Coolant smell and stumbling engine!???

[markedman450]

So its done this for almost a year. Engine runs and has good power, but when it idles esp the warmer it gets, it stumbles and sometimes feels like it wants to stall. No engine codes or anything what soever. So a few weeks ago i flushed the coolant out cause it def needed it and now it seems to be burning coolant. No leaks whatsoever but its disappearing. After a long drive over an hour, if i get out i can smell coolant. Now in the past cylinder 6 in the rear of the motor has gotten misfire codes. Ive heard 01 have a past of bad intake manifold gaskets that go bad and coolant drips into the cylinder. Is this true?? Could a leaky manifold gasket also explain the idle stumble??

PS, not sure how it works but the egr valve, the rubber vacuum hose that plugs into the top, if i take it off i feel no suction from the egr valve or the vacuum hose, is that normal??

 

[safn1949]

So its done this for almost a year. Engine runs and has good power, but when it idles esp the warmer it gets, it stumbles and sometimes feels like it wants to stall. No engine codes or anything what soever. So a few weeks ago i flushed the coolant out cause it def needed it and now it seems to be burning coolant. No leaks whatsoever but its disappearing. After a long drive over an hour, if i get out i can smell coolant. Now in the past cylinder 6 in the rear of the motor has gotten misfire codes. Ive heard 01 have a past of bad intake manifold gaskets that go bad and coolant drips into the cylinder. Is this true?? Could a leaky manifold gasket also explain the idle stumble??

PS, not sure how it works but the egr valve, the rubber vacuum hose that plugs into the top, if i take it off i feel no suction from the egr valve or the vacuum hose, is that normal??

The EGR should only open at certain times and the vacuum is controlled by a solenoid so just idling I would say no vacuum.You have to find that leak,if it's getting into the oil it will destroy the lube properties of the oil,thus toasting your bearings,don't that sound like fun.

 

[sergeantbob]

So its done this for almost a year. Could a leaky manifold gasket also explain the idle stumble??

Yes it could. It's the same (functionally) as a any vacuum leak.

As safn1949 stated,

You have to find that leak,if it's getting into the oil it will destroy the lube properties of the oil,thus toasting your bearings,don't that sound like fun.

Antifreeze will destroy!

 

[safn1949]

I am doing an oil analysis on Thursday on my 94 to see if my slow,phantom coolant leak is getting into my oil.If so it's a big buck repair and I will just put a Jasper motor into it.But I can afford to and I want to keep it as it's my Moab mobile.

 

[markedman450]

Def no antifreeze getting into the oil that i can see. I have had that problem before and you can tell its mixing with the oil. Oil looks clean just have a burning antifreeze smell. I know my cylinder 6 gets misfire codes from time to time and its a brand new plug, wires, coil, etc. I was told by a mechanic that he has seen many 01s have a problem where the intake manifold gaskets leak by the back cylinders and it drips antifreeze into the spark plug, not enough for it to mix with oil but where the plug will burn it off but when it idles it causes the plug to mis-fire. Any ideas if he is correct?? Its not anything thats really scaring me, it doesnt seem to be burning as bad. Just hate the misfiring.

 

[safn1949]

Minute amounts of coolant will destroy your oil and you will not see it.There will be no visible trace of coolant,the oil will simply stop lubricating properly.That's why trucking companies do oil analysis to catch it before damage is done.

That's why I am paying $35 to have mine done so I know for sure if it is getting into my oil or not.

 

[jremington59]

When it's running, smell the exaust at the rear of the vehicle and see if the smell is there.

 

[markedman450]

Dont smell any by the exhaust. Are 01 known for leaky intake manifolds like ppl have told me? And what else would cause cylinder 6 to misfire a few times a year and the plug always being worn more?

 

[97WHTXLT]

I have the same problem with my 97 4.0 SOHC. Its driving me crazy. I have no idea where its going. I will fill the radiator and overflow to where its supposed to be and then drive 3 hours to my parents and when I get there the overflow will be empty and the radiator level will be down about an inch.

 

[1998explodersprt]

i fixed a coolant leak from my lower intake manifold gasket.put everything back together. still leaking coolant but only internally. ****ty idle, almost indrivable (used to be a slight stumble). i checked my over flow bottle ad found air bubbles and pressure hissed when i opened the cap on the bottle. smelled like fuel. pulled the head found 4 and 5 cyl had cracks between the valves. spark plug has all types of **** on it as did the piston top. obviously built up for a while with completely shorted plug on 4 causing residue to not burn off. not sure what engine you have but id say you could have a bad head. maybe pull plugs and check them especially plug 6 due to your code.

oh yea, ive heard people say sometimes not aligning the gasket perfectly will lead to a coolant leak from the ports into the intake. those ports are so far away its hard for me to grasp that it would even make it over there, ever. more than likely its go external.

 

[Dono]

There you have it. If its an OHV its either lower intake gaskets, or cracked head.

 

[meaded]

There you have it. If its an OHV its either lower intake gaskets, or cracked head.

Well lets hope it is an overhead valve.

 

[bmoney1229]

So its done this for almost a year. Engine runs and has good power, but when it idles esp the warmer it gets, it stumbles and sometimes feels like it wants to stall. No engine codes or anything what soever. So a few weeks ago i flushed the coolant out cause it def needed it and now it seems to be burning coolant. No leaks whatsoever but its disappearing. After a long drive over an hour, if i get out i can smell coolant. Now in the past cylinder 6 in the rear of the motor has gotten misfire codes. Ive heard 01 have a past of bad intake manifold gaskets that go bad and coolant drips into the cylinder. Is this true?? Could a leaky manifold gasket also explain the idle stumble??

PS, not sure how it works but the egr valve, the rubber vacuum hose that plugs into the top, if i take it off i feel no suction from the egr valve or the vacuum hose, is that normal??

your post was several years ago, so you probably solved your issue by now, but thought I would add my theory for others with this problem.

On my 95, there is a heater core valve placed directly over the passenger side rear cylinder. the little silver lever going from the vacuum to the actual valve itself leaks very slowly, but enough to cause the exact syptoms you describe on mine. Took me years to figure this out, but when I changed the valve... PRESTO! no more misfires or rough idle.

Hope this helps