Hey guys..i need some help here...take it easy cause im a girl!...I just got a 95 Eclipse GS...it seems to have a strong smell of antifreeze inside the car & my check engine light is on...I check the passenger side floor..its not damp...so i dont think it could be the heater core...the oil in the car is clean..nothing unusual in the oil...nothing leaking out of the motor of the car..or around the heads...and nothing leaking on the ground...one time it did seem to kinda lug up a hill...but it only did it once...does anyone have any idea what could be going on here??? or has anyone has this problem? thanks!

 

did u check the antifreeze level? u didnt mention it

 

has your car overheated at all. Bring the car to autozone and get that CEL scanned. Any white smoke comming from the exhuast. If you can smell it in the car then its probably the head gasket. Especially with a 420a

 

well just cause the floor isnt damp doesnt mean its not the heater core, i just replaced the heater core on my lumina... most cars now-a-days have a tray that sits under the heater core with a "hose" that leads outside usually through the firewall... when i pulled that off it had a big puddle of antifreeze in it... i'd almost have to say that that is your problem if you're smellin antifreeze in the car

 

I checked all around the motor i dont see anything leaking anywhere...i thought if it was a head gasket or the heads there would be something leaking from around them....and i did check the anti-freeze level...everythings all good....and it hasnt overheated...my temp gauge stays normal..and it isnt blowing any smoke..i was just wondering if the anti-freeze smell has anything to do with the check engine light....or if it would have anything to do with it lugging up a hill (it only did this once)...would the heater car trip the check engine light?...and are there any other ways i can tell if this would be a problem with the heads/ head gasket?...i took the car to autozone...they keep saying nothing is wrong, its currently in a mitshu. shop right now...they are supose to be calling me & letting me know whats up..but ive had it to 3 other shops & they cant seem to find a problem....i think no one know whats going on or what their doing for that matter....any thank you so much for your replys!

 

Hmmm Autozone says nothing is wrong even when the check engine light is on? Tell them to scan it and get the code. There cant be a check engine light without a code...

Well one major sign of a headgasket is big clouds of white smoke from the exhaust.. .and a white goop under the oil cap.

It doesnt sound to me like this is your problem. Just out of curiosity, what makes you think its antifreeze? It usually smells sweet when its burned... Possibly its something that has previously leaked out and is touching a hot component?

Sometimes the radiator cap leaks when things heat up and pressure builds up... think that could be it?

 

could also be a stuck thermostat... which would mean your temp gauge wouldnt go up even if it was overheating... definitely get it scanned

 

Not thermostat.. the car would overheat right?

 

right, which could help explain the smell of antifreeze... but if it was a stuck thermostat, then her gauge wouldnt give any indication to it overheating... just a thought

 

I guess your right... thats possible. Do the fans ever come on? Do you ever notice any leakage around the radiator cap?