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Antifreeze Smell

Alamo707

By Alamo707
in Ask A GM Technician

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Alamo707 Enthusiast

Alamo707

Posted
Posted

I am new to the boards. I have been looking for an answer to my problem for a long long time. Here we go. I have a 2001 Chevy Z71 extended cab 1500 with 140k miles. Al 60k is when this mess started. When I turn on the heater I smell antifreeze. Took it in to my dealer and he said first thing we will do is a pressure check wich came back fine. Then he said, do you see any film on the window when the defrost is on or is your carpet wet on the pass side and I said no. Then he ask me if I had seen any fluid in my oil ( intake gasket) and I said no. Then he said I have never seen this and I dont know wtf to do. So about 1 year ago I took it back to him and had the coolant sys flush and the pressure check one more time and he said it was not loosing pressure. Then he said the only thing I know to do is replace the heater core which may have a tiny tiny leak just enough for you to get a drift. So we did that and after another $ 400 I think it was I still smell it :cheers::confused::confused: . I NEED HELP!!!

 

So here is the rundown

 

(2) pressure checks

(1) flush

(1) heatercore

No fluid in oil

No wet carpet

No film on window

No leak under truck

No loss of coolant

No condensation under oil cap

HELP!!!

 

Thanks guys

707 :confused:

pm26 Senior Enthusiast

pm26

Posted
Posted
I am new to the boards.  I have been looking for an answer to my problem for a long long time.  Here we go.  I have a 2001 Chevy Z71 extended cab 1500 with 140k miles.  Al 60k is when this mess started.  When I turn on the heater I smell antifreeze.  Took it in to my dealer and he said first thing we will do is a pressure check wich came back fine.  Then he said, do you see any film on the window when the defrost is on or is your carpet wet on the pass side and I said no.  Then he ask me if I had seen any fluid in my oil ( intake gasket) and I said no.  Then he said I have never seen this and I dont know wtf to do.  So about 1 year ago I took it back to him and had the coolant sys flush and the pressure check one more time and he said it was not loosing pressure.  Then he said the only thing I know to do is replace the heater core which may have a tiny tiny leak just enough for you to get a drift.  So we did that and after another $ 400 I think it was I still smell it :cheers:  :confused:  :confused: .  I NEED HELP!!!

 

So here is the rundown

 

(2) pressure checks

(1) flush

(1) heatercore

No fluid in oil

No wet carpet

No film on window

No leak under truck

No loss of coolant

No condensation under oil cap

HELP!!!

 

Thanks guys

707 :confused:

 

 

 

 

Check all of the heater hoses under the hood. Look carefully at clamped connections. Check the coolant overflow bottle. I had one in my car that developed a very slow leak along the bottom seam. i would recommend taking the bottle out, cleaning it, filling it with water and let it sit overnight on dry newspaper to see if there is anyleak. You could have a minor antifreeze leak somehwere in the engine compartment, and coolant vapors are sucked in through the air intake.

 

Antifreeze leaks are usually defined by powdery deposits at the leak source. Check even your radiator core and tanks for that. You would be amazed how small a leak you can have and not notice.

SPARK CHASER Enthusiast

SPARK CHASER

Posted
Posted

It may not be anti-freeze that your smelling. My truck developed this "smell" and it turned out to be rotting leaves in my ventilation system. I don't know how the 2001's are designed, but you might remove the windshield wiper arms and remove the intake grill. On my truck that's where a whole bunch of old,rotting leaves had accumulated.

Norseman Senior Enthusiast

Norseman

Posted
Posted
Then he ask me if I had seen any fluid in my oil ( intake gasket) and I said no.

 

If this guy thought this could be intake related I'd take my truck to some one else. The 5.3L DOES NOT have ANY coolant running through the intake. My sugestion would be check the plastic quick disconnects to heater core at the fire wall. Had the same problem you are talking about turned out that one of the plastic connectors had cracked and was leaking just a very small amount of coolant. This went on for a while until the plastic disconnect finally just gave way. I just cut the plastic off and clamped the hose straight to the heater core pipe.

GM-Tech Senior Enthusiast

GM-Tech

Posted
Posted

As someone else commented, are you sure it's anti-freeze you're smelling? It's very difficult to describe that odor, but it's rather sweet and not terribly offensive like with most other causes of odor.

 

You said the carpeting is not wet, but unless you pulled the sill plates and lifted the carpeting to check underneath, you can't really be sure. The jute padding underneath can hold a lot of water and because of the backing on the carpeting, it never comes to the surface unless it is thoroughly saturated. So just feeling a perfectly dry surface to the carpet doesn't mean there isn't water under it. The odor caused by this will about knock you over when it gets bad. Nothing at all like anti-freeze odor. If you've ever smelled this one before, it is unmistakable. The only problem I see with this theory is that you say you smell it when you turn on the heater. Wet, stinky padding under the carpet would smell all the time.

 

Also like mentioned, maybe something in the cowl? We see lots of leaves filling the cowl area on vehicles down here and they don't seem to smell at all, so I doubt it would be something like that. Seen dead rats there, but you said this has been going on for roughly 80k miles, and anything dead would be long past the smelling stage after 80k. What it could be in there... I don't know.

GM-Tech Senior Enthusiast

GM-Tech

Posted
Posted
Thiis the vin report on my truck and the d**n steering shaft is gone bad again.  Do you think they will fix it again :cool:

 

Not sure how this got in the "Antifreeze smell" thread but since I don't have the capability to move the post, I guess I'll just answer here.

 

 

Depends on the dealer, but from your history, they should fix it for you.

 

But here's the thing... two days ago, GM came out with a new TSB on the latest and greatest fix. They no longer want us to replace the shaft or lube it.

