Why does my car smells like antifreeze but no leaks?
It could be coming from a radiator or heater hose, a failed intake manifold gasket or cylinder head. It might be coming from a leaky radiator cap or the radiator itself, especially if you smell it outside the car. A strong odor inside the passenger compartment probably means a bad heater core.
Can a car lose antifreeze without a leak?
When you are losing coolant but no leak is visible, several parts could be the guilty party. It could be a blown head gasket, a fractured cylinder head, Damaged cylinder bores, or a manifold leak. Any trace of exhaust gases in the coolant.
Where is my antifreeze going if its not leaking?
#3 – Check for Engine Smoke Try and track down the smoke, but if it’s white, then it’s coolant. If you don’t have a visible leak underneath your engine, then you should take a look at your radiator cap or anywhere along the top or sides of your engine. If you find any antifreeze, then you’ve located your problem!
How do you know if your Headgasket is blown?
Bad head gasket symptoms
- White smoke coming from the tailpipe.
- BUBBLING IN THE RADIATOR AND COOLANT RESERVOIR.
- unexplained coolant loss with no leaks.
- Milky white coloration in the oil.
- Engine overheating.
Is it normal to smell antifreeze?
If you’ve noticed an odd, sweet smell coming from your car after you shut the engine off you might have an antifreeze leak. It’s part of your vehicle’s cooling system, which controls the engine’s temperature so that it runs properly and doesn’t overheat.
Why does my car heater smell like antifreeze?
The heater core of your vehicle contains an antifreeze and water mixture, and it uses this mixture to regulate the temperature of the air inside your car. If the heater core of your vehicle is leaking antifreeze, that can cause a fairly intense smell inside your car.
Why does coolant smell in the trunk after running?
In the trunk by the coolant cap there is a plastic shield. Remove this and you should see a coolant air relief, or “burp” valve. Sometimes you will see dried coolant in this area which could explain the smell you are experiencing. The relief valve gaskets may need to be replaced, or the screws may just be loose, causing the leak.
What causes antifreeze to leak from the radiator?
The radiator can handle lots of pressure but it will leak the antifreeze mixture if its cap is weak or worn out. A misfit cap can also cause the loss of the fluid by overflowing the tube.
What to do if your car has dried coolant?
Try jacking the car up and removing the plastic cover underneath the front of the engine. Check the bottom of the water pump and thermostat to see if you find any dried coolant there. Sometimes the water pump shaft will leak slightly. This is usually a very slow and subtle leak that will get worse over time.