Smell coolant through air vents?

[social]

Hey guys,
just wondering if theres anything wrong if i can get a slight wiff of a coolant smell through my air vents (when aircon / heater isnt on) just sitting on lowest setting driving around, theres no coolant leaks etc in the engine bay, is this a problem?

[vsl67]

Possible heater core leak ,if the leak is small enough I mean pin prick size it will only leak when it gets hot look for coolant under the car near the front of the gearbox but if it is a small leak you probaly wont find anything

[social]

alrighty thanks mate

[vsl67]

Dont worry too much this is a worse case scenario,it possible the heater core could have been leaking in the past and replaced, and if this has happened the smell never fully goes away ,I blew one in my Vp once

[social]

well aslong as my car doesnt blow up / eff up then im fine with the smell, il just chuck a BLACK ICE smelly thingo in there haha

[Fu Manchu]

I would replace the heater core. Mine ended up leaking into the car and I had to replace all the carpets and clean all the metal of coolant. leave it and you may end up with a rusted out floor pan.

Big job to get to it too.

[RX25SE]

If you can smell coolant and the windscreen fogs up when you first turn on the demister (no A/C) then its heater core time!
Cheers
J

[markovr]

Try some pellets...worked for me.. crush em up and drop them in the radiator works a bit like bars leaks...factory and recomended for my car a vr at sevice ...not sure about vs

[Harvs82]

Hey guys,
just wondering if theres anything wrong if i can get a slight wiff of a coolant smell through my air vents (when aircon / heater isnt on) just sitting on lowest setting driving around, theres no coolant leaks etc in the engine bay, is this a problem?

Have you recently changed the coolant? If some has been spilt somewhere in the engine bay, especially if its a component that gets hot, then you will be able to smell the coolant smell for ages. Maybe give the engine bay a full wash down and see how you go? Other than that, it could actually be leaking somewhere, so check your radiator, radiator hoses, thermostat outlet, heater pipes and connections etc. Failing that, it could be leaking inside the car, as others have mentioned, and that will be the heater core, which is big $$$$ to replace.

[commsirac]

A little bit of spilt coolant can smell for a while. If its only evident through the vents, it could actually be still coming from the engine and being transferred through the plenum grille via the rear bonnet seals not closing properly.
Chances are though, its a leaky core. as stated ^ if it gets to the stage that the windscreen fogs up when 1st starting the car after its been parked etc, then thats a sure sign.

The vapor is toxic, assuming you have ethylene glycol in your coolant, so best not have baby too close to the vents.

[RX25SE]

There are two ways to replace the heater core.
The best way (also the hardest). Remove the entire dash assembly to gain access to the heater box, remove heater box and diassemble to replace core.
The dodgy way (simpler). Remove center console to the piont where you can see the heater pipes entering the core, drivers side. Cut the pipes to remove core and cut the pipes of the new core in the same place. Fit the new core to the old pipes using heater hose and clamps.
Cheers
J

[Fu Manchu]

There are two ways to replace the heater core.
The best way (also the hardest). Remove the entire dash assembly to gain access to the heater box, remove heater box and diassemble to replace core.
The dodgy way (simpler). Remove center console to the piont where you can see the heater pipes entering the core, drivers side. Cut the pipes to remove core and cut the pipes of the new core in the same place. Fit the new core to the old pipes using heater hose and clamps.
Cheers
J

but if one of those hoses ever gives, you will be very badly burnt, possibly loose control of the car and crash, possibly into someone else. Lost time from work, burn scars to last a while, not cool and why they were designed the way they were.

The toughest man in history will not be able to have that happen and pretend it's nothing.