uh oh! need help! wuts that smell?!

chrisfromnh · 02-10-2009, 02:17 PM

so i started my car and i can smell something in the engine that i dont really like much... its kind-of a sweet smell... i think i smell coolant but there is something else... i have suspicions of a junk head gasket...

any help?

randomxzero · 02-10-2009, 02:20 PM

mmm syrup!!!! yup gasket!! dont take a chance change it!!!

chrisfromnh · 02-10-2009, 02:21 PM

know where to get one? im broke...

and how hard is it?

randomxzero · 02-10-2009, 02:38 PM

dont know about the 2nd gens.. but there was a thread floating around hereof what kind of gasket a guy should use..

muffinman · 02-10-2009, 02:45 PM

why are you jumping straight to head gasket just because you smell coolant?

randomxzero · 02-10-2009, 02:51 PM

because most likely it is..
ive had three cars all of them as soon as i smelled that sweet syrup smell head gasket gave out within a week...

muffinman · 02-10-2009, 03:05 PM

but what if its just coolant leaking some where on the motor and burning?

randomxzero · 02-10-2009, 03:07 PM

thats true!! i forgot about that :/
ya check for coolant leaks..

mr220v · 02-10-2009, 03:38 PM

Hmmm....car smells kinda funny. I think it needs a new motor.

randomxzero · 02-10-2009, 03:52 PM

low blow ouch!

mr220v · 02-10-2009, 04:18 PM

Nah, just being funny.

randomxzero · 02-10-2009, 04:19 PM

haha okay..

fvillota · 02-10-2009, 04:29 PM

are u missing coolant? check all ur hoses and make sure nothing is loose or cracked and no wet spots,. changing a head gasket can be a mission sometimes.

muffinman · 02-10-2009, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr220v

Hmmm....car smells kinda funny. I think it needs a new motor.

Maybe try a new air freshner

ebouwman · 02-10-2009, 05:05 PM

Definately coolant. But if you can smell it then you should be able to see it.

What i mean is that there should be some steam somewhere. Let it warm up and you should see some steam somewhere.

I wouldn't just jump to the head gasket though, because if you don't have to replace it then don't! You can get a compression test and that may help see if it's a head gasket.

It could be just that the outer part of the head gasket went and it's only leaking coolant out, but not affecting the pressure, at least i think thats possible.

It could just be that there's a coolant leak like someone muffinman said.

Have you had any work done to it? I had a block heater put in and somehow the guy spilled coolant all over my exhaust (don't know how) and it steamed for something like 15 or 20 minutes.

If you have a coolant leak though, i'd be watching your temp closely just incase it suddenly drops off or skyrockets.

brianbooth · 02-10-2009, 05:11 PM

My peugeot has smelled like syrup every time you flip on the heater for years. Doesn't seem to lose enough coollant to matter so I just leave it be.

ebouwman · 02-10-2009, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brianbooth

My peugeot has smelled like syrup every time you flip on the heater for years. Doesn't seem to lose enough coollant to matter so I just leave it be.

As every time you use the heater it takes a month off of your lifespan

Coolant really isn't good for you, you know

5SFE · 02-12-2009, 09:03 PM

Sweet smell means coolant (from my limited experiece)
I got that smell when I forgot to tighten the water pipe back to the engine... causing a nice little gushing leak. Good times.

ebouwman · 02-13-2009, 02:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 5SFE

Sweet smell means coolant (from my limited experiece)
I got that smell when I forgot to tighten the water pipe back to the engine... causing a nice little gushing leak. Good times.

I just about did that. It wasn't even just not tightened properly, it was loose hanging completely out on one end

chrisfromnh · 02-19-2009, 07:13 PM

well the thing is, is that there is a coolant smell but there is somethingelse... not coolant though. its sweet smelling but not like coolant...

02-10-2009, 02:17 PM	#1 (permalink)
chrisfromnh drift Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Weare, NH Posts: 196 Thanks: 11 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts Blog Entries: 2 iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	uh oh! need help! wuts that smell?! so i started my car and i can smell something in the engine that i dont really like much... its kind-of a sweet smell... i think i smell coolant but there is something else... i have suspicions of a junk head gasket... any help?

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02-10-2009, 02:20 PM	#2 (permalink)
randomxzero 562 Understeer Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: 562 Posts: 1,171 Thanks: 10 Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts iTrader Rating: (1/100% )	mmm syrup!!!! yup gasket!! dont take a chance change it!!!

02-10-2009, 02:21 PM	#3 (permalink)
chrisfromnh drift Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Weare, NH Posts: 196 Thanks: 11 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts Blog Entries: 2 iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	know where to get one? im broke... and how hard is it?

