Antifreeze smell
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 109
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Antifreeze smell
90 Bronco slightly smelling antifreez when getting out of truck
when its hot,I checked everything (EVERYTHING) and no sign
It has a newer motor and trans but I dont think that has any thing
to do with it all runs well with no leaks ??????????????? :-X23
when its hot,I checked everything (EVERYTHING) and no sign
It has a newer motor and trans but I dont think that has any thing
to do with it all runs well with no leaks ??????????????? :-X23
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 208
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From: Stockton USA
Antifreeze smell
Sounds like a coolant leak to me...check heater core - my 89 has a plastic tray that directs any leaking coolant to a drain hose - but you would probably smell that sweet antifreeze aroma inside.
Check hose connections at firewall and around all the heater hose plumbing in engine compartment.
Do all the radiator hoses and the core check out dry?
Check hose connections at firewall and around all the heater hose plumbing in engine compartment.
Do all the radiator hoses and the core check out dry?
More Turbo
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 655
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Antifreeze smell
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 23-Apr-02 AT 02:44 PM (EST)]Here is a test. Disconnect your heater hoses (if you live in an area warm enough
)and connect them together with a piece of metal tubing under the hood. Run fresh water through the connections on the firewall to clean out the heater core and drive it for a week or so. If the smell continues keep looking....if it stops it is probably your heater core .
Bob
)and connect them together with a piece of metal tubing under the hood. Run fresh water through the connections on the firewall to clean out the heater core and drive it for a week or so. If the smell continues keep looking....if it stops it is probably your heater core .Bob
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 208
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From: Stockton USA
Antifreeze smell
I think it might be just as easy to take a look at the heater core to see if it's 'weeping' some green stuff anywhere...
Your 90 is probably like my 89, the core is right behind the glove box door on the passenger side. I changed my heater core in about 15 mins a couple of months ago...
As I remember, the door snaps right off and there are only a few screws that hold the plastic cover over the heater core...remove em' and take a peek!
Those Ford engineer's really did themselves proud when they made it so easy to get to the heater core! If you have to remove it, just loosen the hose clamps and hoses to the core that can be reached on the firewall under the hood...I just cut the hoses with a sharp knife, as I had plenty of length to rehook to the new core tubes....Once the core is 'loose' you have to fignagle it a bit to get it out, but it will make it.
Your 90 is probably like my 89, the core is right behind the glove box door on the passenger side. I changed my heater core in about 15 mins a couple of months ago...
As I remember, the door snaps right off and there are only a few screws that hold the plastic cover over the heater core...remove em' and take a peek!
Those Ford engineer's really did themselves proud when they made it so easy to get to the heater core! If you have to remove it, just loosen the hose clamps and hoses to the core that can be reached on the firewall under the hood...I just cut the hoses with a sharp knife, as I had plenty of length to rehook to the new core tubes....Once the core is 'loose' you have to fignagle it a bit to get it out, but it will make it.
New User
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 4
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From: Emporia USA
Antifreeze smell
The Heater core is a good place to start, but if that checks out, there is a weep hole on the underside of your water pump...when the seals start going out in the pump antifreeze will leak past the seals and weep out through that hole. Its very tough to find because usually the antifreeze will get burned off by the hot engine and all you have left is the smell with no tell-tale wetness. If you have a barely perceptable coolant loss and the heater core and radiator tanks check out this is a good place to look. I checked it on mine by letting it idle in park and letting the pressure build up in the cooling system then shuting off the motor and reaching under to see if I could feel any seepage. If you try to run down the road and check this out the air through the engine compartment and theheat from the engine will get rid of almost all of the wetness. Good Luck!
New User
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 22
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Antifreeze smell
Hi,
I would check the over flow tank fill cap (problem area)and the timing cover. If it turns out to be the timming cover they have powder at the auto store that you can put in the radiator with no damage. It stops small leaks (save you a ton of money).
I would check the over flow tank fill cap (problem area)and the timing cover. If it turns out to be the timming cover they have powder at the auto store that you can put in the radiator with no damage. It stops small leaks (save you a ton of money).
