# 1998 Honda CR-V smells like it's hot

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/1998-honda-cr-v-smells-like-its-hot/6599>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** smells\
**Created:** [October 30, 2007, 9:44am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1998-honda-cr-v-smells-like-its-hot/6599 "2007-10-30T09:44:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![JanJan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/977dab/32.png) [@JanJan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/JanJan)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2007, 9:44am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1998-honda-cr-v-smells-like-its-hot/6599/1 "2007-10-30T09:44:21Z")

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My car smells as if though it’s running hot. It is not but it smells like it’s burning or running hot each time I drive it. I check my water and add as needed. Anitfreeze and water was put in it in Sept. and this weekend I checked it and added about 1/2 a cup of water in it at that time. It still smells. What is the problem?

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**Author:** ![andrew\_j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/91b2a8/32.png) [@andrew\_j](https://community.cartalk.com/u/andrew_j)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2007, 12:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1998-honda-cr-v-smells-like-its-hot/6599/2 "2007-10-30T12:04:36Z")

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You probably have a leaking coolant hose or leaking water pump with a subtle but possibly not visible coolant coming out likely only when under pressure(engine warm).

Have this checked out as, cooling system problems can be the demise of an engine very quickly.

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**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2007, 8:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1998-honda-cr-v-smells-like-its-hot/6599/3 "2007-10-30T20:59:31Z")

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I check my water and add as needed.

Anytime it needs coolant, there is a problem. Unless womeone was working on it recently it means you have some sort of leak. You need to find that. It could be a head gasket, or simply a water pump. An original water pump in a 1998 car might well need replacement.

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**Author:** ![Docnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Docnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Docnick)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2007, 9:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1998-honda-cr-v-smells-like-its-hot/6599/4 "2007-10-30T21:54:49Z")

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Have the cooling system pressure tested. The leak will soon show up. Agree small leaks seldom end up on your garage floor, since they disppear when the pressure drops. I’ve always pulled into my garage with the engine hot, shut it off, and put paper towels under the engine. Even small drops will be visible that way when the internal pressure emporarily builds up with the engine off.

A proper pressure test is still the best, however.

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**Author:** ![pleasedodgevan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/51bf81/32.png) [@pleasedodgevan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pleasedodgevan)\
**Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 5:25am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1998-honda-cr-v-smells-like-its-hot/6599/5 "2007-10-31T05:25:26Z")

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You could have gear oil on the exhaust.

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**Author:** ![JanJan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/977dab/32.png) [@JanJan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/JanJan)\
**Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 5:34am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1998-honda-cr-v-smells-like-its-hot/6599/6 "2007-10-31T05:34:32Z")

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Thanks guys this gives me something to look for or at as a possible cause for my problem.