Coolant Smell

[oksoonerfan]

I have an 03 Eddie Bauer with the 4.0 L flex fuel engine, approx. 17,500 miles. Recently on a trip to colorado when we reached the top of a mountain, we stopped and got out of our Explorer. My wife noticed that the truck smelled outside of the truck. It smelled like antifreeze. Outside temperatures were around 25-30 degrees. When we got back I took it to the dealer and they checked it out, did a pressure check and couldn't find any evidence of a leak. Since then I have noticed that sometimes after being driven an antifreeze smell can be detected inside the cabin as well as outside the truck. Can anyone offer me any suggestions on what the possible causes could be, and possible fixes. This truck is still under warranty so I must be able to demonstrate to my dealer that there is problem to get it fixed. They are not difficult to deal with but they won't just fix things wily nily because I asked them to. Thanks

 

[daprez1963]

I am only taking guesses, but since you were at a higher elevation or any other time driven where the engine might over-heat, your level in the reservior might be too high and overflows. the fluid would then hit hot metal and burn off causing the smell which will enter the compartment...this is if you don't have a hose leak anywhere or the clamps aren't tight. the coolant has to be coming out somewhere in order for it to enter the truck and these would be the first I would check.

 

[oksoonerfan]

Coolant level seems to be fine, it is within the safe zone on the bottle, but it is difficult to be precise, there are yellow "crusties on the walls of the bottle.There has never been any sign of leakage under the vehicle, no puddles etc. The clamp on the lower hose to the radiator has rust on it. I don't know if this is caused by coolant or road spray. Thanks for the advice.

 

[ExplorerDMB]

Your passenger side floor board/carpetisn't wet anywhere is it?

-Drew

 

[oksoonerfan]

I've never noticed any wetness on the carpet. This vehicle isn't driven very much only for trips. So I wouldn't be able to check it right now since it hasn't been driven for about 3 weeks.

 

[oksoonerfan]

I just thought of something that may or may not be relevant. On the trip where we first noticed the coolant smell. On the way to Colorado, before we noticed the smell, while driving on I-40 at approx. 70 mph a passing 18-wheeler picked up and tossed a piece of debris into my vehicle. The debris came in at the drivers side front corner of the vehicle, I could not tell exactly where.It happened so quickly there was no way to avoid it. I was never able to find any evidence of the impact but it sounded pretty loud.

 

[ExplorerDMB]

just check underneath for your radiator and your hoses to see if any damage or leakage is coming from there. Also when checking antifreeze level - the bottle isn't the best evidence...you usually always want to check inside the radiator

-Drew

 

[daprez1963]

level

just check underneath for your radiator and your hoses to see if any damage or leakage is coming from there. Also when checking antifreeze level - the bottle isn't the best evidence...you usually always want to check inside the radiator

-Drew

if I am not mistaken, the bottle is an overflow container used when your radiator heats up the antifreeze and expands into the bottle. if the bottle is filled too much, the fluid then leaks out onto the hot engine compartment. once the fluid cools, it draws the fluid back into the radiator. you can check your radiator, but the way the system was designed, it should correctly keeps the fluid level in the radiator like it should. you should also remember to check it only when its cold and not hot...

 

[oksoonerfan]

On this vehicle the overflow bottle is part of coolant flow, new coolant is added through the bottle. I'm not sure if there is a radiator cap. I have looked under the radiator for damage and the rusted clamp is the only thing I can find. Thanks

 

[daprez1963]

you're right

On this vehicle the overflow bottle is part of coolant flow, new coolant is added through the bottle. I'm not sure if there is a radiator cap. I have looked under the radiator for damage and the rusted clamp is the only thing I can find. Thanks

and even in the older cars, you are suppose to fill the overflow bottle with the added antifreeze and not from the radiator cap. the radiator takes what is needed from there.

 

[oksoonerfan]

Yes, On my 02 Sport the system is as you describe. I have a separate pressure cap on the radiator. But on this 03 the pressure cap is on the Degas bottle is the only one on the system. However, I think you may be on to something, I have noticed when the vehicle has been driven I can hear a slight hissing noise from the area around the Degas bottle. I cannot isolate exactly where it is coming from. I drove the vehicle today to check it out, and noticed this, but there was no coolant smell present. Perhaps, the decreased atmospheric pressure up in the mountains allowed a small amount of coolant from this area when the system was pressurized. I don't know just thinking out loud. Thanks for the ideas.

 

[sprice]

If you have the PLASTIC t-stat houseing it could be the houseing or the o-ring.

 

[trucku]

If you have the PLASTIC t-stat houseing it could be the houseing or the o-ring.

I had a leak around the temp sender. The o-ring was bad. The leak was small enough to have you sniff around, but did not show low levels on the pressurized reservoir container. Wiggle around the temp sender and look for antifreeze around it. It is held in place by a clip and the o-ring can be bought from rockaut.com for cheap. I tried to fix mine with other o rings, but it was only temporary.

This maybe be the source of your antifreeze smell.
Good Luck