DGXR

Problem: developed a slight coolant smell, inside the cabin and also under the hood. It's not strong but no doubt it is coolant. I checked the passenger footwell several times while hot and cold, lifting the carpet, and feeling around all underneath the dash, no leaks that I can find. Underhood there is a mild coolant smell around the radiator/water pump area (front of engine) but for the life of me I can't see or feel any leaks. I have reached and looked around everywhere I can think -- water pump weep hole, radiator petcock, all hoses, clamps, thermostat... everything is dry. The surge tank is always full to the top, and the level in the reservoir is not dropping noticeably. Even if it's a head gasket I don't understand why I smell it outside, and the oil is clear (not milky), and the coolant is still full. The exhaust seems normal, doesn't smell like coolant, no unusual steam or condensation.

History: car has 60,000 miles and it ran green coolant before I bought it. I flushed the system a year ago, removing the knock sensors and filling 50/50 green/distilled, plus water wetter. Temps are always fine. The only thing recently different, I got stuck in a traffic jam and instead of turning on the AC at 215-220F as I normally do, I decided to let the cooling system work as designed. It hit 228F and the fans came on, cooling down slowly but surely. Traffic subsided, temps came down to normal, no problems so I thought, then the smell started.

I'm not real worried, but any change in the car is worth investigation. Any ideas or suggestions are certainly welcome. Thanks

CMiller95

It could be a hose that has little cracks letting the coolant out. It can be a small enough amount it just evaporates away and you cant physically see it. If they are still the original hoses from 1995 then I'd look at them first.

antfarmer2

and check your rad cap too.

John A. Marker

If you check your hoses, you will find a date printed in white on the hose. The 95 for some reason is hard on top radiator hoses. If this is more than 3-4 years old replace it. Then just bite the bullet and replace all the others. You can get them at RockAuto for about half price compared to most auto stores.

mtwoolford

this is only my own experience.

My wife's Ford F150 had a leaking heater core. I clamped off the heater hoses with small vise grip pliers; sure enough the loss of coolant, the mist on the inside of the windshield, the anti freeze smell in the cabin, all stopped. So I had the heater core replaced (no small feat). Loss of coolant stopped, but I could still smell anti freeze in the cab. Lived with it until another issue arose requiring disassembly of the dash. Took the replacement heater core out, couldn't see an obvious leak, but when pressurized with compressed air in a tub of water, a little tiny but unmistakable trail of bubbles came out of the solder joint joining the top of the heater tank to the core. So even though the leak wasn't bad enough to wet the interior or cause a discernable loss of coolant, it definitely was leaking enough to smell.

swampoodle-pat

To further help in identifying the age of the hoses, original upper and lower radiator hoses have the date code imprinted into the underneath of hose. You can use a small mirror to see them. They are pretty easy to see. I am attaching some examples to help you.

John A. Marker

94 and 95. Time to change the hoses!!!!! Good pictures tough.

DGXR

Wow tons of help here, thank you all.

The upper and lower radiator hoses are only a couple years old and look new, but I will check them more closely anyway. The throttle body and heater hoses may be the factory originals. Pretty sure the heater core is the factory original. I had planned to replace it eventually, when it's needed. Maybe I should do them all now as a PM item, so I can forget about it until the next flush.

I always thought coolant did not evaporate very quickly.

John A. Marker

A thin spray of coolant on hot engine parts will be gone in seconds....but the smell will linger.

desertmike1

And.. if you can smell it, it's a leaking somewhere.

95wht6spd

Water pump weep hole could be leaking.

STL94LT1

Cruizin

Unless something else comes to light I'd put money on your heater core just starting to seep.

This often starts with just a pin hole near the top that evaporates on the hot core so no water drips or wet carpet...yet.

Mine started this way just as you're describing. Couldn't figger it out? The sickly sweet smell of antifreeze in the car but nothing wet on the carpets. After about 3 months the windows suddenly stated fogging up and then discovered the passengers carpet getting damp.

I purchased a heater hose of the right inside diameter that was preformed into a 180 degree bend and put this over the heater feed pipes so the heater core is isolated. Fixed the issue until I have time to replace the core.

You could try this just to see if your problem goes away before you ruin your carpets.