question about coolant smell coming from engine bay - Club4G Forum : Mitsubishi Eclipse 4G Forums - 2006-2012 Eclipse Authority

chuunarusamurai · October 10th, 2011, 08:46 PM

Hey fellow 4G'ers i had a question about a coolant smell coming from the engine bay. I had recently did a coolant flush on my eclipse, when i had done it i was a bit impatient and did not realize that i had not burped my radiator. When i was going somewhere (about a half hour drive) i had wanted to check my radiator and because it looked like it was beginning to overheat i had to burp my radiator from air pockets. After i removed the air pockets the fans properly came on. What gets me is i can not figure out why my engine smells like coolant even after i washed it is there something i had missed?

I-Eat-Hondas · October 12th, 2011, 04:58 PM

Is anything dripping from the bottom?

joeyb · October 12th, 2011, 05:01 PM

the smell may linger for a bit...see if it's still there in a few days...then start to worry about a leak of some kind. I bet you just have it splashed on your manifold or something and it's heating up and that is what you are smelling...should burn off eventually. like I said, give it a few days.

nokiauser · October 12th, 2011, 06:44 PM

Took about a week or slightly more to lose that smell when I accidentally knocked some coolant in my engine bay.

chuunarusamurai · October 13th, 2011, 06:39 AM

Thanks so much for the responses. Im going to give it a week to check to check for any leaks. I know coolant is probably stubborn to remove off the engine since it is sugar based I'll keep you guys updated!

dejectedangle · October 13th, 2011, 06:50 AM

How many miles on the car!!

chuunarusamurai · October 13th, 2011, 03:24 PM

30,000

dejectedangle · October 13th, 2011, 03:51 PM

Have u checked the fluid level? If it's still full ur fine

NitroGlisson · October 13th, 2011, 04:00 PM

Anti-freeze has a smaller molecule than water. It can leak out of a smaller hole. You can actually loose your anti-freeze and not the water it was mixed in. So if the smell does not go away then must look for a very small leak which may be only leaking the anti-freeze.

chuunarusamurai · October 14th, 2011, 08:03 AM

Hey guys, yes i have checked my antifreeze and is at full. I did realize that the radiator fan does not kick on unless the defroster is on.. If i warm up my car inside *pretty toasty*

or if the heat is off and the car is already warm the fans don't come on. Is this normal with our cars? If it is looks like i need to get some flourescent dye and give it a pressure test.

MACH1219 · October 19th, 2011, 05:27 AM

the fans come on at a certain temperature, or when a/c or defrost is selected.

October 10th, 2011, 08:46 PM	#1 (permalink)
chuunarusamurai Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Vehicle: 09 mitsubishi eclipse gs Posts: 18 Rep Power: 3	question about coolant smell coming from engine bay Hey fellow 4G'ers i had a question about a coolant smell coming from the engine bay. I had recently did a coolant flush on my eclipse, when i had done it i was a bit impatient and did not realize that i had not burped my radiator. When i was going somewhere (about a half hour drive) i had wanted to check my radiator and because it looked like it was beginning to overheat i had to burp my radiator from air pockets. After i removed the air pockets the fans properly came on. What gets me is i can not figure out why my engine smells like coolant even after i washed it is there something i had missed?

October 12th, 2011, 04:58 PM	#2 (permalink)
I-Eat-Hondas Senior Member Name: Tanner Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Oklahoma Vehicle: 2008 eclipse GS Posts: 2,355 Rep Power: 6	Is anything dripping from the bottom? __________________ I got that boom boom slow

October 12th, 2011, 05:01 PM	#3 (permalink)
joeyb Hard Core 4ger Name: Joe Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Norman, OK Vehicle: 08 Eclipse GT - SC Posts: 9,236 Rep Power: 14	the smell may linger for a bit...see if it's still there in a few days...then start to worry about a leak of some kind. I bet you just have it splashed on your manifold or something and it's heating up and that is what you are smelling...should burn off eventually. like I said, give it a few days. __________________ "Has blower and many modifications." ~347 WHP / ~309 WTQ / ~6 lbs Boost

October 12th, 2011, 06:44 PM	#4 (permalink)
nokiauser Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Vehicle: Eclipse GS 5 Speed Posts: 646 Rep Power: 1	Took about a week or slightly more to lose that smell when I accidentally knocked some coolant in my engine bay. __________________ RRE/RRM Underdrive, Fujita F5 Wrinkle Black CAI, Throttle Bypass, GT Throttle body, Outlaw TB Spacer, Ripp Mods LT Headers, Magnaflow Performance Cat, Fully Custom 2.5" Exhaust Piping, RRE Magnaflow Muffler, Eibach ProKit Springs, Progress 24mm Rear Anti-Sway, Tanabe TSB, GT Tower Brace

October 13th, 2011, 06:50 AM	#6 (permalink)
dejectedangle OWNER OF C4G Name: Rick Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Connecticut/ NY Vehicle: 2008 GT-SC Posts: 2,898 Rep Power: 6	How many miles on the car!! __________________ THE FIRST EVER 4G RUNNING STG 3 SUPERCHARGER TEAM BIG SUPERCHARGEERS

		Club4G Forum : Mitsubishi Eclipse 4G Forums - 2006-2012 Eclipse Authority > Performance and Technical > 4G Eclipse GS/SE Specific
question about coolant smell coming from engine bay

October 13th, 2011, 06:39 AM	#5 (permalink)
chuunarusamurai Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Vehicle: 09 mitsubishi eclipse gs Posts: 18 Rep Power: 3	Thanks so much for the responses. Im going to give it a week to check to check for any leaks. I know coolant is probably stubborn to remove off the engine since it is sugar based I'll keep you guys updated!

October 13th, 2011, 03:24 PM	#7 (permalink)
chuunarusamurai Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Vehicle: 09 mitsubishi eclipse gs Posts: 18 Rep Power: 3	30,000

October 13th, 2011, 03:51 PM	#8 (permalink)
dejectedangle OWNER OF C4G Name: Rick Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Connecticut/ NY Vehicle: 2008 GT-SC Posts: 2,898 Rep Power: 6	Have u checked the fluid level? If it's still full ur fine __________________ THE FIRST EVER 4G RUNNING STG 3 SUPERCHARGER TEAM BIG SUPERCHARGEERS

October 13th, 2011, 04:00 PM	#9 (permalink)
NitroGlisson Soon to be SC'd :) Name: Don Glisson Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Raleigh, NC Vehicle: 2008 Eclipse GT Posts: 25,369 Rep Power: 30	Anti-freeze has a smaller molecule than water. It can leak out of a smaller hole. You can actually loose your anti-freeze and not the water it was mixed in. So if the smell does not go away then must look for a very small leak which may be only leaking the anti-freeze. __________________ Mods: Nitro's Little Girl With Attitude

October 14th, 2011, 08:03 AM	#10 (permalink)
chuunarusamurai Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Vehicle: 09 mitsubishi eclipse gs Posts: 18 Rep Power: 3	Hey guys, yes i have checked my antifreeze and is at full. I did realize that the radiator fan does not kick on unless the defroster is on.. If i warm up my car inside pretty toasty or if the heat is off and the car is already warm the fans don't come on. Is this normal with our cars? If it is looks like i need to get some flourescent dye and give it a pressure test.

October 19th, 2011, 05:27 AM	#11 (permalink)
MACH1219 Senior Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Warner Robins GA Vehicle: 2007 Spyder GS Posts: 278 Rep Power: 0	the fans come on at a certain temperature, or when a/c or defrost is selected.

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