Suppose the crack happens on the backside of the reservoir. Overheating and the passage of time can cause a tiny crack in the overflow reservoir. You can usually find one online or buy one at an auto parts store. You’ll need to perform a pressure test with a pressure tester to see if it’s a bad radiator cap. You might even see a compressed radiator hose from the imbalance in cooling system pressure. You might also notice that the car runs a little hotter than usual and threatens to overheat. How to Tell If It’s a Bad Radiator CapĪ bad radiator cap that’s causing coolant vapors or tiny antifreeze leaks will usually have a white residue around the cap and the top of the radiator. If you activate the cabin heater, the blower fan could even circulate this odor, making the antifreeze smell noticeable. Additionally, it might release a steam of cooling fluid that hovers beneath the engine compartment. If this valve malfunctions and remains in an open position, it can result in minuscule leaks that evaporate immediately. This component is designed with a unique valve that helps control pressure when the engine’s cooling system heats up, and the coolant begins to expand. When your car emits an antifreeze odor but displays no visible leaks, the culprit could very well be the radiator cap. You can usually get the part for less than $50, and a reasonably capable DIY mechanic can replace the leaking thermostat in less than an hour. Replacing the thermostat and the gasket is the easiest way to deal with this type of antifreeze leak. It will also leave a little white trace residue on the top of the radiator surrounding the thermostat housing. And there you have it – a secret coolant escape act right under your nose! How to Tell If It’s a Thermostat LeakĪ thermostat leak from a stuck-open thermostat or a bad thermostat gasket will often give off faint whiffs of sweet-smelling anti-freeze when you turn the heater on high with the fan set to the max. Tiny droplets manage to sneak out, then quickly vanish as they sizzle on the hot metal housing. What’s the big deal, you ask? Well, over time, this can gradually wear down the gasket – the peacekeeper that bonds the thermostat housing with the radiator’s crown. Now, if this nifty little device gets stuck in the open position, the coolant can circulate non-stop, regardless of the engine’s temperature. Here’s how it happens: The thermostat in your engine is built to swing open at a certain temperature, allowing the coolant to flow and keep things cool. Got a whiff of antifreeze but can’t spot any leaks? A commonly overlooked cause might be a thermostat that’s jammed in the open position. Here are the top five probable causes of an antifreeze (coolant) smell in your car, even when no leaks are visible: There are a lot of little things that could cause a tiny imperceptible antifreeze leak, as well as a few major problems that can let antifreeze escape into the engine or the exhaust system. 5 Surprising Reasons Your Car Smells Like Antifreeze with No Visible Leaks! To understand why your car smells like antifreeze without showing any obvious leaks, we’ll have to interrogate some of the more likely suspects. Of course, this is a time when it’s probably better to catch an unknown antifreeze leak early than it is to end up stranded on the side of the road with a major cooling system problem and an overheated engine. Is it a blown head gasket? Could it be a stuck-open thermostat or perhaps a crack in the heater core? These are common and concerning problems that can affect engine performance over time. But lo and behold, when you lift that bonnet – nothing. So, you do the sensible thing – pull over, pop open the hood, and brace yourself for the white steamy puff of an antifreeze leak. That sweet scent of antifreeze wafting from your car is like a siren’s song of trouble.
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