Rad Fluid Smell

[AB Truck]

I've noticed for a very long time now with my 5.3L, the smell of Rad Fluid everytime after I drive my truck. I check the rad resevoir often and I don't burn or leak any fluid.(I've added very little fluid, half jug in the last year approx.)

 

Is there a very small crack in my engine block perhaps; and is this bad news long term? I currently have 224,000km on my truck it runs like brand new!

 

 

Thank you for your time and responses guys.

[papastoy]

Check your water pump gaskets. They be just barely leaking for now.

[hfletch]

If the smell is primarily in the cab of your truck, especially when the heater is on you probably have a small leak in the heater core. I had the same problem with my 2001 1500 with about 200,000 miles. you can do various tests to check it out. To r/r the heater core is a major project, the entire dash must come out, but there is another fix. Check with the pottery shops in the ares and find sodium silicate. It a liquid the turns to glass when exposed to air. I used it on my heater core leak and it has lasted about 2 years so far. It doesn't take much about 2 ozs. I removed the top rad hose and pored about 2 ozs in the hose then reattached the hose and ran the engine with the heater on high temp for about 15 min. The smell persisted until the leaked fluid had evaporated.

 

Good luck.

[jro909]

If the smell is primarily in the cab of your truck, especially when the heater is on you probably have a small leak in the heater core. I had the same problem with my 2001 1500 with about 200,000 miles. you can do various tests to check it out. To r/r the heater core is a major project, the entire dash must come out, but there is another fix. Check with the pottery shops in the ares and find sodium silicate. It a liquid the turns to glass when exposed to air. I used it on my heater core leak and it has lasted about 2 years so far. It doesn't take much about 2 ozs. I removed the top rad hose and pored about 2 ozs in the hose then reattached the hose and ran the engine with the heater on high temp for about 15 min. The smell persisted until the leaked fluid had evaporated.

 

Good luck.

 

[jwhjr]

Check your water pump gaskets. They be just barely leaking for now.

This would be my guess as well.

[8.1HD/ALLISON]

Check the water pump gaskets as stated. Also check the weep hole on the water pump. Have seen many of those just starting to seep and you can smell it.