Smell Of Coolant Inside

[mnesbit]

I have a 95 LS 400.

A few days ago I notice a mild smell of coolant when driving it. There is no apparent coolant leaks.

Also the engine temperature guage bounces around from low to mid range but never hot.

Any thoughts? Heater core? Blown hose? Does anybody have a drawing of how the lines are run.

Thanks, Mike

[python]

I have a 95 LS 400.

A few days ago I notice a mild smell of coolant when driving it. There is no apparent coolant leaks.

Also the engine temperature guage bounces around from low to mid range but never hot.

Any thoughts? Heater core? Blown hose? Does anybody have a drawing of how the lines are run.

Thanks, Mike

have a coolant system diag done

[landar]

I had the same thing happen to me the other night. I was driving to a church function and

started to smell something "sweet" in the cabin right after the blower kicked in. At first I thought it

was antifreeze...thats the paranoia in me.

Then I remembered that I was transporting my wife's fresh-baked pumpkin pie to a friend. It was

on the floor in the back. Found the culprit!

You dont have any baked goodies in the car, do you?

[mnesbit]

Now the problem has developed into a lot of steam forming on the inside of the window so i am assuming it must be a heater coil?? Plus a must smell goes with it Any thoughts?? This has 400,000 KM on it and maybe it is time to shoot it.

[python]

heater core .....not coil and yes it sounds like that is the problem

[mnesbit]

heater core .....not coil and yes it sounds like that is the problem

I am guessing it is the heater core. If so what would be the steps to make sure it is not something fairly simple first?

Could it be the heater control valve which does have dried coolant forming on the hose to it?

Also what are the steps to replace the heater core and can anybody direct me to a link for instructions.

Thanks for your comments

[mnesbit]

I forgot to mention that the windows have been fogging up for several years when the heater was on without the a/c on. Once the a/c was on with the heat there was no fog. Now the windows are foggy all the time.

So in summary here is the problem:

1. Use to fog up only when heat was on w/o a/c. Now it fogs up even if heat and a/c is on.

2. Mild smell of coolant but no leaking of coolant.

3. There is a modest leakage of coolant (it is now dry) at the firewall where the lower hose is connected to the heater control valve (the valve w. the cable). I have attached a sh-tty picture of that.

Since there is no coolant leaking in the cabin, etc. and there is a small leak at the heater control valve fitting I am guessing that the core may be plugged???

Thanks for your comments,.

[landar]

I forgot to mention that the windows have been fogging up for several years when the heater was on without the a/c on. Once the a/c was on with the heat there was no fog. Now the windows are foggy all the time.

So in summary here is the problem:

1. Use to fog up only when heat was on w/o a/c. Now it fogs up even if heat and a/c is on.

2. Mild smell of coolant but no leaking of coolant.

3. There is a modest leakage of coolant (it is now dry) at the firewall where the lower hose is connected to the heater control valve (the valve w. the cable). I have attached a sh-tty picture of that.

Since there is no coolant leaking in the cabin, etc. and there is a small leak at the heater control valve fitting I am guessing that the core may be plugged???

Thanks for your comments,.

Ok, I guess the pie joke wasnt that funny. :(

If you are getting heat (and fairly hot), then your heater core is not significantly plugged. Even if it were 100% plugged, coolant should not leak from the heater control valve or any of the hoses.

You need to take care of this "modest" leak first (any is too much). Coolant may be running from the valve along the hose and wicking into the heater core chamber.

[python]

fix the heater control valve....about 100 dollars at the dealer, then see if u r losing fluid after u fix that

[eatingupblacktop]

Good points made by landar & python. Couple of questions: How is the coolant level? Has the level of heat inside the cabin changed? Is there any coolant inder the floor mats?

[mnesbit]

heater core .....not coil and yes it sounds like that is the problem

Hi Guys: Thanks for your comments and the pie joke was not bad.

I am still getting lots of heat in the cabin. So maybe the hose leak is tracking itself on to the core and causing the fog and smell.

I am going to flush the core today and try and stop the leak.

Why has the cabin always fogged up since I have owned the car for 8 years when the heat is on w/o the ac?

Thanks, Mike

[mnesbit]

I forgot to add that I can find no traces of coolant leaking anywhere other than the hose coming off the heater control valve.

[landar]

Cabins can fog up for a variety of reasons but there is one main cause: dew point temperature reached on the windows

with high relative humidity in the cabin area.

It could be wet carpets, perhaps a leak when it rains. Or snow on boots that melts on the carpet and evaporates into the cabin.

Steamy girlfriends, or just a high level of moisture in the breath are some other reasons.

You might also check on the recirculation setting and operation. In general, I like to pull in fresh cabin air at all times and avoid the recirculation.

Especially on rainy, dreary days, I often need to run the defrost (which kicks on the A/C for dehumidification) along with heat.

Not unlike Vancouver in the winter season.

[eatingupblacktop]

I forgot to add that I can find no traces of coolant leaking anywhere other than the hose coming off the heater control valve.

Since you're getting plenty of heat, the heater core is not clogged. It may however have a tiny leak that you can smell but not enough to see. Another cause could be that some of the leak at the valve is getting through the firewall seal, just enough to smell but not enough to see. Since you can see the leak at the valve, I would repair that first and see if you have any further probs.

[mnesbit]

I forgot to add that I can find no traces of coolant leaking anywhere other than the hose coming off the heater control valve.

Since you're getting plenty of heat, the heater core is not clogged. It may however have a tiny leak that you can smell but not enough to see. Another cause could be that some of the leak at the valve is getting through the firewall seal, just enough to smell but not enough to see. Since you can see the leak at the valve, I would repair that first and see if you have any further probs.

the fog is getting real bad in the car. still no coolant showing up in the cabin. i have also stopped the leak at the heater control. so i think it is safe to say that the heater core must have a very small leak or the hose to the core on the cabin side of the fire wall has a small leak.

i have checked with the lexus dealer and they have 1.2 hours replacement time for the core on the 95 ls 400 year.

for the earlier models the time is over 8 hours. i guess there were improvements in the access for the 95 model.

does that make sense to anybody???

[mnesbit]

I bit the bullet and had the heater core replaced. I was pleasantly shocked that the dash did not have to come out and the labor was only 1.2 hours. I believe it is over 8 hours for 1994 and earlier models.

Thanks everybody for your comments.

[eatingupblacktop]

Nice when you get a break isn't it! Props for posting your results. Enjoy driving your new car and you can throw away that air freshener now! :P

[xoneinax]

So, in summary, your core was not plugged. But you had a small leak ?

[vroom8]

when my water pump went out about a year ago, i didn't notice any leakage on the ground at first.

coolant dissappeared from the reservoir very fast, tho. i also thought my head gasket was going, but it was just the water pump thank goodness.

finally it started to hit the ground, then it gushed. lots of sweet smell prior to it all.

[mnesbit]

there was a wee leak which had started to accumulate.!!