Hi,

As if I need another problem to worry about. I took it for a 30 miles ride tonight and as soon as it warmed up I started smelling a funny smell. After the ride, I checked the coolant reserve tank and noticed that it's almost empty. It is not heating up, but I think the smell that I'm smelling seems like coolant coming from somwhere, no leaks on the floor or anywhere on the car though.
Please help, do I have a problem? Should I take it in? I am not that experienced to do a major repair job.

Thanks

 

I would check the passenger side floorboard and under the dash to make sure your heater core isn't leaking

 

Can you just look for the leak? Park it on pavement and leave the engine running. If it is leaking enough to worry about you'll see drips. The resivour doesn't always have coolant in it though, especially if the radiator is not totally full. Maybe you do have a very small leak so the radiator isn't full all the time.

Check the upper and lower radaitor hoses. On the passenger side of the engine, check the hoses going through the firewall. Those go to the heater core. On the front where the upper radiator hose connects to the engine, check that thermostat housing and the base that mounts to the block. If any of it is wet or has white stains then that is a sign of a leak.

 

is the motor running any different, stalling, smoking?

 

Well my friend could be a head gasket, or crack head, chsck your oil see if it has white scum. Mario

 

It could be something as simple as the resivoir has a leak to the water pump going bad.

If you still have the lower splash guard under the motor, take a peek there. If you see coolant laying on the splash guard, it's either the lower hose, water pump, or a leak in the res.

 

I think the smell you are smelling is the smell of burn coolant . warm up your car again and once warm go to the tail pipe and put your hand by it and see if you feel that humidity and also smell it. The other Z guys are right, it could be somethig just as simple as a water pump or hose etc. The reason I jump to the head gasket is because the smell, been there done that and I have a T shirt from it( an oily one ) Mario