coolant smell

[Dezerts10]

I have a coolant smell I can not find. 1996 3.4L with 205K miles on it. replaced the timing belt and water pump 1000 or so miles ago, not leaking coolant that I can see, level in overflow and radiator seem to be stable and the temp gage isn't showing anything crazy.

seems I only started smelling it recently. Where or what should I look into?

 

[jgue467]

I'd look around all over under hood for any signs of wetness near coolant and cab heater hoses behind engine. Lower radiator (drop skidpan). Then there is the oil cooler hose on left of engine. Might check heater and rear heater, check for any wetness/dried deposits around those components. Just check everything, the smell is coming from somewhere. Luck. :cowboy:

 

[mtbtim]

If you're smelling it inside the cab, maybe you've developed a small leak in the heater core.

 

[frodiesel]

I had a small leak near the water pump hose after i did the timing and water pump. I could not get it to seal. Also did not want to put a screw clamp on it.

I eventually replaced the water pump to oil cooler hose with oem and it fixed it right up. 30k later no leaks.

Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk

 

[Dezerts10]

I smell the coolant outside not inside. I will check radiator hoses and clamps. I am slightly worried about a head gasket or something major but will start witht he easier small stuff.

 

[Beaumont67]

I had a coolant smell & smoke, at idle...on 2000 SR5.
- turned out to be a hose end weeping against the fire wall
So added a stainless steel worm gear rad. clamp behind the OEM clamp...problem solved.

 

[traffic61]

Take a look at the heater control valve back by the firewall. I had a sneaky leak there a few years ago.

 

[HammerTime]

Definitely check heater hoses near the firewall, my 97 was leaking where one of the heater hoses connects, dripping on the crossover pipe and then sizzling it into vapor. Could be where your smell is coming from. Anytime you have trucks this old you are likely to have issues with the rubber hoses dry rotting.

 

[Hesk11dog]

check lines running to rear heater. There is a supply and return on the passenger side frame rail. I replaced mine with all rubber when one blew a leak a couple years ago.

 

[Dezerts10]

I have been looking for signs of coolant in the engine bay and on the skid plate for a few weeks now and have not found anything.

I do not have a rear heater so not that either.

I am wondering if the leak / smell is associated with the water pump. If the water pump is seeping is there an o ring seal around the plastic cover that would keep the coolant trapped?

 

[thegipper]

Definitely check by the firewall, there are a bunch of heater hoses back there than can leak include the heater valve itself.

I know this because it just happened to me recently and it actually leaked right on the crossover pipe so no signs of coolant on the ground.

Rear heater lines (hard lines) often rust out too.

 

[Dezerts10]

Hell yeah, pretty sure I found it. When I got the 4Runner last year I replaced all heat core lines and the heater valve.

Drive around a bit today and jumped under the truck and heard a drop hit the exhaust and looked at the heater valve and saw the one rubber line isn't seated where it's supposed to be. Felt under it and hit coolant was there. Going to let it cool down and reseat that line and hope for the best.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk