Coolant smell in cabin

B's Bird

B's Bird

Registered User
I also have this in the Misc section.

We have heater core bypassed.

And I believe we have all hoses tightened.

But I can still smell anti freeze in the cabin when at an intersection. And if car sits after use a murky film builds up on inside of windshield over time.

How many places could there be a coolant leak?

Top of rad to engine, bottom of engine to rad?

Maybe the overflow hose unit?

But where else could there be a lose hose or seal?

Any ideas? I'm at a loss.
 
If it's on the inside, it might be residual from inside the heater core. One more place to check where you may be getting the odor from is the coolant line that goes through the throttle body.
 
Heater core has been by passed for 4 years, don't drive car in winter.

And it's been blown out and drained at least twice for residual.

I can smell the coolant under the hood after driving. So I'm pretty sure it's coming from under there and not the heater core.
 
Check:
- weep hole on pump
- upper lower hoses
- radiator tanks
- next time, jump out and see if the lid/top of the overflow tank is wet...been hitting any big bumps as a routine? Is it losing coolant according to the fill lines?
- radiator fins/body for damage or blocked air flow
- be sure the chin spoiler is still in place
- that the A/C drain tube inside the engine compartment isn't plugged

- replace radiator cap with straight 16# new
 
Open the hood and look on the firewall, below the heater hose connections. You should see a hole/down facing nipple there, maybe 3/8 ~ 1/2" dia. Black.

One way to maybe find the source would be to completely cover the cabin air intake under the pass. side cowling. I've had coolant loss at the expansion tank (located behind the air cleaner on my '90 SC), and the smell entered the cabin thru there. If you close that off, and still smell coolant inside, that could point to the heater core...it's a pain to see if it's actually leaking as it could come down inside the carpet backing and it's not an easy area to inspect - even more difficult to replace the heater core, so...be sure.
 
Last edited:
KMT said:
Open the hood and look on the firewall, below the heater hose connections. You should see a hole/down facing nipple there, maybe 3/8 ~ 1/2" dia. Black.

One way to maybe find the source would be to completely cover the cabin air intake under the pass. side cowling. I've had coolant loss at the expansion tank (located behind the air cleaner on my '90 SC), and the smell entered the cabin thru there. If you close that off, and still smell coolant inside, that could point to the heater core...it's a pain to see if it's actually leaking as it could come down inside the carpet backing and it's not an easy area to inspect - even more difficult to replace the heater core, so...be sure.
Click to expand...

Thanks.

Appreciated.

I was just in that intake area putting in a jury rigged charcoal filter to see if that helped. Somewhat is the result.

I'll check that out.
 
Ive.had freeze plugs weep too, but the fact that u have the core bypassed and its still fogging the windshield is freaky!
 
B's Bird said:
I was just in that intake area putting in a jury rigged charcoal filter to see if that helped. Somewhat is the result.
Click to expand...

I did the same thing...DIY cabin filter :) Which reminds me I need to go in and make new again.

Sorry, I missed that your heater core is bypassed.
 
22lbsofboost said:
Ive.had freeze plugs weep too, but the fact that u have the core bypassed and its still fogging the windshield is freaky!
Click to expand...

Feaky and a piss off... A 1-2 punch that still has me baffled.

Taking it to the shop on Tuesday. Get it pressure tested.
 
Well I am completely stumped.

My mechanic had the car pressure tested overnight on Monday. Nothing.

Then he let it idle in his shop for a good portion of yesterday.

Zip. Zilch. Nada.

I have no clue.
 
So I ran it in the hot weather yesterday (37 C) and every time I came to a stop I could smell it in the cabin.

As soon as I'm moving again, no smell.

Get in the driveway and my wife could smell it 20 feet away.

Not a single drip or hissing anywhere under the hood though. Nothing.

But boy can you smell it.
 
The smell is getting into the cabin through the vent located under the passenger cowling.
Did you replace the water pump?
Two of the studs go straight into the water jacket. If no sealer is used, the coolant will leak under pressure.
Also check the gasket around the water Pump. If it is not perfectly sealed or the bolts are not tighten it will also leak but you won't be able to see because it is almost at a vapor state. Dye is the only way you will catch it
 
I should have mentionned that I had this issue before. I only caught it because I always do a water glass( silicate) treatment after a head gasket job. When you have a leak and water glass is being used, you end up with a white powered film where the leak is.
 
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