Thanks to you all who helped me understand the water separator. That really helped.

For two days two weeks ago I could smell coolant in the cabin of my '86 SDL while I drove the car. I hadn't touched the cooling system of late, turned the heater on or off or anything like that. I had a pressure test done when the car resided in the shop all of last week (I was having that front end work done, ) They did a pressure test and didn't find anything. It had stopped smelling the day before I brought it in (of course) and didn't smell yesterday when I drove it several times.

Intermittant stench? I don't get it. Anyone? Anyone??

i had that in my 84 sd. a slight antifreeze smell. lost small amounts of coolant i believe. thought it was the beginning of a faillure of the evaporator along with other small issues ... sold the car... five years later the new owner is still using the same evaporator. i now think there must have been a small leak somewhere under the hood and the smell was sucked into the fresh air intake.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I had a bad antifreeze smell in my cab on just one VERY COLD morning. After that it passed, but I have developed a slow leak somewhere near the passengerside firewall. I have to track it down this weekend.

Heater Core?

Look around for a leak under the hood or between the fire walls. If you don't see anything it could be the heater core.


Don't forget to check all those little heater hoses under the ABS computer, lots of them between the fire walls to leak...

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200