Smell of Coolant

[drive_55_not]

I noticed a coolant smell for a few months after I bought mine, I also had no loss of coolant.

I did notice a particularly heavy coolant smell after arriving home from work while I was trying to figure that out since I think any observance of coolant smell is an abnormal indication ...

I swapped the overflow cap from my wife's 2021 onto mine and I haven't noticed any coolant smell since.

It takes very little coolant loss to have a bad head gasket. Ask me how I know. I am not fear mongering either. Take it to a Ford dealer, get it on record and start watching coolant levels.

If you've got a small internal coolant leak yer' gunna have a milkshake started under the oil fill cap, Ask Me How I know.



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[LouG]

Any residue on the garage floor?
Also, the expansion tank vents to the atmosphere, so it's possible you're getting a whiff of that.
To put your mind at rest, get the cooling system tested for combustion gases in the coolant.
It's a simple test. Or buy a test kit yourself.

 

[AZ_Ryan]

It takes very little coolant loss to have a bad head gasket. Ask me how I know. I am not fear mongering either. Take it to a Ford dealer, get it on record and start watching coolant levels.

Coming in hot with the worst case scenario on the internet is foolish fear mongering man. This is the equivalent of googling pain, and reading it could be cancer. Lol

Three things here -

1. Blown head gaskets dont smell like coolant. 2. He isn't losing coolant. 3. Im assuming he's already checked his oil for contamination.

@Junkyard Dog, its possible your coolant was topped off and spilled during a service, or you reservoir cap or tank isnt tight or is cracked. Next time you get the car hot, pop the hood and inspect that tank carefully. See if you can isolate the smell. More than likely you're just catching escaping gas venting from the tank.

If you want piece of mind from the idiots scaring the shit out of you, oil and coolant analysis kits can be had relatively cheap.

 

[Will2]

My '24 Ecoboost had coolant smell after driving (and confirmed disappearing coolant even after refill). Traded it in before it became a bigger issue.

My '25 GT also has a coolant smell after I park it. Confirmed disappearing coolant too. Unknown cause at this point.

Since I've experienced this with both engines, I wonder if these coolant tank caps aren't sealing well, or what else might be going on.

 

[Katastrophe]

For the sake of clarity...

Judging by your profile pic, you obviously track your DH right? Your vehicle still has factory warranty, right? I can't speak for anyone else, but I had a good relationship with my dealership back in the day. If it were me, at the very least, I'd have them put a note on file as a CYA for anything in the future.

No fear mongering here, mate. Cheers!

 

[Garcia172]

mark the coolant overflow tank with a pencil or something you can remove. Keep driving and observe. Look at oil on dip stick and make sure no oil/coolant mixing (looks like chocolate milk when that starts to happen). The bottom engine tray might be hiding coolant from hitting the ground.

So first make sure you're loosing coolant and it's not in the oil.

If coolant going down, no oil/water mixing, nothing on the ground... get under the car and look for wet with a flash light.

 

[AZ_Ryan]

Guys, he already said he's NOT losing coolant.

 

[Junkyard Dog]

Nothing on the ground. No trace of leaking coolant. No visible effect on the oil or under the oil cap.

I buy my oil and filter but have the Ford dealer change the oil and filter using my purchased oil and filter. The dealer may top off the coolant. I do not know.

I think that covers all of the questions raised above.

 

[Junkyard Dog]

Also, the expansion tank vents to the atmosphere, so it's possible you're getting a whiff of that.

I did not realize this. I thought it would be a sealed system.

 

[LouG]

I did not realize this. I thought it would be a sealed system.

That had me second guesssing myself. I've just checked the expansion tank, and if you look down the filler hole there is a small bypass port into the unsealed part of the cap.

 

[Junkyard Dog]

Well, this could be all it is, then. I see others have noticed the smell, too, which is the main reason I posted, to see if others had noticed the same thing.

 

[Sofa King]

There is a place near where I live that sells beauty bark. When the weather is really cold they put anti freeze on it so it doesn't freeze into a giant blob. Makes me freak out every winter as I think all my cars are leaking anti freeze.

 

[Junkyard Dog]

So, guess what I discovered last night?





I was checking the oil and looked at the coolant level to discover it was below the minimum line. I could also smell coolant while looking.

 

[Katastrophe]

So, guess what I discovered last night?





I was checking the oil and looked at the coolant level to discover it was below the minimum line. I could also smell coolant while looking.

Did you get it documented at the dealership yet? CYA mate...

My 0.02.

EDIT: For clarity, CYA = cover your ass. Wasn't meant to be a smart-ass comment.

 

[Junkyard Dog]

Did you get it documented at the dealership yet? CYA mate...

My 0.02.

Not yet, no. I just saw this last night.

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