# Where is the antifreeze going? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** ford, taurus\ **Created:** [October 23, 2011, 11:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/where-is-the-antifreeze-going/68896 "2011-10-23T23:50:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bigdog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/46a35a/32.png) [@bigdog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bigdog)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2011, 11:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/where-is-the-antifreeze-going/68896/1 "2011-10-23T23:50:54Z")
I can smell antifreeze under the hood, so I took it to be pressure tested. They found no leaks, but I can still smell it. When I add it to the reservoir, it goes down. What can I do ? ---
**Author:** ![dodge330](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ec9cab/32.png) [@dodge330](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dodge330)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 2:17am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/where-is-the-antifreeze-going/68896/2 "2011-10-24T02:17:57Z")
Have someone else check it. Maybe heater core is leaking? ---
**Author:** ![chaissos](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/chaissos/32/2347_2.png) [@chaissos](https://community.cartalk.com/u/chaissos)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 1:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/where-is-the-antifreeze-going/68896/3 "2011-10-24T13:38:34Z")
Make sure you’re not adding too much. If you do, it will blow that excess. ---
**Author:** ![circuitsmith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/circuitsmith/32/40376_2.png) [@circuitsmith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/circuitsmith)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 1:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/where-is-the-antifreeze-going/68896/4 "2011-10-24T13:45:55Z")
I’ve seen water pumps leak only when spinning and only briefly as the engine warms up. ---
**Author:** ![cigroller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c68b51/32.png) [@cigroller](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cigroller)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 1:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/where-is-the-antifreeze-going/68896/5 "2011-10-24T13:56:59Z")
_I’ve seen water pumps leak only when spinning and only briefly as the engine warms up._ I had a radiator like that once (except the spinning part, of course). It didn’t leak if coolant wasn’t circulating, and it only leaked until the car was warmed up. Apparently this was a tiny leak. But it did have me adding a little coolant once in a while. ---
**Author:** ![mark9207](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71c47a/32.png) [@mark9207](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mark9207)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 2:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/where-is-the-antifreeze-going/68896/6 "2011-10-24T14:01:19Z")
If your Taurus is a mid-'90s model with a 3.8L, let me know what you find out if you ever do. I’ve been having the same issue with my Windstar with the 3.8L. Antifreeze smell, no visible leaks, no play in the water pump bearings or leaks while running, and it still disappears at a rate of a pint every couple months. Pressure test shows a loss of a pound every ten minutes, which indicates a very minor leak somewhere. I even tore the engine apart down to the heads to replace the gaskets and hoses (I did see a tiny seep out the lower intake gasket) to combat this issue, and it did no good. I think it may be a head gasket seep or cracked head (3.8L through '96 did have this issue), but it runs well, so I think I’m done trying to fix it and will drive it and add coolant to it till it dies.