Mild coolant smell

[Raider]

99 I/S with 16,xxx.  Running perfectly.  I had to go out of town for work for 3 weeks and when I cam back, I can smell coolant when i ride.  No steam.  No leaks that I can find.  Engine is not overheating.  But dangit, I smell it!

Any recommendations?  Where to start looking?  Is this common?

[Chrisj CMA]

If the faint smell of antifreeze goes away once the engine is warmed up, yes that is a common thing with the 1500 engine.  There are little funny shaped 0-rings in the water pipe fittings and they get dry over time and let a mist of coolant out until things warm up.

The other thing is....if you changed the coolant and got even one drop on the radiator it can take several times running the engine to burn it all off

[Raider]

Thanks, Chris

[olddog1946]

When mine did that, it turned out to be a loose clamp at the thermostat housing. Never could see any anti-freeze but since it was due for a change out and the hoses were all original I replaced both hoses and have had no problems since.