Exhaust sweet smell

[m80]

Last Wednesday eve I pushed the 2.1 (646) Vito harder than normal to get to the tip before it closed, about 4 1/2 miles of spirited dual carraieway driving. I didn't notice anything abnormal afterward although I don't discount the possibility that there was a smell.

The following day I raised the back end to inspect the diff bushes (for vibration cause) and had the wheels rotating in free air. Found nowt but the smell of the exhaust, seemed sweetish, was apparent.

Thursday I noticed the smell, inconsistently over a 25 mile drive.
The return 25 miles and maybe a smell but not obvious.

Coolant level seemed to have dropped since the last check 2 months ago, so topped up.

240 miles this w/e and no smell and coolant level ok.

Any thoughts appreciated.

 

[Trickythemerc]

Coolant will give off a sweet smell if it is being burnt or dripping on a hot exhaust pipe.

 

[E55BOF]

^ Wot 'e said...

If you get a 'sweet curry' smell inside the car when using the heater, that can be a sign that there's a slight coolant leak in the heater matrix.

 

[m80]

Yep, I was thinking coolant but cofused by the now you smell it now you don't happening.
Maybe some fluid of somr type had been dislodged by my jacking up. I would have thought a couple of months would have shifted that though.

I'll keep a nose out for it happening again.

 

[E55BOF]

If the coolant level doesn't change, the head gasket is definitely OK, and that's the expensive scenario if it goes. You can in any event get coolant tested for exhaust gas contamination if you need to.