Please help! Green Fluid Leak

[Cynthia Grant]

2003 ST with 190K miles



My truck has been having a strong "barnyard" odor whenever I turn on the AC (just started using AC this past weekend). And today when I got to work, discovered a sizable pool of green liquid on the ground under the front passenger side of the truck. When I swabbed the liquid with a paper towel, it had the same very distinct barnyard odor. I already knew it had a anti-freeze leak that was causing a different type of burning smell (mechanic hasn't found that leak yet), but before today there was nothing pouring out of the truck like this. Also, this new smell is very different from the previous burning anitfreeze smell and the antifreeze they put into the truck was orange, not green.



Does anyone have any thoughts on what this could be? Does the common radiator leak that I've read about result in green liquid streaming out? So far my ST has not had a radiator problem.



Thanks for any input!

 

[Gavin Allan]

Sounds like engine coolant to me. Might also be axle lubricant, which also has a pungent smell.



Gonna have to crawl under it with a flashlight and look for the source. Pressure testing the coolant system is pretty easy, and it will let you know if you have a leak. If it is axle lube, it will leave a nice stain and lots of dust sticking to it, and there are only a few places where it may be coming from.

 

[Todd Z]

Unless its AC Dye and leaked a ton, its coolant...... Find a good mechanic to find the leak ASAP.



Todd Z

 

[Ed Fenwick]

The A/C will draw the moisture from the air and deposit on the ground below the passenger feets. However it is not green but clear water. A sizable pool of radiator coolant will show in the reservoir Do you see any loss there?

Ed

 

[swshawaii]

You have never mentioned in four threads if the LOWER THERMOSTAT HOUSING was ever checked.

Anti-Freeze Leak? by CindyG 4/23/2015 11:52 ET

Anti-freeze burning smell and ABS light by CindyG 4/26/2015 17:16 ET

Anti-freeze burning and ABS light by CindyG 4/26/2015 17:48 ET

 

[Dennis Shelley]

Green has to be coolant, tranny fluid is red, motor oil is brown/amber, power steering fluid is red, brake fluid is clear (when new).

The leak is outside the vehicle, look for a radiator hose leak. Any leak in the engine can cause the vapors to be swept into the cab. Also look for a heater hose leak. This is the hose that brings the hot engine coolant into the cab for the heater to use. these hoses are about the size of a garden hose on the passenger side of the firewall. If the heater core is leaking, the coolant would be pooling in the cab on the floor. It seems positive (good news) the leak is outside the cab. Replacing the heatercore in the cab is a four letter word, several times over.

Let us know how this is resolved.

Good luck.

Dennis

 

[Vic Sorlie]

'Tis coolant. Pray the leak ain't in your heater core.

 

[Johnny O]

The radiator has plastic tanks and they tend to crack. It is not fixable and you will need a new radiator if that's the problem.