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95.5-2004 Tacomas & 96-2002 4Runners 4th gen pickups and 3rd gen 4Runners

Mystery smell, invisible fluid?

Old 04-30-2007, 07:26 AM
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Mystery smell, invisible fluid?

Ok a few weeks ago I went to the dealership to have my recalled lower bj's replaced. A week or so after that I added a transmission cooler. Withing the last two weeks I noticed a different smell, initially thinking and smelling like tranny fuid I climbed under in search of a leak. Keep in mine I have Budbuilt skids, so in the event of a leak anywhere other than the ground it would be on the skid. Not the case, there is nothing on the ground and certainly nothing on the skid hey are as clean as the day I painted them. I did notice a ever so slight leak of oil, looks like someone backed my oil filter off 1/16th of a turn (damn dealer) so I tightened it back. I looked under the hood for a wet spot, nothing other than the oil. I do not remember what syn oil smells like when it burns but certainly not a sweet smell like coolant. I have noticed this sweet coolant smell which started as the transmission smell. So in short I have no visible leak other than the slightly saturated spot under the oil filter, no spray back from a only leaks when driving and saturates something further down the vehicle. nothing just a smell which seems to come through the AC but when I sniff to verify seems to be gone? WTF!

Aaron
Old 04-30-2007, 07:29 AM
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i noticed the same a few months ago...then i found a hairline crack in my rad, it only leaked when the engine came to operating temp...there was no evidence of a leak, but i knew i smelled coolant...one day by chance i opened the hood, and noticed just a bit of coolant bubbling out of thw crack, jb weld fixed that right up, and its been good since...
Old 04-30-2007, 07:35 AM
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I had a 95 pickup that the radiator loved to let the fan lurch into it and cut it open when mock baja driving.

Aaron
Old 04-30-2007, 10:54 AM
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Well I'll be an unkey's moncle as I refilled the res. tank and topped off the radiator, I grabbed my trusty superfire flashlight and went to inspecting the under side of the fan shroud, and what did I find? A little demon had bitten a hole in my radiator! Of course the demon was killed instantly by the surefire 120 lumen bulb. Though hid damage still remained and the leak had been discovered in time. So now I ask should I JB weld it and hope it holds, or replace the radiator. In the event of replacement with stock? maybe an AL if someone makes a direct replacement? What do you think?




Aaron
Old 05-01-2007, 05:05 AM
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Damn these radiators are pricey! I found between $175-$205, and those aren't even AL! I figured I might be able to score a high end one, but no of course not. The dealer wants $380!

Aaron
Old 05-01-2007, 05:38 AM
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I bet the same thing has happened to me. I have the same smell and every few weeks I have to had some coolant.... Damn
Old 05-01-2007, 06:05 AM
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I paid $200 for mine. Super easy install.

Just Throw some pepper in your radiator... or and egg.
Old 05-01-2007, 07:32 AM
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I bought a new one, thought I don't even know how the heck this hole was made, its right at the top and I have no accessories anywhere near it! Oh well 136k on the clock and replaced a water pump, belts, plugs and now a radiator.

Aaron
Old 05-01-2007, 08:49 AM
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Better a bad radiator than a blown headgasket! A rad is much easier to replace.

Rob
Old 05-01-2007, 10:24 AM
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how did that hole even happen?

my hairline crack had to happen cuz of the bouncing around of offroading...
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