Coolant Odor

[K9Leader]

Over the past several months I have noticed the odor of coolant on occasion with my 2000 OB Ltd. wagon (44K miles). But it was only occasionally, and I couldn't find any indication of a leak -- no puddles, no dried deposits, no noticeable lessening of the coolant level. Two different shops (one independent and one dealership) said they couldn't find anything.

 

Last week, during the cold snap, the smell got stronger (but still intermittent) and was accompanied by smoke (or steam?). It tends to happen when the car is just warmed up, after being underway for 3 - 5 minutes, and is noticeable when I am stopped at a light (or to drop my daughter at the school bus). The smoke/steam seems to be coming from the front of the engine compartment (so I am somewhat relieved that it is probably not the head gasket under cylinder #4). I still can't find any obvious source. I'm now carefully watching the level in the overflow bottle -- filled it last night to the full line when cold and after drving to work this morning and letting it cool I see it is down about half an inch from the full line.

 

I have an appointment at the dealership for next week, but if anyone can offer any advice or suggestions . . .

Thanks!

 

--K9Leader

Newark, Delaware

[Suzam]

A pressure test of the cooling system should show if you have a radiator or hose issue. Some of the post here about that head gasket on the 00+ models seem to indicate a cold weather factor for the external leak (colder=more leak). Try putting a sheet of kraft paper long enough so that both front tires rest on it, or newspaper if you can garage the car so it won't blow away and check for leaks, especially around that back cylinder.

 

BTW-which DE dealership are you using?

[tcspeer]

May be the water pump, mine is doing almost the same as yours, and I have not found the leak so I thinking it might be the water pump.

[K9Leader]

It is now making little puddles, but only under certain conditions: drive a little, then park, and it leaks out a small puddle (an ounce or two). It happened this morning - drove my son 1/2 mile to his bus stop, sat idling for 3-4 minutes, drove 1/2 mile home, and parked in the driveway. Twenty minutes later, came back out to take my daughter to her bus stop, and there was the puddle. But it didn't leave a puddle when I parked it last night for the night. I am at work now, so I will go back out in 1/2 an hour to see if/how much it has leaked after the longer drive to work. I am wondering if short trips don't give the seals of whatever is leaking enough time to warm up and swell up so that leaking is minimized. Of course, I am now carrying a jug of coolant and a funnel everywhere I go. If it weren't the dead of winter with snow and ice predicted for later today, I would have left it home and taken my other car. The other car, however, is a Mark VIII, and not so good in the snow.

 

I put it up on ramps and crawled under it last night. There is coolant dripping from the crossmember brace, but I could not tell the original source -- will have to leave that up to the dealership shop. Perhaps I spoke too soon about the head gasket . . . but I thought the head gasket was more limited seepage until it reaches the catastophic failure stage. Mine is somewhere in between, although it has definitely worsened with the much colder weather, although not sure if the two are related or just conicidental.

 

I am a little frustrated that I bought this car (last March) partially so I would have something capable in the snow. It was in the shop last month (for the broken front sway bar) during our first snow storm of the winter, and now it is laid up for the predicted second snow storm of the winter. I know it is just bad luck and bad timing, but frustrating nonetheless.

 

Suzam, I am using Castle Subaru in New Castle. Matt Slap is closer to my home (I live in North Star just west of Limestone Road & north of Paper Mill Road) and would be more convenient, but the attitude, service, and level of competence of that dealership (in every single department -- sales, service, and parts) is so abysmal that I will never go there for anything again. Castle is close to work, so not totally inconvenient, although it is a hassle for my wife when we have to do the drop off/pick up. I had used Castle a few times when I had Acura Integras, and was reasonably satisfied. I had them replace the sway bar when it broke last month, and they didn't give me a hard time when I provided my own part (the sway bar). I would prefer to use an independent shop that is just around the corner from my house (Dempsey's - used to be Whiteman's - on Paper Mill Road in Newark), but they usually have a 2 - 3 week wait on appointments, and, if this is head gasket related, it would be better to be at a dealership for warranty purposes.

 

--K9Leader, Newark DE

[mjb240z]

I have a 2001 & your story sounds SOOOO familiar. I could not find the leak, but could smell it. I could from time to time actually see a little on the ground & it would show up on the cross member as well. I only ACCIDENTALLY found the leak just before it sealed it self one morining. Do this, open the hood in the morning & fire up your car & stare at the rear side of the engine where the head & block meet on the driver side. I swear to you if the thing wont be leaking from there after a few minutes I would be surprised. It seems to seal itself once the engine is warm but will leak a little after long driving & then it sits parked. I personally could not tollerate it & the best solution is to replace the head gasket, but I am not able to afford that just yet. Now here comes the debate on what I have done to (temporarily) resolve mine & it has been working for several weeks now. I bought a product called "Bars Leaks". This has a brownish slightly chunky fluid that worked great. I poared only 1 bottle & it worked right away. I do NOT recommend using Alumiseal. Thats the stuff with small aluminum fragments in it. This stuff will make a mess inside your cars engine. Again this has worked for me & others will scream bloody murder, but I found the risk to be minimal. Good luck to you either way. :-)

[K9Leader]

MJB:

Thanks for the info -- I will give it a try. However, if it is the head gasket, it should still be covered under the powertrain warranty, which is, IIRC, 5 years/60K miles. I am still under both. You said you have a 2001, so you are still under the time deadline. If you are still under 60K, then yours should be covered as well.

Good luck!

--K9Leader

[tcspeer]

I also like the Barrs No Leak, I have never used it in my Subaru, but have used it many times in other cars without any trouble.

[Suzam]

There's been major debate about "No Leak" products, do a search on this board or any other automotive BB. I would never recommend the use of any "fix" like that in an engine. They can cause more trouble than they solve, including hiding a major problem that may well surface after the "fix" suddenly stops working. I would not trust those products to cure or prevent a problem.

 

K9 Leader--My mother-in-law uses Dempsey's often for maintenance and light work. I use B&D Automotive off of 495 for our 95 Legacy. We do use Matt Slap and have had a good experience with them for 4 Subarus and over 10 years of service, go figure...