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Coolant odor from water heater

Yahoo Message Number: 101713
Lately I have been noticing an odor of engine coolant from under the bathroom sink where the Atwood water heater is located in my 1998 Intrigue during, and for an hour or so after, driving.  I know the engine coolant circulates around the water heater to provide hot water while driving, and I suspected a leak, but I have looked several times with a flashlight & mirror sticking my head as far as I can get under the sink, the hoses are dry and not mushy or otherwise indicative of a pending failure, and I've checked around the outside area and I see nothing wet or indicating a leak anywhere.  Also the engine coolant reservoir level has not dropped even after the 800 mile trip I just drove.

I can't imagine how it is possible to have a coolant odor without a leak, but a friend with a Prevost/Marathon and the same water heater says he has had the same issue but also with no signs of a leak or coolant loss.
Is this a common problem with these water heaters?  Could it be leaking so slightly that maybe the coolant is evaporating before it can leave a wet spot but just enough to create the odor?  Does it mean the water heater should be replaced? I am just concerned that it might spring a sudden catastrophic leak and leave me stranded with no coolant.

Has anyone else experienced this and what did you do about it (if anything)?

Thanks,
Mark M

1998 Intrigue #10661

Re: Coolant odor from water heater

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 101715
Mark,

AS an easy test, I would shut the pre-heat lines off -- I'd assume you'd have a valve near the engine on one or both of the lines. Try that and if the smell goes  away you'll know for sure something is going on leak wise..

Jim Lewis

Re: Coolant odor from water heater

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 101717
I have a 1998 CC Magna and I can tell you that engine ethylene glycol antifreeze solution when heated and circulated within the coach emits a smell through both rubber and silicon heater hoses. You don't smell it in an auto because the hoses are external to the passenger compartment. In my case I have a Wabasto heater that uses engine coolant to heat the coach (a poor and obsolete system) and the problem was extreme due to the large amount of silicon heater hose in the passenger compartment. I switched to new high tech black hose and the problem persisted. I finally changed out the ethylene glycol to proplyene glycol suitable for heavy diesel engines and the problem went away. Probably not worth it if you only have one hose going to the heater and the smell is minimal but, if not, it works.

Bob Barnett

CC Magna #5489

Re: Coolant odor from water heater

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 101723
I found that when I changed t CAT ELC, the odor went away. I also have the Webasto unit, and find it works flawlessly, when properly maintained.

Max

98 Affinity # 5487 C12 HD4060 Allison
 

Re: Coolant odor from water heater

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 101727
Ah ha, interesting.  I just had the coach at the Cummins shop right before this most recent trip and one of the things they did was replace a heater valve which necessitated draining & refilling coolant.  I wonder if they switched coolant type, since I had never noticed this odor from the water heater area prior to this trip.  I'll bet that's it.

Thanks everyone.
Mark M