# Coolant smell coming from 97 Subaru Legacy **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [April 1, 2008, 4:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/coolant-smell-coming-from-97-subaru-legacy/12456 "2008-04-01T16:27:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![castaway081](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@castaway081](https://community.cartalk.com/u/castaway081)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2008, 4:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/coolant-smell-coming-from-97-subaru-legacy/12456/1 "2008-04-01T16:27:47Z")
Occasionally I notice the smell of antifreeze when I get out of my 97 Subaru Legacy. I don’t notice in the interior of the car. The hoses and water pump were replace about a year ago and have about 10,000 miles on them. The antifreeze level in the radiator is fine and the reservoir is a little on the low side. Is this possibly a small pin hole leak in the radiator? I don’t see any noticeable leaks. Should I just use the stop leak to remedy this problem? or will that potentially cause other problems? ---
**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:** [April 1, 2008, 4:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/coolant-smell-coming-from-97-subaru-legacy/12456/2 "2008-04-01T16:53:31Z")
The specific model is not the Outback, Lsi, or GT is it? All these models have an engine (2.5L) notorious for blowing headgaskets. ---
**Author:** ![castaway081](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@castaway081](https://community.cartalk.com/u/castaway081)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2008, 5:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/coolant-smell-coming-from-97-subaru-legacy/12456/3 "2008-04-01T17:00:23Z")
I had the headgaskets replaced 5,000 miles ago ---
**Author:** ![castaway081](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@castaway081](https://community.cartalk.com/u/castaway081)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2008, 5:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/coolant-smell-coming-from-97-subaru-legacy/12456/4 "2008-04-01T17:00:50Z")
yes it’s the 2.5L GT ---
**Author:** ![mmsamma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ed655f/32.png) [@mmsamma](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mmsamma)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2008, 5:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/coolant-smell-coming-from-97-subaru-legacy/12456/5 "2008-04-01T17:02:27Z")
whrere? and what brandname gaskets were used? ---
**Author:** ![castaway081](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@castaway081](https://community.cartalk.com/u/castaway081)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2008, 5:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/coolant-smell-coming-from-97-subaru-legacy/12456/6 "2008-04-01T17:05:47Z")
Halle’s Autocare in Kalamazoo, MI and they used the gaskests recommended by Subaru ---
**Author:** ![mmsamma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ed655f/32.png) [@mmsamma](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mmsamma)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2008, 5:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/coolant-smell-coming-from-97-subaru-legacy/12456/7 "2008-04-01T17:09:40Z")
pressure test the rad cap,and cool sys.or go back and smell the exhast running ,does it smell sweet? ---
**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:** [April 1, 2008, 6:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/coolant-smell-coming-from-97-subaru-legacy/12456/8 "2008-04-01T18:50:05Z")
Don’t put any stop leak into this car. Have the issue identified and if head gasket take it back and hopefully two is a charm.