Can't find the source of coolant smell.

[chrisstutz]

No visible leaks, no smoke, passed a pressure test and not overheating but when car idles in one spot for a little while and fan kicks on you can smell coolant. The coolant goes down a little at a time in the resevoir. Any ideas where to look?

[byohndspeed]

yup, had that since day 1..

[chrisstutz]

yup, had that since day 1..
Thanks man. Wonder what that is?

[BOOSTR]

Its another feature of the Mazdaspeed. You can try to replace the clamps on both ends of the coolant hoses. I think those spring clamps loosen up and expand due to heat and age. I also put a small clamp on the overflow hose off of the fill neck, as I noticed some antifreeze residue there once. I don't have any leaks, but I get a coolant smell constantly. Nothing like the smell you get with a blown headgasket or cracked head though.

[chrisstutz]

Its another feature of the Mazdaspeed. You can try to replace the clamps on both ends of the coolant hoses. I think those spring clamps loosen up and expand due to heat and age. I also put a small clamp on the overflow hose off of the fill neck, as I noticed some antifreeze residue there once. I don't have any leaks, but I get a coolant smell constantly. Nothing like the smell you get with a blown headgasket or cracked head though.
Greatly appreciated. I am going to try that today. It just had me worried. I was hoping it wasn't a blown head gasket at 40,000 miles. I called one of our Mazda dealerships this morning before I got your reply, and they said MazdaSpeed Protege's use a little coolant. My car is under warrenty, but since it had been modified, some things would be voided, and if I dropped it off to be looked at and they found the problem and that paticular problem wasn't covered by the warrenty, I would be charged $85 for diagnostics...so I will give the forum a chance to help me out. Thanks!

[CrazyCaker]

Check your lower rad hose, where it connects to the housing on the block. Seeping is known to happen there, in fact I think there was a TSB about it iirc. If it is seeping a bit you can try replacing the clamp and/or hose.

[chrisstutz]

Check your lower rad hose, where it connects to the housing on the block. Seeping is known to happen there, in fact I think there was a TSB about it iirc. If it is seeping a bit you can try replacing the clamp and/or hose.
Thanks. I will look for it too. I am going out to the garage after I put my son on the bus at noon. It must be leaking somewhere and burning up before it hits the ground. I only smell it when I am sitting and the fan kicks on and blows the smell into the cabin. I don't see any residue at all either. Clean as a whistle.

[orng1]

I always have a coolant smell also but I'm not lossing any coolant, probably some coolant on the radiator is what I'm thinking since I only get the smell when the fan comes on like you do.

[randyscycle]

There is an easy way to determine where the coolant is going;

If you are mechanically inclined, purchase an ultraviolet leak detection kit from your local parts store and use it. If not then take it to a competent shop and have them do the same.

These kits use a dye that you add to the coolant when cold, then you run the engine until its warm and the coolant circulates. After this, you use a small ultraviolet light (like a flashlight) to look around at all the cooling hoses, radiator, etc. Wherever the coolant has leaked out, the dye will leak with it, and glow brightly in the UV light. These things are sensitive, and will show even leaks you can't see otherwise.

[chrisstutz]

There is an easy way to determine where the coolant is going;

If you are mechanically inclined, purchase an ultraviolet leak detection kit from your local parts store and use it. If not then take it to a competent shop and have them do the same.

These kits use a dye that you add to the coolant when cold, then you run the engine until its warm and the coolant circulates. After this, you use a small ultraviolet light (like a flashlight) to look around at all the cooling hoses, radiator, etc. Wherever the coolant has leaked out, the dye will leak with it, and glow brightly in the UV light. These things are sensitive, and will show even leaks you can't see otherwise.
All is done, now time to wait and see what happens today.

[Toolfreak387]

Its another feature of the Mazdaspeed. You can try to replace the clamps on both ends of the coolant hoses. I think those spring clamps loosen up and expand due to heat and age. I also put a small clamp on the overflow hose off of the fill neck, as I noticed some antifreeze residue there once. I don't have any leaks, but I get a coolant smell constantly. Nothing like the smell you get with a blown headgasket or cracked head though.

I have also had this since day 1. I checked the hoses and found a tiny bit on the upper radiator hose. I put new ring clamps on and no more leaks but still the smell. I'm not too worried. I just check every now and then to make sure there are no leaks.

[chrisstutz]

Thanks guys! All the tests pass, no leaks, but I still have the smell. Oh well, at least I am not the only one.

[vancitymsp]

Hi, sorry to revive this thread, but i'm also experiencing some coolant leak, few drops at a time, saw it when i was changing the oil. I only have 31000KM on the car. No visible coolant anywhere near the radiator or hoses. Not sure where it's coming from. My reservoir level keeps going down bit by bit. About to go in and do a pressure test. Not sure if it will solve the problem. Any more advice out there?

[fr0st]

yup, had that since day 1..

me too.. never found anything changed the rad cap since the smell SEEM to come from there.. but it still smell after.. .. and for some reason.. last time i took the car to 130+ MPH , and then the smell is gone.. don't ask why.. maybe it's not related..

Fr0st

[fr0st]

Hi, sorry to revive this thread, but i'm also experiencing some coolant leak, few drops at a time, saw it when i was changing the oil. I only have 31000KM on the car. No visible coolant anywhere near the radiator or hoses. Not sure where it's coming from. My reservoir level keeps going down bit by bit. About to go in and do a pressure test. Not sure if it will solve the problem. Any more advice out there?


check the turbo hoses maybe ?? i think coolant goes through there..