02-10-2009, 02:38 PM	#4 (permalink)
randomxzero 562 Understeer Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: 562 Posts: 1,171 Thanks: 10 Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts iTrader Rating: (1/100% )	dont know about the 2nd gens.. but there was a thread floating around hereof what kind of gasket a guy should use..

02-10-2009, 02:45 PM	#5 (permalink)
muffinman U-P-G-R-A-Y-E-D-D Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Sunny South Florida Posts: 5,881 Thanks: 53 Thanked 283 Times in 272 Posts Blog Entries: 1 My Google Map iTrader Rating: (2/100% )	why are you jumping straight to head gasket just because you smell coolant?

02-10-2009, 02:51 PM	#6 (permalink)
randomxzero 562 Understeer Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: 562 Posts: 1,171 Thanks: 10 Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts iTrader Rating: (1/100% )	because most likely it is.. ive had three cars all of them as soon as i smelled that sweet syrup smell head gasket gave out within a week...

02-10-2009, 03:05 PM	#7 (permalink)
muffinman U-P-G-R-A-Y-E-D-D Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Sunny South Florida Posts: 5,881 Thanks: 53 Thanked 283 Times in 272 Posts Blog Entries: 1 My Google Map iTrader Rating: (2/100% )	but what if its just coolant leaking some where on the motor and burning?

02-10-2009, 03:07 PM	#8 (permalink)
randomxzero 562 Understeer Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: 562 Posts: 1,171 Thanks: 10 Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts iTrader Rating: (1/100% )	thats true!! i forgot about that :/ ya check for coolant leaks..

02-10-2009, 03:38 PM	#9 (permalink)
mr220v Beams Owners Group Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 2,529 Thanks: 13 Thanked 176 Times in 147 Posts iTrader Rating: (11/100% )	Hmmm....car smells kinda funny. I think it needs a new motor.

02-10-2009, 03:52 PM	#10 (permalink)
randomxzero 562 Understeer Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: 562 Posts: 1,171 Thanks: 10 Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts iTrader Rating: (1/100% )	low blow ouch!

02-10-2009, 04:18 PM	#11 (permalink)
mr220v Beams Owners Group Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 2,529 Thanks: 13 Thanked 176 Times in 147 Posts iTrader Rating: (11/100% )	Nah, just being funny.

02-10-2009, 04:19 PM	#12 (permalink)
randomxzero 562 Understeer Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: 562 Posts: 1,171 Thanks: 10 Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts iTrader Rating: (1/100% )	haha okay..

02-10-2009, 04:29 PM	#13 (permalink)
fvillota Did you just press that? Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Miami Posts: 2,539 Thanks: 73 Thanked 52 Times in 52 Posts iTrader Rating: (11/100% )	are u missing coolant? check all ur hoses and make sure nothing is loose or cracked and no wet spots,. changing a head gasket can be a mission sometimes.

02-10-2009, 05:05 PM	#15 (permalink)
ebouwman Curve Hugger Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: BC Posts: 1,600 Thanks: 19 Thanked 51 Times in 51 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	Definately coolant. But if you can smell it then you should be able to see it. What i mean is that there should be some steam somewhere. Let it warm up and you should see some steam somewhere. I wouldn't just jump to the head gasket though, because if you don't have to replace it then don't! You can get a compression test and that may help see if it's a head gasket. It could be just that the outer part of the head gasket went and it's only leaking coolant out, but not affecting the pressure, at least i think thats possible. It could just be that there's a coolant leak like someone muffinman said. Have you had any work done to it? I had a block heater put in and somehow the guy spilled coolant all over my exhaust (don't know how) and it steamed for something like 15 or 20 minutes. If you have a coolant leak though, i'd be watching your temp closely just incase it suddenly drops off or skyrockets.

02-10-2009, 05:11 PM	#16 (permalink)
brianbooth Cage Fighter Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Longview, WA Posts: 195 Thanks: 6 Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	My peugeot has smelled like syrup every time you flip on the heater for years. Doesn't seem to lose enough coollant to matter so I just leave it be.

02-12-2009, 09:03 PM	#18 (permalink)
5SFE No Skills Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 8 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	Sweet smell means coolant (from my limited experiece) I got that smell when I forgot to tighten the water pipe back to the engine... causing a nice little gushing leak. Good times.

02-19-2009, 07:13 PM	#20 (permalink)
chrisfromnh drift Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Weare, NH Posts: 196 Thanks: 11 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts Blog Entries: 2 iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	well the thing is, is that there is a coolant smell but there is somethingelse... not coolant though. its sweet smelling but not like coolant...