after i've been driving for about twnty minutes i can smell my radiator fluid. i have a 94 explorer. i thought maybe my thermostat was going bad so i replaced it. but i can still smell it. my temp. gauge never worked before but when i replaced the thermostat, it works now. what else could it be? :( :fire:

Heater core going bad and leaking into the passenger compartment. That's my guess if you are smelling it inside the truck. Check the carpet and it's backing material under the glove compartment for moisture.

^^^ What he said.

I vote for heater core leak also. If I recall correctly, there is a drain so that the coolent may drip outside, but you will be able to smell it as air flows over the heater core.

Before pulling the core out, make sure the heater hoses at the firewall are tight and aren't cracked or split.

I would go with heater core as well. I just replaced mine about a month ago, not a hard job at all but it would be easier with a helper holding the inlet/out let tubes while you are trying to close under the dash back up. It shouldnt of leaked into the carpet , my 94 has a drain to let it leak out the fire wall to the street. good luck, Jon

I took the liberty to move this to the AC and HEATERs section. In the stickies at the top of this forum is a thread about replacing the heater core on a 1st Generation Explorer you will find helpful. Like others have said you more than likely have a leaky core.

i don't really smell it inside. its when i get out of my x and i walk around the front of the caris when i smell it. or when im at a light and i drive off i smell it come through my driver window.

I would either get a shop to test with a radiator pressure tester or rent or buy a tester to test the system under pressure. You should be able to find the source of the leak under pressure.

If you smell coolent while you are driving, it still seems most likely to be the heater core, though.