PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum - View Single Post

Cal Learner · #2 06-16-2009, 10:20 AM

FWIW, I just recently fixed a problem of a pronounced coolant smell in my good wife's Maxima, but no real obvious drips or even loss from the reservoir. Yet after driving, there was clearly coolant smell. I puzzled over this for a couple of weeks and stared into the engine bay again and again. Because I keep her engine bay spotlessly clean, it should have been apparent, but wasn't. I Checked to be sure there was no coolant in the oil. Everything looked OK, but still the smell. Finally, I started the motor and stared into the bay, and quickly spotted a secondary coolant line, not the main radiator hoses, that had a tiny split next to the tightening clamp. Not much more than a subtle bubbling of air was coming out, and then only under the pressure of a running motor, but certainly enough to smell. Took off about an inch of hose with an old razor blade and re-tightened the clamp. Problem solved.