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[immortal]

Hi,

Took the car out for a good run tonight (140 miles) and when i got back i had a strong smell of coolant , almost like burnt coolent , popped the bonnet , no leaks , no overheating etc

What could it be?

Matt

[dbug]

Coolant?

[05omegav6]

Heater Bypass Valve might be on its' way out.

Will quietly leak on to the o/s exhaust.

£20 ish from VX, a couple of knuckles and an hour or so to fit.

Al.

[dad1uk]

Check by the pedals that the heater matrix isn't  leaking. You may have a damp carpet....

[immortal]

Hi,

Sorry i rambled a bit on the original post. What i meant is that when you get out of the car you can smell the heat and if you put your nose by the wing/bonnet gap you can smell coolant , almost like its burnt but i popped the bonnet and no leaks , no overheating (sat at 80 most of the time)

Matt

[Entwood]

Check the header tank cap and neck.

Not unknown for the cap to fail, or the neck of the tank to get tiny hairline crack. When under full pressure it can leak a small amount of very hot vapour that smells strongly due to the heat.. 

[immortal]

Hi,

Im thinking of getting some vauxhall red coolant tomorrow and flushing the whole car out and then filling with this coolant. To flush the whole car out i was thinking of emptying the coolant and then putting my garden hose in the header tank and just have it running constant. Do i put my heaters on full aswell so i clean all the heater out?

Also , how much is the vauxhall red coolant? and which hose to i take off to drain the coolant?

Matt

[Andy B]

... and which hose to i take off to drain the coolant?

Matt

There's a drain tap at the bottom of the radiator, follow Tunnie's guide - you'll need 5 litres of anti-freeze. 

[Peter13]

As far as I know you cannot drain all the coolant and if it was filled up with green type before it is not recommended to mix up the two different antifreeze! Be careful.

Btw I hav read this thread because I have been having a similar problem since I have bought my car (3.0 v6 1998).
Sometimes I do even see steam coming from under the hood on the left. I am waiting forward to your solution, fingers crossed!

[05omegav6]

Sometimes I do even see steam coming from under the hood on the left. I am waiting forward to your solution, fingers crossed!

May be a sign of the rad on its' way south. :-/

I've recently changed my aircon condenser, and noticed the beginnings of a pink stain around the top of the left hand end cap. Not using any coolant though. :-/ yet

Easy money for the o/ps' issue is HBV if the header tank looks ok as per Entwoods' post.

HTH,

Al.

[immortal]

As far as I know you cannot drain all the coolant and if it was filled up with green type before it is not recommended to mix up the two different antifreeze! Be careful.

Btw I hav read this thread because I have been having a similar problem since I have bought my car (3.0 v6 1998).
Sometimes I do even see steam coming from under the hood on the left. I am waiting forward to your solution, fingers crossed!

Hi,

The coolant looks clear tbh but i am going to flush it through for a while until its totally running clear. Then put vauxhall red in and the mix will be 50/50

P.S Your steam issue reminds me of my mates Omega a while back and that was the HBV

Matt

[Peter13]

Unfortunately not, HBV is on the other side and was just replaced. Coolant bridge was just double checked too.
I did replaced the main water pipe coming from the termostat as well.

I think there is nothing left except my head gasket leaks to outside, would it be possible??

[ffcgary1]

Matt, dont discount the HBV, mine was giving the same symptoms you have described, and was for over a year but i could never find the source, checked the HBV several times nothing found, then out of the blue the HBV stated to leak very slightly, then before i could get one it let go compleatly. For peace of mind change it and i am sure that you will cure it.
 Ps IT TOOK A FEW DAYS FOR THE SMELL TO GO FROM WHERE IT WAS DRIPPING ONTO THE ZORST
sorry about caps lock.

[Peter13]

Matt,

do you smell it worse any side or it is identical?

[immortal]

Hi,

Ive done a coolant flush today and put vauxhall red in. Ive also cleaned the header tank bottle out as it was showing a few little bits of brown (suppose its the oil cooler). The hot smell isnt there as bad but the interior blowers do still smell a little?

Matt