robertbartsch

Is this a sign one or both head gaskets are going bad?

sroach20

iTrader: (31)

check for leaks, sometimes leaks only happen when the hoses get warmed up and start to expand. get your engine to full temp and look for tiny leaks.

MeentSS02

iTrader: (11)

Check the timing cover to see if there are any leaks dripping on it from the water pump. My electric water pump leaked out of the weep hole right out of the box, and that was the easiest way to track down what it was. I got it fixed, and it doesn't do it anymore.

NOBR8KSS

iTrader: (12)

I smelled antifreeze when my water pump was going bad....they leak out of the weep hole on the bottom. It's pretty easy to see the antifreeze if that is where it is coming from.

robertbartsch

OK - I'll check for leaks but I did replace my H20 pump less that 10K miles ago, so I doubt it is that.

Also - my driveway is dry as a bone!

MeentSS02

iTrader: (11)

My garage floor was also dry as a bone when my water pump was leaking out of the weep hole...it was a small enough leak that all of it was being contained by drying on the timing cover.

Is your coolant level actually dropping?

robertbartsch

I need to check the coolant level.

If the smell only ocurs after driving several miles at normal temp, would that be indicative of a bad H20 pump?

I just replaced a pump in a BMW that leaked immediately at start-up. What a dog to work on that car!

Ferocity02

iTrader: (60)

It's just a leak somewhere. If the head gasket blew, the coolant doesn't smell like coolant when it comes out of the tail pipe.

Spellbound

I have had two instances of smelling coolant.

One, a hose going into the wate pump was cracked, this happened only when car was at operating temps.

Second, was a blown head gasket. It was blown so that the coolant was getting into the enigne compartment. It even squirted on my windshield during a 1/4 mile pass.
Shortly after, when the car was on the trailer, I noticed a puddle underneath the car and I was able to follow the trail to where it was leaking from.

chromeplated500

iTrader: (10)

do you smell it inside the car?

robertbartsch

I don't suppose re-torking the head bolts would solve any issues with a head gasket leak.

If a head gasket went bad would you see antifreeze in the crankcase oil?