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Smell in cabin, running out of ideas (pls help)

Hi all,

I just bought a used Toyota Camry 1997, LE, 4 Cylinders, 2.2L, with AC,

4 doors. It runs great and smooth and has only 70Kmi, no engine overheat problem. The only problem is anytime I drive it, I can smell a sweet smell in cabin (passenger compartment), then I have headache and bitter taste in my mouth. I brought the car to several repair shops but all said there is no problem (no leak) with the exhaust system or cooling system. The car has a new water pump.

Following are what I have done:

  • Drain and flush coolant and put in new radiator and new radiator hoses and heater core hoses --> the smell persists.
  • Added Napa dye to coolant, drove the car for 2 days, and searched for leaks using a black light UV source --> no leak was found and the smell persists.
  • Put in 2 bottles of Bar's Leak Stop Leak (three times the recommended dose) --> the smell persists.
  • Removed the thermostat causing the temperature gauge showing cold all the driving times --> the smell persists.
  • Connected the two heater core hoses together so that no hot coolant could flow thru heater core in the cabin (i.e., bypassing the heater core) --> the smell persists.

Now, I can pop up the hood and see clearly the path along which the coolant flow but have no idea where the pin hole is.

I ran out of ideas, except the following: can it be a small crack in the engine block?

Please help.

Madison18.

Reply to
Madison18
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Is there maybe an air refreshener under the passenger seat glued upside down so you don't see it laying on the floor ?

Reply to
Enrique A

It could be antifreeze in the carpet and duct from a heater cotr that was replaced. Keep an eye on levels, if you are leaking things will go down, are you sue it is antifreeze you smell

Reply to
m Ransley

unless you cleaned out the ventalation ducts, and the antifreeze was leaking into the cabin, even if the antifreeze leak was repaired, I would think that the antifreeze left in the vents would persist to smell.

A maple syrup sweet-smelling odor is most likely antifreeze. I don't know how to clean the vents, but it can be done.

I hope this helped and I wish you the best of luck

Reply to
justinm930

Do you smell it if you are moving?

Do you smell it if you are not moving and the fan is on and the vent is set to outside air?

Do you smell it if the vent is set to inside air?

Reply to
badgolferman

The smell is strong in the engine compartment. I am sure that the smell does not come from inside the cabin. I idled the car for 20 minutes while sitting in it and there was only a slight smell. But if I drive the car, the smell gets into the cabin from the engine compartment real strong. Even when I lower my windows, I could still smell it.

If I drive the car, the smell persists for all combinations (fan on, fan off, fresh, recirculate, etc.)

I did not replace the heater core. I just do not allow hot coolant to pass it.

Madison18

Reply to
Madison18

Sweet smell as in coolant? Are you losing coolant?

Yeah, among the things the heater core may need to be checked if you can smell it without operating the fan (no air from outside).

Reply to
johngdole

Could be an exhaust leak that is leaking from the manifold and entering in the coweling beheth the windsheild.

Reply to
Drunken Panda

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