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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - 'Sweet' Smell on Starting

The last two times I have started the MG, I have smelt a kind of sweet smell, that quickly goes away.
Any thoughts on this, sweet suggests coolant, but why would it stop very soon after?

-- Josh
J Levine

That is the Glycol leaking from the radiator.It does have a sweet smell when heated.
darnoc31

There is probably a slight seepage of coolant

As darnoc31 says Glycol does smell sweet

You had better check the level of coolant in the rad and FIND the leak

It may simply be that a slight tightening of a hose clip can cure it but you would be well advised to find it before it can let you down
Bill1

As has been said, that's glycol leaking somewhere. It probably goes away because it's a small leak and the leaked stuff burnt off faster than it leaks out. After checking the radiator and hose connections, look around the edge of the head/block mating surface. It's possible that there may be a small leak and it stops because the head/block have gotten hot and expanded slightly. Had that happen on a car I had. Took ages to discover the leak.
Clive Reddin

The other source of a sweet smell (assuming you don't have exotic aftershave) is the alcohol in the temp gauge capillary.

A
Anthony Cutler

If you check his other entry you will see the source of the leak. Th bottom pipe on the radiator is loose where it is soldered together.
darnoc31

Thanks all,

I started it again this morning and there was no sign of the smell.
My passenger didn't describe it as sweet, so I am now not sure, I will keep an eye on it and see.
As darnoc31 says, the radiator does have a small leak, but I am not sure it is related to this.
There are no other leaks visible, I may have to delve into the heater...

-- Josh
J Levine

Josh,
Its highly likely that the small radiator leak is what is causing the occasional smell. You have to be careful not to overtighten jubilee clips on the radiator hoses. They can crush the pipe that they attach to - which is just a thin walled metal sleeve soldered into the rad. This is what breaks the solder joint as yours has done, where it fits into the radiator.

A dose of Radweld, Barrs, Celit or similar may provide a temporary fix for the weekend.
Guy

I think that the leak may have been the result of me pulling off said tube in order to flush out the expansion tank on the weekend.
The smell pre-dates this, so it may be something else.

-- Josh
J Levine

Baby vomit?
Lawrence Slater

A leaky heater core will also provide that sweet smell. Turn off the heater control valve for a while and see if the smell persists. A pressure check of the complete cooling system after the current leak is advised.
darnoc31

Lawrence, I was initially thinking something had curled up and died in my heater box, but now that you mention it... ;)

-- Josh
J Levine

Josh,
You haven't had a big lottery win recently have you?




(sweet smell of success)



May be worthwhile retorquing your cylinder head bolts in case you have an internal head gasket weep. And then remember to check and adjust valve clearances as well.
Guy

check hoses to the heater but don't over tighten the jubilee clips

if you've taken the hoses off then when you put them back on you can sometimes be pushing the matrix back as you push the hoses on

feel for the bumps under the hoses, where the heater connecting pipes end, and make sure the clips are passed these to get a good seal

a weep at these can run back to inside heater box which transfers the smell to inside the cabin and of course the weep is difficult to see because it ends inside the heater box
Nigel Atkins

I have not been able to replicate this despite several attempts today, will try again tomorrow!

-- Josh
J Levine

course it could be that leak on your rad as darnoc31 says
Nigel Atkins

Or it was ether from the temp gauge, do you have a reading on your gauge? BTDT.

My car never ever overheats....
Alex G Matla

I do indeed have a reading, but my gauge is electric, so it wasn't that!

-- Josh
J Levine

Good, then it's not that ;)
Alex G Matla

Josh,
this might be of use to you - http://www.youtube.com/user/Universitymotorsltd#p/u/69/2gCN3hbtVgQ
Nigel Atkins

This thread was discussed between 11/12/2011 and 13/12/2011

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