bryan623

So I come into work today and after getting out I go and put my t-tops back on and as I come to the passenger side I smell antifreeze. Car isn't overheating and there is nothing on the ground. Also no smoke while running I only smelled it after the car was off and I was on the passenger side. Any ideas what I am looking at? Maybe the heater core has a leak in it? I will check that tomorrow. But any other suggestions would be nice too.

1986 I-Roc

sounds to me like its the heating core. See if you can feel any coolant in the passenger side carpet. Are your windows fogging up?

bryan623

Summer time I have the tops off and windows down, and no the carpet isn't damp. I haven't took off the passenger side panel. I'll do that in the morning when I get off work

AtlasFades

Could it be the head gasket?

bryan623

I don't think it's the head gasket. If it was there would be some clear indication like smoking or a milky looking oil right? Also it would be overheating as the loss in pressure means the coolant is t flowing properly.

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iTrader: (1)

Could be one of your freeze plugs. There's one just above the starter motor, for example.

bryan623

Drove the car home yesterday and after getting home I didn't spot any issues. No leaks coming from the engine. No antifreeze on the ground or splashed around anywhere. Car doesn't overheat. I did hear a bubbling sound coming from the overflow bottle. But that was after the car was off. Perhaps the smell was just that coming out of the bottle as it was filling up? I checked the radiator (which is brandnew btw) and the car was circulating antifreeze fine. Also when the car was off the antifreeze came up to the hot line when it was hot. I too am baffled about this as well.

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iTrader: (1)

Give your car a new radiator cap and overflow bottle cap.
Assuming you don't have any exhaust leaks into the coolant and your cooling system has been burped properly, that should take care of it.

bryan623

Okay I'll do that. Thanks for the heads up! I did also have the coolant system drained and flushed when I had the new radiator installed. Where can I find a new coolant overflow bottle at?

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iTrader: (1)

You don't need a new bottle, just the cap for it. Or is your bottle busted?
Perhaps they didn't burp your cooling system while they flushed it.

Kingtal0n

Best/fastest way to diagnose these issues is to pressure test.

You can rent a tool, or use an air compressor, simply fill the radiator with air pressure using the overflow tube usually works fine. It will swell up to it's cap max, around 12-15psi, and then you will be able to find all leaks as it bleeds down and sprays coolant out.