antifreeze smell, no leaks HELP!!

[akcrogers]

Hey guys,
for the past few weeks I've occasionally caught a wiff of antifreeze, usually when getting out of the truck after driving somewhere. However, there are no obvious leaks (drips), and no wet spots (except for my powersteering pump that is leaking a bit).

Where could this be coming from that I would not notice the leak? The X isn't overheating, and I haven't had the heater on, so it shouldn't be a leak in the heating system. I'm pretty stumped, so any help would be appreciated. I even left it running for like 15 minutes to see if only started to leak after a while.

 

[RangerX]

Could be the heater core is just starting to develop a leak. If it gets progressively worse (the smell) that's where I would look.

 

[94Matt]

my sisters blazer had the same problem. I could smell the antifreeze but i saw no leaks. Finally i pulled up the carpet and the floorboard was full of it. Bad heater core

 

[Mbrooks420]

Check the heater control valve. Its on the passanger side of the engine towards the windshield. If you look on the manifold you will see a stain for where it drips. A few people on this board including myself had this problem.

 

[JLP]

I had this problem for a couple of months and it drove me nutz. I never saw any coolant on the floor but the level kept going down and my wife could smell "pancake syrup" at stoplights. I checked the carpet (fearing heater core....) and it was dry (thankfully). I then got lucky. I decided to check the auto trans fluid and noticed that the Heater Control valve was leaking. Strange thing is it ONLY leaks when the slector (not temp) control is in the OFF position. I havent had time to replace the valve but it doenst leak when on AC or Defrost (I almost allways use one or the other)....

As said above I would check the valve. The location causes the leaking coolant to drip onto the exhaust manafold where it evaporates (why you dont see fluid on the floor).

Hope this helps.

 

[akcrogers]

Thanks guys, I'll look into that today.

 

[wpurple]

It also could be a very small leak in the radiator that is vaporizing the antifreeze. My dad's truck had a so small a leak in the radiator that you could smell antifreeze, the level would slowly go down but no evidence of antifreeze anywhere.....one day while backing the trailer into the driveway the radiator finally let loose.

 

[voodo1]

Check the left side of the radiator. There is a seal between the two pieces that can develop a small leak if in a small fender-bender or if the serp. belt has been worked on lately.

This leak is barely noticable, but it will smell when the antifreeze burns.

 

[96_explorer.com]

how is them temperature on your motor while driving?? Is it staying too cold or too hot??
Maybe your thermostat is sticking causing the smell and possibable leaks due to brack pressure on the hoses/radiator. Check that 1st... its only a 2.00 part if it is

Good Luck