic on the sides. If that is the case. A radiator shop can take it apart, re-gasket it, and seal it for about $75


----------



## badgoat91 (Jul 13, 2009)

ya jpalamar is right, i remember my line was leaking a bit so i put new clamps on it that i got at autozone. and just put a lil gasket maker around the outside of it for good measures, but ya thats running a little too hot if you ask me, you probably are starting to get a blown head gasket i am sorry to tell you, check your oil and you will find out


----------



## oldstyle81 (Mar 26, 2009)

badgoat91 said:


> ya jpalamar is right, i remember my line was leaking a bit so i put new clamps on it that i got at autozone. and just put a lil gasket maker around the outside of it for good measures, but ya thats running a little too hot if you ask me, you probably are starting to get a blown head gasket i am sorry to tell you, check your oil and you will find out


modern engines are supposed to run anywhere from 200-215 degrees. Running it cooler will cause problems like bad fuel mileage Ive had my dealer look at it and they said it was not the head gasket along with the guy i took it to yesterday said he doubted that it was the head gasket. We'll see, its going back in on Monday but there is no other signs that it could be a head gasket, no smoke from the exhaust, the oil is normal, the power is all there.


----------



## badgoat91 (Jul 13, 2009)

i dont know, my work trucks are all 6.0 liters the 366 but still, the same basic design, and they never run above 185 and they have 180,000 miles on them, sorry but over 200 means theres something seriously wrong with your goat


----------

