dak911

For the past few weeks I have noticed a slightly sweet smell coming from the car, it happens after driving it locally for about 45 minutes. I seem to remember that as being antifreeze (sorry, coolant) from years ago. But, I have checked the coolant level and it seems full.....???

Bruce In Philly

It may be the heat exchanger... a very easy DIY job. I did it on my 2000 Boxster, and it looks like the job is the same. I never saw a drop in fluid... really odd as it never really leaked badly. I would describe the smell as maple syrup. It would come and go.

I purchased the OEM, non-Porsche label part from Pelican. It was the exact same.

If you want to pull the part and examine it, and want some help, PM me and I will give you some more data. The short set of instruction is just start unbolting stuff. It is located behind the battery... you will see the in/out hoses behind the battery. You must take off, if I remember correctly:

1 - Wiper cowling and wiper motor assembly.
2 - Take out battery
3 - Take off strut braces
4 - Disconnect two, in/out coolant hoses. I didn't even pinch them off, just aim them up and put a rag there to catch the drip... It appears to be the highest point in the coolant system.
5 - unbolt the exchanger, and pull straight up.

If it is leaking, then order a new one... When the new arrived a few days later, I then poured the coolant from the old into the new.... just screwed everything back together.... no big deal.



Peace
Bruce in Philly

mattyf

Bruce, I was just going to say the same thing. I had a similar incident on a VW. Sweet smell in the cabin as the car heated up. Unfortunately the VW repair required removing the entire dash and center console, ugh!

Rotmilky

Is the smell in the cabin as you drive the car or is it only noticeable when you stop?

If it's when you stop the car that you notice it, then I'd suspect a small coolant leak around the engine. If that's the case, you might check around your coolant reservoir with a mirror very carefully. They are known to develop cracks (I just replaced mine that had a crack). Oddly, the leaking is very intermittent and hard to diagnose, mainly because the reservoir assembly sits just above parts of the exhaust that are situated in the driver side wheel well. The coolant needs to be hot for the leak to happen, but if the leak is just a few drops, you won't see anything because it evaporates on the hot exhaust.

When you smell it, you might pop the engine compartment to see if it smells stronger back there and/or you can see a faint hint of smoke rising.

CORSASCHNELL

Or it is Cosmoline (protective coating factory puts on before shipping) smell which is sweet. Porsche cars emit this odor years after they leave the factory. Mine is a 2006 and still does.

Macster

Antifreeze leak would be my diagnosis.

Check the coolant level again. Be sure the engine is dead cold. If you have to remove the screen at the tank opening so you can see clearly into the tank with a bright light.

What can happen is over time the tank can develop a stain (like the ring around a bathtub) that makes it look like the coolant level is ok when it fact it can be quite low, but obviously not low enough to turn on the warning light yet.