One of my friends has a 00 Nissan Altima GXE with around 60k. Around a week ago she started to smell coolant inside the car. I checked the coolant level yesterday and it was about halfway between the max and min. She only smells it after she starts driving, and the engine has heated up. The carpet is not wet with coolant, so I figure its not a heater core prob. It doesn't overheat. Some folks suggested the hose or the water pump, and maybe even the thermostat. any suggestions on how I can test these theories before she goes to her mechanic. She wants an idea of what could be wrong before going in. Thanks.

11/27/2005 9:12:56 PM

just look for a leak when its running and warmed up and everything

11/27/2005 9:14:22 PM

most cars will not leak onto the floorboard if it is the heater core, do the windows fog up inside when it is cold? there should be a small drain tube for ac condensate and antifreeze should the heater core leak on the firewall, low on the passenger side

11/27/2005 9:19:13 PM

^

Quote :

"most cars will not leak onto the floorboard if it is the heater core"

not exactly true- a massive h.core failure (which is what most heater core problems are) will typically overwhelm the drain tube through the firewall, and when that happens its going to leak into the vehicle interior. in this case i would suspect a small leak, probably a hairline fracture where the h.core tubes meet the core itself, or in one of the tubes themselves if they are that plastic bakelite shit.

Quote :

"Some folks suggested the hose or the water pump, and maybe even the thermostat."

wrong, wrong, and wrong again. none of the above will cause a coolant smell in the car, only actual coolant in the car, or a coolant leak in the immediate vicinity of the air intake for the HVAC will cause that. that being said, if there is an underhood leak, and its getting into the HVAC, it hits the cabin air filter first and you will continue to get the coolant smell untill that is replaced, even if the leak is repaired. BUT an underhood leak of that magnitude would certianly be visible, also cause the coolant level to drop, and probably leave a good sized puddle when parked.

in summary, suspect heater core leak. proper diagnosis of the problem would entail pressure testing the cooling system.

11/27/2005 9:30:44 PM

Not necessarily wrong. In a lot of cars, you end up smelling coolant after the engine warms up if the water pump is leaking or the radiator has split.

The only way to really verify where it's leaking is pressure test it, just like you said, Joel.

Aren't you the one who harps on how the information you get over the internet isn't nearly enough to make a good diagnosis?

Can you feel the love, man? BTW, certainly is spelled like this: certainly, not certianly.

11/27/2005 9:41:24 PM

[Edited on November 27, 2005 at 10:10 PM. Reason : _]

11/27/2005 9:52:45 PM

Damn, blood...didn't mean to shit in your supper dish.

11/27/2005 9:55:12 PM

[Edited on November 27, 2005 at 10:10 PM. Reason : _]

11/27/2005 9:57:48 PM

he could have checked things when the car was cool, and it wouldnt have been that strong outside the car
and then when shes driving and it gets hot she smells it

11/27/2005 9:59:58 PM

could have
maybe
might
most
sometimes
always
never

[Edited on November 27, 2005 at 10:11 PM. Reason : fuck this shit, waste of my god damn time]

11/27/2005 10:09:55 PM

after she drives it, you can really smell it outside of the car, too. just walking past it, you get a huge whiff.

11/27/2005 10:11:56 PM

lol

11/27/2005 10:12:51 PM

Quote :

"could have maybe might most sometimes always never "

which way do you want it? not enough information on the internet to make a guess or make a guess

apparently you want it both ways, which ever suits you

11/27/2005 10:20:18 PM

Another thing a HC leak will cause or might clue you in that you have one is the defrost (defog) function to not work so well and may cause your windows to fog up really easily.

11/27/2005 10:21:26 PM

are you sure it's not ass?

11/28/2005 3:36:44 PM