My 1999 mercury mountaineer 4.0 smells like coolant there r no visible leaks overflow is at the normal the temp gauge didn't go high and the cap is cold IM kinda confused...........help

 

Cold cap and overflow at Full mark probably means there is air in the system. The leak could be small enough that it's burning off before it makes it to the ground, or it could also mean you have a small leak in the heater core. I'd start by carefully inspecting all the hoses, particularly where they clamp to a fitting. If you don't find anything from a visual inspection, feel the passenger floorboard to see if it's damp (assuming someone with wet shoes hasn't been recently riding over there).

If the above don't yield anything, then you'll probably need to either have dye put in the system or you'll need to have a pressure tester put on the radiator to pressurize the system and see if it holds. If the pressure bleeds off, you've got a leak and the pressure tester should help locate it. You'll want the system to be full of coolant for the pressure test.

-Rod

 

Ok thank u there was no sounds just a little smoke and it was on the passenger side no smell inside the truck at all IM hoping it's a simple hose fix and not a water pump or thermostat it don't seem damp on the passenger side but I'll check again I left my friends drive way that was really tough so I was thinking some came out the overflow

 

You might check with a local auto parts store to see if they have cooling system pressure testers available in their Loan A Tool program. That would certainly help pinpoint the issue.

-Rod

 

The local AutoZone does testing so I'll take it down there and see

 

Oh and the floor was dry no dampness IM thinking it has something to do with the tank cause the smell is strong by the right front tire and not in the front anywhere

 

CHeck the t stat housing mine has a small pin hole leak.

 

Ok the seal bad on yours

 

I am pretty sure that it is the seal, however I only drive it 2 miles to work so I have just added fluid as it gets low and been riding on borrowed time. I live on a military base so if I can't drive it home from work I will just walk.

 

have you fixed the problem.