1995 Pontiac Grand Am fumes

Tiny
CYANN15
  • MEMBER
  • 1995 PONTIAC GRAND AM
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 185,252 MILES
It is Summer and I have noticed that I can smell fumes coming from my a/c when the car is sitting still like at a traffic light or if I am not accelerating too fast, but I don't smell anything when driving on the freeway unless I get caught in traffic. I have had a mechanic check it twice but he wasn't able to find anything.
Tuesday, August 10th, 2010 AT 8:47 PM

5 Replies

Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 110,176 POSTS
Does it smell like exhaust, fuel, coolant?
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Tuesday, August 10th, 2010 AT 11:45 PM
Tiny
CYANN15
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
It smells like coolant.
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Wednesday, August 11th, 2010 AT 2:21 AM
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 110,176 POSTS
My first concern then is the heater core. What I need you to do is this. Go to a local parts store and get a pressure gauge / pump for the cooling system. Most will lend them or rent them to you. It is nothing more than a hand pump. When the engine is cold, remove the radiator cap and screw on the pump. Look at the top of your radiator cap for its release pressure. It should be around 15 psi. Pump the system up to that pressure and then you can safely look for leaks. Check hoses, water pump, heater core. Also, check around the base of the heads and the intake. Finally, make sure the system maintains pressure. It shouldn't leak down.

Let me know what you find.

Joe

PS: If the parts store you go to doesn't know what you are asking for, tell them you need to pressure test the cooling system.
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Wednesday, August 11th, 2010 AT 8:59 PM
Tiny
CYANN15
  • MEMBER
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Thanks joe
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Thursday, August 12th, 2010 AT 12:47 AM
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 110,176 POSTS
You're welcome. Let me know what you find or if you have other questions.

Joe
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Thursday, August 12th, 2010 AT 4:02 PM

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