Coolant smell...

[Mr M]

Hello everyone, haven't been on here in a while, but I bought a 2019 ram Classic Warlock this afternoon, am I correct to assume this is a fourth generation truck? Anyway, 41K miles hemi 5.7 and I have a smell of antifreeze a bit while driving, and idling, and somewhat when I open the hood, not very strong, and obviously I can't see anything as of yet because I just drove it home for 3 hours. Coolant bottle seems at the right level, I do mechanical work and I have equipment to pressure test and dye test which I imagine I should do. Just wanted to ask if anybody knows anything obvious I could look for since this is my first 5.7, any inherent issues or places I should be looking? Everything else is great on it, runs fantastic no overheating just wanted to run this by to see if I could grab any opinions, thank you everybody!

 

[Curmudgeon]

There are things you can look into, and there are folks here who are better qualified to point you to those various things. I'll just add that my truck has has a antifreeze/coolant smell for at least the past year.
I can really only smell it when I park and get out, walking around the front, slight but noticeable odor.

Just this morning, before starting or going anywhere and still cool, I pulled the radiator cap - not the overfill. I wanted to see if the level was dropping at all, but it was still filled all the way to the bottom of the cap. This is the level it was at about 18 months ago.

I see no sign of leak at the water pump weep hole, and no spots on the ground where I always park. I don't know where the smell is coming from, but I keep looking for signs to point me to possible trouble, and I guess I'll deal with it when I see it.

18 month old pic, looks the same today...

 

[Curmudgeon]

Forgot to add...
2014 5.7L 108,900 miles, coolant changed out around 90k miles.

 

[Curmudgeon]

Wait - now that I actually stop and think about it, what I'm probably smelling is the cooling system pushing coolant back into the overflow tank, thereby pushing air out and into the engine compartment.

This air would obviously smell strongly of coolant, wouldn't it?

 

[Dodge 1500 4X4]

The coolant overflow bottle does not have a seal on it just a snap-on lid because it's not under pressure, you're getting your smell from the overflow bottle. many have reported on it I wouldn't worry about it, just make sure to check the level to make sure you're not using any coolant.

 

[Slinge]

Ever change radiator cap ?

 

[JHoward]

The coolant overflow bottle does not have a seal on it just a snap-on lid because it's not under pressure, you're getting your smell from the overflow bottle. many have reported on it I wouldn't worry about it, just make sure to check the level to make sure you're not using any coolant.

^^^This^^^

It's normal ...

 

[JHoward]

Wait - now that I actually stop and think about it, what I'm probably smelling is the cooling system pushing coolant back into the overflow tank, thereby pushing air out and into the engine compartment.

This air would obviously smell strongly of coolant, wouldn't it?

Yes ...

 

[Bigskyroadglide]

^^^This^^^

It's normal ...

And the dealer would have charged you for at least an hour of diagnostic time to render this verdict. Costs savings just magically appears on Ram Forums.....

 

[stevenP]

Every one of my three of my FCA vehicles has a slight odor of coolant, when hot. Without the level in the tank going down. My van really smelled strong like this for year, even had the dealer look at it. I finally found a pin hole in the radiator at the bottom of the tank seam. Had to replace the radiator under warranty. I think this OAT type coolant smells stronger than the old green stuff.

 

[metalchewy]

Hello everyone, haven't been on here in a while, but I bought a 2019 ram Classic Warlock this afternoon, am I correct to assume this is a fourth generation truck? Anyway, 41K miles hemi 5.7 and I have a smell of antifreeze a bit while driving, and idling, and somewhat when I open the hood, not very strong, and obviously I can't see anything as of yet because I just drove it home for 3 hours. Coolant bottle seems at the right level, I do mechanical work and I have equipment to pressure test and dye test which I imagine I should do. Just wanted to ask if anybody knows anything obvious I could look for since this is my first 5.7, any inherent issues or places I should be looking? Everything else is great on it, runs fantastic no overheating just wanted to run this by to see if I could grab any opinions, thank you everybody!

Agree with above on the overflow, but, I'd also check around the waterpump pully and look for signs of a leak out of the seep-hole on it. Or signs on the pully. Sometimes before they go a little will seep out when extra hot and cause the smell. Looks almost like dried hairs on the pully and sometimes on the underside of the hood.

If that's good and nothing is hitting the ground, carry on...

 

[Mr M]

Thank you everyone I appreciate your replies