 

The fix now is to simply disconnect the shaft under the hood and "stroke" the shaft fully 5-6 times. Engineering says this works just as well as taking it out and lubricating it, which we all know isn't that great a fix either. And putting in a new one is no better. Even the "high tech" aftermarket I-shafts (Borgeson?) that are out there suffer the same problem.

 

So, if you're even slightly mechanically inclined, this is something you could probably do in your driveway in about 15 minutes. The time GM pay us to "stroke it" is 0.2 hrs (12 minutes) so you can see it takes little time at all.

 

Boy, I sure wish this forum software had the capabilites that dieselplace.com has. Pasting in a web page retains all the formatting and colors there while here, it's just converted to plain text and is often a real mess. Anyway, here's the TSB I mentioned.

 

-----------

 

Subject: Clunking Noise Under Hood and Can Be Felt in Steering Wheel and/or Steering Column (Exercise/Stroke Intermediate Steering Shaft Assembly) #00-02-35-003L - (11/29/2006)

 

 

Models: 2002-2006 Cadillac Escalade Models

 

1999-2007 Chevrolet Silverado Models (Classic)

 

2000-2006 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe Models

 

2002-2006 Chevrolet Avalanche

 

1999-2007 GMC Sierra Models (Classic)

 

2000-2006 GMC Yukon, Yukon XL Models

 

2003-2006 HUMMER H2

 

 

 

Attention: This Service Bulletin DOES NOT include Mid-Size Utilities such as Buick Rainier, Chevrolet TrailBlazer Models, GMC Envoy Models or Oldsmobile Bravada. Refer to Service Bulletin 02-02-35-006A or newer for Mid-Size Utilities.

 

 

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

This bulletin is being revised to change the service procedure. Please discard Corporate Bulletin Number 00-02-35-003K (Section 02 -- Steering).

 

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Condition

Some customers may comment on a clunk-type noise coming from under the hood that also can be felt in the steering wheel. These conditions may be more noticeable when turning at low speeds on rough road surfaces.

 

Diagnostic Tips

Use the information below to help diagnose the source of the noise.

 

• Frame Snap and/or Popping Type Noise -- A frame snap or popping type noise can be duplicated on rough or smooth road surfaces with steering wheel input to the left or the right. This type of noise can be HEARD and is typically louder with the windows rolled down. For additional information, refer to Corporate Bulletin Number 03-08-61-002F or newer -- Snap/Popping Type Noise Coming from Front of Vehicle (Remove Front Crossmember, Change Fastener Orientation)

 

• Intermediate Shaft Clunk -- Intermediate shaft clunk is heard and FELT in the steering wheel and/or steering column area, typically while driving on rough road surfaces with steering wheel input.

 

Correction

DO THIS

DON'T DO THIS

 

Fully Exercise/Stroke I-Shaft 5-6 times

DO NOT REPLACE the following intermediate shaft P/N's:

 

P/N 88965505

 

P/N 89060582

 

P/N 19149105

 

DO NOT LUBRICATE the Intermediate Shaft (P/N 26098419)

 

Engineering has determined that fully exercising/stroking the I-Shaft will provide similar results as lubricating.

 

Disconnect the I-Shaft underhood.

Fully exercise/stroke the I-shaft a minimum of 5-6 times.

Reconnect the I-shaft.

Warranty Information

For vehicles repaired under warranty, use:

 

Labor Operation

Description

Labor Time

 

E9446

I-Shaft Exercise/Stroke

0.2 hr

 

 

 

 

GM bulletins are intended for use by professional technicians, NOT a "do-it-yourselfer". They are written to inform these technicians of conditions that may occur on some vehicles, or to provide information that could assist in the proper service of a vehicle. Properly trained technicians have the equipment, tools, safety instructions, and know-how to do a job properly and safely. If a condition is described, DO NOT assume that the bulletin applies to your vehicle, or that your vehicle will have that condition. See your GM dealer for information on whether your vehicle may benefit from the information.

WE SUPPORT VOLUNTARY TECHNICIAN CERTIFICATION

 

 

© Copyright General Motors Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

 

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  • 4 years later...
Platinum1 New Member

Platinum1

Posted
Posted
I am new to the boards. I have been looking for an answer to my problem for a long long time. Here we go. I have a 2001 Chevy Z71 extended cab 1500 with 140k miles. Al 60k is when this mess started. When I turn on the heater I smell antifreeze. Took it in to my dealer and he said first thing we will do is a pressure check wich came back fine. Then he said, do you see any film on the window when the defrost is on or is your carpet wet on the pass side and I said no. Then he ask me if I had seen any fluid in my oil ( intake gasket) and I said no. Then he said I have never seen this and I dont know wtf to do. So about 1 year ago I took it back to him and had the coolant sys flush and the pressure check one more time and he said it was not loosing pressure. Then he said the only thing I know to do is replace the heater core which may have a tiny tiny leak just enough for you to get a drift. So we did that and after another $ 400 I think it was I still smell it :thumbs::lol::eek: . I NEED HELP!!!

 

So here is the rundown

 

(2) pressure checks

(1) flush

(1) heatercore

No fluid in oil

No wet carpet

No film on window

No leak under truck

No loss of coolant

No condensation under oil cap

HELP!!!

 

Thanks guys

707 :dunno:

 

 

I have the same problemwith the same run down... Did you ever got it fix, if so what was the problem and how did they fix it.

Thank you

blacksierra01 Enthusiast

blacksierra01

Posted
Posted
wheep hole on the water pump...

 

+1

Also ive seen alot of leaks at the water pump gaskets as well, if its a small leak, the coolant will usually burn off before hitting the ground.

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