Thread: Smell of coolant

The Radiator top and bottom tanks are plastic and crimped along their length to the core with a rubber seal in between. The seal can become a source of a small leak and any escaped coolant tends to run along the seam before evaporating. The crimps can be re-tensioned at a Radiator shop and pressure tested before and after to confirm any leak and fix. Last time I had one done it cost $40 and fixed a leak.

Thanks guys, Wayne we did not check the radiator because it is only a few months old but it is obviously now a possibility so we will have another look at the top and bottom tanks. It is a maddening problem because the coolant smell is so strong that you should be able to see where it is coming from.

Thanks once again
David

My one that I found leaking was just over a year old, It could have been leaking slowly for a some time, It was obvious once on a pressure test however by that time the leak had become more and I spotted drips on the floor and traced the leak.
I bought another rad just in case the re crimp did not hold but its been good ever since. The unused new rad is for sale in the markets section.

Also worth checking if any old coolant is still slushing around on top of the valley gasket. My ute (not a Land Rover) had a coolant smell for months after replacing pump and hoses, until I Gerni'd the whole thing.

Cheers, Paul.

It's not just the reservoir tank overflow pipe pointing excess/over fill at the exhaust manifold or pipes is it?