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antifreeze smell

beattie

beattie

New member
i have a 97 grand prix gtp and ive notice that when warmed up u can smell antifreeze im sure thats what it is cuz its a sweet smell just like it but dont see any leaks and everytime i check the coolant level its the same....any ideas cuz im all out.
 


check the heater core hoses at the fire wall as well. one of mine swelled up and was leaking. and i could smell it inside the car. i could see no leaks for a long time while hunting for it. i finally found the fire wall dripping on the cat.
 
I take it you smell the freeze inside the car which could be an ever so small leak. The core could be leaking just enough to get the fins wet,possibly collecting in the core shroud. Would explain why there is no wet carpet or visible low coolant level. Rub your hand under the heater box shroud really good for any moisture residue. Otherwise just keep checking coolant level, the carpet on passenger side and the core shroud. You'll know when the heater core is leaking for real when your windshield gets a film that doesn't clean off very easily when using defrosters.
 


Coolant elbows and intake gasket. Its always one of those... if you smell it inside the car its more than likely pulling it in through the heater vents from the engin bay...
 
well i couldnt find on leak on it and the fluids still the same so where ever it is it has to be very small but i took out my blower motor and stuck my hand in to feel the heater core its a lil damp feelin but smellin after touchin it doesnt smell like antifreeze so u think heater core is leaking or its just moister on it not really to cold here and car has been sittin for prolly 5 or more hrs so idk let me know what you all think....thanx
 
I don't know how keen your sense of smell is (mine sucks), but I would think that all condensation would be burned off in this weather. I was like Oh Hell No, when mine was leaking even though it was a hell of alot. The moistness would feel slimy when you rub your fingers together. Otherwise give it the white glove, find something like.... white gloves or paper towel and hit it. You would then notice like an orange tint maybe green if someone changed the anti-freeze over.
 
well tore dash apart and heater core is not wat i was feeling is there something else in there that like heater core i would be feeling that has moister on it
 


beattie said:
well tore dash apart and heater core is not wat i was feeling is there something else in there that like heater core i would be feeling that has moister on it
Click to expand...
Before I saw any evidence of the core leak I did smell it in my car a week or so before. Did you get a chance to look at any of the 97-03 heater core how-to s? I was wondering how you might have got your hand that low in the heater core box. Now Scotty had a different leak, his was in the engine bay on the firewall, I would think that would be very visible. Yours on the other hand is probably more of a small drop here and there that you cant see burning off as the car heats up. Depending on how far along with the disassembly you are you could keep going with the heat stakes to get the box shroud apart to actually see the core. No biggy you just use #6 0r#8 sheet metal screws about 3/4" long to put back together.

Otherwise just use the car being aware that down the road there is a new heater core in your shopping cart. Periodically check your coolant level and rub your hand under the core shroud box. Before I fixed mine I had a brown paper bag on the passenger side floor so I could monitor the amount of coolant leaking, that got old fast.
just in case http://www.grandprixforums.net/heater-core-replacement-55730.html
Good luck and keep us posted.
 
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ya i tore everything out to the heater core and had it out but left everything out so i could see heater core and drove around to see if it leaked and nothin....i have noticed the warmer the car the more u can smell it
 
you check to see if the fire wall is dry under the heater hoses where they clamp on? (under the hood) like i said, i chased that one down for weeks. took my heater core out for no reason. same as you.
 
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