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MG MGF Technical - Burning smell - coolant problem?

I am gettig a mild burning (more like hot!) smell in my car. It does not smell electrical. When I open the boot the smell is strong and seems to be concentrated around the coolant container. It does not look wet but there is a creamy residue around the coolant reservior. Could the smell be escaping antifreeze and the problem something as simple as requiring a new coolant cap?
Antony D'Emanuele

Antony,

I had this sympton just before my HGF.

It was a hot "acrid" smell around the engine bay.

I had coolant leaking through a small fracture in one of the pipes running inside the car to the heater matrix.

Coolant went low and........HGF.

Garage didn't pick up the cause first time round and just replaced the head gasket.

Luckily, I noticed the drop in coolant level shortly after this, and they found the problem.

Hope this helps.

Sam
Sam Murray

Can I presume you mean around the outside of the reservoir?

I would replace the cap asap in order to eliminate that as a problem. I would then be searching everywhere to ensure that there are no other leaks.

Is the coolant in the reservoir nice and clean and uncontaminated? Is the oil dipstick uncontaminated?

My F smells very hot and 'antifreezey' sometimes but the coolant level hasn't moved in 18 months of daily driving.
JohnP

John,

>> creamy residue around the coolant reservior <<

:-(

SF
Scarlet Fever

Saw that Andy, hence the query after my first sentence. Could have been around inside (possible HGF) OR outside (possible leaking cap). Also Sam hadn't replied when I started typing. Not every F coolant problem is an HGF but it should always be considered as you know.
JohnP

OK, John, just thought you may have missed it - I really MUST get these glasses changed! :-)

SF
Scarlet Fever

> I really MUST get these glasses changed! :-)

Why bother, the barmaid will fill them up if you ask her ;-)
Will Munns

Hi Anthony,

does the odour smell a little sweet? This is the 'antifreeze' smell that John alludes to.

>>It does not look wet but there is a creamy residue around the coolant reservior.<<

On the inside or outside of the reservoir? If on the outside (looks almost crystaline) it could be an indication of coolant escaping past the cap. If on the inside, the indications are much more forboding as Sam and Andy indicate.

>> Could the smell be escaping antifreeze and the problem something as simple as requiring a new coolant cap? <<

Could be... fingers crossed! Failed caps are very common, and are probably the commonest (and most innocent) cause of coolant level drops.
Rob Bell

Residue is on the outside and from the replies I have had it is hopefully just the cap.....
Antony D'Emanuele

Check if there's a residue around a bolt on the engine behind and to the right of th resevoir.

I think I had a similar problem - smelly, and the coolant level used to drop dramatically so I had to check it frequently. This went on for well over a year (...well it could have been another "feature" that you learn to live with ....so I did). During this time the garage apparently fixed leaks in hoses twice and suggested that it could be the cap not fitting properly. I went to a different garage (about something else) who pointed out a whiteish residue around a bolt on the engine to the right and below the coolant resevoir. They changed a gasket there and I've had not had to touch the coolant since.

Berni
B O'Mahony

This thread was discussed on 23/10/2003

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