After driving my car a while, it smells like coolant and its definately going somewhere as very very slowly, the coolant is dissapearing. I recently changed my oil and there was no coolant in it, so I'm assuming its not a head gasket.

I popped the hood after driving a while when it smelled a bit, and i could see a very small drop of coolant on the top of the intake elbow as well as on the passenger side shock tower. Does anyone have any ideas here? I've got all sorts of mods waiting to be installed but don't want to do them until I get this taken care of.

 

Put a big enough piece of cardboard under your car when done taking it for a cruise or when you get home. The leak will give you a good indication where to take a look. It could be a hose that is starting to rip or improper sealing at the thermostat---or something of the sort. However, the cardboard will guide you.

 

If you have coolant on top of the throttle body, I would guess that it is dripping on the belt and it is being slung around. Do you hear squealing like the belt is slipping? This is what happened to me when my waterpump took a pee. Check the weep hole under your waterpump.

 

If your passenger side floor carpet is damp, and that is where the smell is coming from, it's your heater core.

 

the hoses looked alright to me, didn't look to be squirting while i had the car running and was snooping around

its definately not the heater core, i know all about them unfortunately

I'll check the water pump tommorow, I hope that is it, because that would be nice and easy and not require much work.

 

Just wanted to follow up. I had a similar problem. Coolant smell and low coolant light coming on the dash after awhile. I finally traced it to the water pump. Apparently, when the pump starts the fail, I believe the bearing and seal, coolant is bypassed or dumped out the bottom of the pump. A little at first, then more as time passes. Anyway, if it's the pump, look from under the car to the water pump. You should see coolant leaking. Coolant would leak on to the belt, which would slip, causing the power steering to get real heavy. I took my time doing it the job. Maybe 2 - 3 hours (includes going out to get the pump). Don't buy remanfuctured.

 

Ditto with the not buying remanufactured waterpump...
Buy a new one.

 

i wouldnt buy a reman, I have an aftermarket warranty so the dealer will be fixing it, i just like to tell them whats wrong to eliminate any down time of them diagnosing it.