mrblister

I went for a hour drive tonight after i brought car back to garage i could smell a distinct odor of anti freeze or fumes that would exit the radiator. I checked under the car no leak i looked in the engine compartment looking for perhaps a spill of antifreeze that might be resting on top of the front engine pan. I could not find any liquid . The temp gauge when i was driving was a bit below mid way it usually as I remember is there or a bit lower. I am kind of stumped as to where the smell is coming from I had the heat on for a bit in the car while top was down and i have no leaks in the interior of the car . The car is a 2005 I have 5940 miles on it . I bought it new in 2005 and I only drive it in good weather and on weekends . i have not had any major service since the milage is so low other then state inspections oil and filter regular changes done once a year mobil 1 . Should I consider flushing the radiator and changing the anti freeze. As I said I dont drive it on long runs but I do use it abit around town. When I lift the hood i can smell the anti freeze but cant find any. Any suggestions as to what to look for. The coolant overflow resevoir cover was in place and all hoses looked good and there was some residual coolant in the tank as there should be and i could not see any steam or vapor coming off these parts

Buddy

intdiamond

iTrader: (2)

You may have a pin-hole in a hose... just enough to let out steam and odor but not enough to show fluid coming out... especially if you drove it kinda hard . Your temp guage won't always go higher than normal as long as the coolant and fan are operating properly. A qualified garage or Lex dealer ($$$) can pressure check your hoses easily. Flushing probably isn't needed yet with your low mileage. GL.

nabbun

a little off topic but for some reason, I kinda like the sweet smell of anti freeze lol

but right after, I realize I have sticky ish to clean up >_<

happened twice and I think they were both from going into the city. damn all those lights.

PHXSC

Easiest thing to do is to check to see if you're losing the fluid. Note the level before you take the car out, and again when you return after the car has cooled down. You only need to note the level in the recovery bottle. You can still have a leak and it not drip under the car. The heat generated by the engine can easily boil off the antifreeze, so you can smell it but not see it.

robsvdp

My 06 has had this smell from day one. Dealer checked twice, no problems, said it was just the smell of hot fluid coming from The expansion tank.

mrblister

So I take the sc in for service today. They drop the front plastic pan and found dryed coolant and evidence of a leak. They ordered a new radiator and will install next week The car is a 2005 sc430 regular factory warranty good till nov 2008. Then extended warranty 3 years 75,000 miles kicks in. I have 5860 miles on the car I am the original owner I never had the coolant flushed and or any service on the cooling system other then checking levels because my mileage is so low. Any one else have a bad radiator. The dealer told me there may have been a crack in the radiator and is may have self sealed itself. They dont want to take any chances . I think the radiator top and bottom are plastic . Remember the good old metal days when you had it re-cored.

Any one had a radiator problem

SC43052

Curious if you ever found out where your radiator was leaking?

Mine seems to be leaking along the top of the radiator (somewhere just below the radiator filler cap neck). There is no visible leak, but a few minutes after starting the engine the very top of the radiator starts getting wet and then begins to drip down each side of the radiator. All hoses, fittings and the pressure relief filler cap have been checked and look good.

I saw a thread for an RX300 that had a similar leak on the top of the radiator, and one of the posters said there was a service bulletin to that effect but I haven't been able to find anything.

mrblister

Lower part of radiator on drivers side The hole was in the seam. Since there plastic they are prone to this type of leak.

bacardi11

iTrader: (1)

its winter and you use the heater. one thing to check is heater core and that a job.

SC43052

That makes sense. Thanks.

SC43052

Since we live in AZ we have never used the heater, but I bet the heater core would be a nasty place to have a leak. Luckily I can see it running down the side of the radiator so I know the leak is somewhere there.