[peajay]

wow, our cars...
I've noticed this too. 38K miles. I think i noticed some residue on my lower radiator hose when i was doing my tranny, it wasnt bad and it wasnt currently leaking. I'm keeping my eye on it and will eventually get around to pressure testing the system.
This is why i like the forums....i would have gone on believing it was something completly random and wrong with my car only... If anyone finds anything they deem pertinant i think we should keep this going and try and find some patterns or at least trouble spots....should there be any.

[jeg0024]

Maybe its burning it off if you have no leaks? My car sat at a home for a week when I was on vacation and when I got back it was burning coolant and spitting out white smoke, I took it to the dealer and said it wasn't the head gasket and that it would go away, and it did, but im sure its still burning a bit off somehow.

[Blake]

Why would it burn off? Doesnt make sense...but then again I dont know what im talking about...

[jeg0024]

Why would it burn off? Doesnt make sense...but then again I dont know what im talking about...

Well if theres a leak somewhere internal instead of internal it would burn off and have no signs of a leak, or pressure loss.

[peajay]

(boom04) ^^^better not be INTERNAL. that's pretty much only due to a blown head gasket. I marked a line on my overfill bottle today w/ the date and im gonna watch it for awhile cause tho i smell it i can never see any wet spots after driving. i can only smell in when im right over the engine too.
...coolant doesnt just 'burn off' or evaporate....

[jeg0024]

I wonder why my car was smoking out coolant for a week and just stopped? I mean the only other time I had noticable coolant loss was durring the header install my bro accidently loosened the bolt where the lower coolant hose goes into the block, what a dumb ass lol.

[peajay]

Are you sure it was coolant? it could have been vaopr and moisture buildup in your block from sitting a week. cause the only way to burn coolant is from a warped head or blown head gasket.
i marked a line on my overflow bottle yesterday and am gonna watch it for a bit to make sure im not loosing any. i dont mind the smell as long as its for no good reason.

[jeg0024]

Are you sure it was coolant? it could have been vaopr and moisture buildup in your block from sitting a week. cause the only way to burn coolant is from a warped head or blown head gasket.
i marked a line on my overflow bottle yesterday and am gonna watch it for a bit to make sure im not loosing any. i dont mind the smell as long as its for no good reason.

yeah, maybe. but it smoked long enough for me to have to take it to the dealer.

[exNeon]

i find that i can fill the coolant tank and a week later it will be half way to the add line.
no signs of leak, cant say i would recognize the smell, but its certainly going down. even wierder is that once it reaches a certain level, i dont lose any more. it will only go down that halfway to add and sits there, so i dont worry about it.

[french02chris]

i dont have a msp, but my dx has the same problem...cooling is going down few drops at the time...well, this has been like this since 2004. i replaced the coolant reservoir last year, and all the hoses too...
finally, it happens that i do have a very (but very)small leak on the radiator..well,i am just going to replace now (found one on ebay)...
so,anyway, the car runs more than fine for the last 3 years with this little leak...drove from FL to CA and return,and the car has more than 115000 miles on it!!!!!!reading this thread, it seems to me that all protege use a little coolant,nothing wrong with that!!

[yashooa]

Heck, mine has smelled like the radiator cap is off ever since I bought it new in Feb 03. I have a 114,000 miles now at 13-17PSI (on two different turbos) and it has never, ever leaked a drop.
For some reason you can smell the coolant in these cars.

[crashkelly]

Its another feature of the Mazdaspeed. You can try to replace the clamps on both ends of the coolant hoses. I think those spring clamps loosen up and expand due to heat and age. I also put a small clamp on the overflow hose off of the fill neck, as I noticed some antifreeze residue there once. I don't have any leaks, but I get a coolant smell constantly. Nothing like the smell you get with a blown headgasket or cracked head though.

I did this and it solved the prob when i was experiencing what you all are describing...there was a leak which would only drip a few drops at a time but you could see where the coolant was dripping. The factory clip just wasnt tight enough to deal with the expansion and contraction of the hose...put on a t-bolt clamp and its never been better.

[vancitymsp]

check the turbo hoses maybe ?? i think coolant goes through there..

Yep, that's exactly where the leak was. Had the clamp replaced. NO LEAKS..finally.

[Dino1956]

Hi, sorry to revive this thread, but i'm also experiencing some coolant leak, few drops at a time, saw it when i was changing the oil. I only have 31000KM on the car. No visible coolant anywhere near the radiator or hoses. Not sure where it's coming from. My reservoir level keeps going down bit by bit. About to go in and do a pressure test. Not sure if it will solve the problem. Any more advice out there?I have a Radiator Leak and it is slight enough that the coolant never hits the ground. The coolant that is leaking gets trapped in the plastic housing underneath the front of the car. Never noticed leak until I saw Resoivoir was getting Low and took a flashlight staight down under radiator with my hood open. There was a green puddle caught in the plastic crevice. So it never hit the ground since the leak is small.

[vancitymsp]

I have a Radiator Leak and it is slight enough that the coolant never hits the ground. The coolant that is leaking gets trapped in the plastic housing underneath the front of the car. Never noticed leak until I saw Resoivoir was getting Low and took a flashlight staight down under radiator with my hood open. There was a green puddle caught in the plastic crevice. So it never hit the ground since the leak is small.

Get a pressure test done to fine the source. It worked for me.