Mystery Smell / Heater Problem - same thing?

[Evz]

'92 Surf SSR-X
2.4 Diesel
2 batteries

My heater has been on the blink this past week, only getting slight heat through once the engine has warmed up. Haynes manual suggests flush the radiator if it's looking a bit gunky (which it is) as a first port of call.

Set off driving back home last night, enginge started OK and running fine. Heater was switched on and blower was running on "Low" setting. As soon as I started to pick up speed there was an odd smell, kind of burning but couldn't place what it might be. I wasn't sure if it was me or the car in front, but I turned the heater and blower off in case - the smell went after a minute or so and the car in front had gone so I assumed it was the other car. Turned the heater back on a little later and there was no smell.

When I got back home I checked under the bonnet to be sure. Although the smell wasn't strong it became apparant that it had been my car that had produced it. Seemed to be coming from around the radiator area. It was really dark and 11pm at this time so decided to wait till this morning to investigate.

Just had a look under the bonnet - all the drive belts look OK, fan is turning, battery levels read OK on the gauge, and the coolant is looking a bit grubby (as I said before). The other thing that looked out of the ordinary was a trace of mystery liquid along the side of the battery. See pic below ...



I know it definately wasn't there last weekend when I was topping up screenwash so it's happened sometime after then. I couldn't work out if the liquid had leaked from the battery or had been splashed onto it by one of the belts. The liquid is crusty to the touch but I'm not sure if it's just because it's so cold today and it's frozen.

Can any one confirm/suggest alternatives to my inept diagnosis?

1) Smell is due to raditor getting too hot due to poor coolant circulation?
2) Smell is due to battery leaking / mystery liquid?
3) Heater is on the blink due to poor coolant circulation?
4) Battery needs replacing - it's leaking electrolyte?

I wish it was possible to post smells on here too! Hah hah

****UPDATE!*****
After a bit more looking (and smelling) I've tracked the smell down to the driver-side battery itself. Any ideas? If getting a new battery's part of the solution, is the spec 12V and 380CCA for the two battery version? All the writing on the batteries is in Japanese (apart from the 12V bit) so I'm clueless.
***************

Cheers

John

[BUSHWHACKER]

Are 100% sure that it's the battery? It looks like it's been thrown up by the air-con compressor. Is the splatter marks on the underside of the bonnet as well?
Re. your battery question,......Yes!

[charliemuttley]

I would say battery too. I think they release hydrogen which smells a bit like sulphur/ rotten eggs,when the cells aren't performing. Try new battery.

[Evz]

Thanks Bushwhacker & CharlieMutley...

I'm not 100% sure it's the battery, just that's the place it smelled strongest.

I've checked the underside of the bonnet, there's a couple of drops of the brown gunk on the bonnet lid directly above where the battery sits. The caps on the battery look as if thet have leaked.

I checked the compressor itself and it looks clean, none of the liquid there. The belt is clean as is the inside of the wheel. There does appear to be a similar substance on the outside rim of the wheel however, you can just see a bit on the picture if you look closely...



You reckon I should just replace the battery and do the rad flush then see how it goes?

Thanks - everyone's help is VERY much appreciated as usual!

Hope this doesn't turn out to be like the time I was investigating a "fluid leak" on my first car but in the end turned out to be next door's dog releaving itself against my tyre of a morning! hah hah hah

[BUSHWHACKER]

Could be the silicone fluid from your viscous fan. But having said that, when mine sprayed it went over a wider area. but, having said That, My fan sprayed it's contents after I removed the air con gubbins.
So check your fan. Engine cold it should spin, hot engine it will be harder to spin.

[Chillitt]

have you run over a badger and got a bit caught in the belt?

[Evz]

have you run over a badger and got a bit caught in the belt?

Yak yak! Well that other chap on here ran over a deer so I suppose it's not that out of the question!

Could be the silicone fluid from your viscous fan.

OK, I shall check tomorrow and report back (it's cold and dark now and the other badgers might come and get me!).

[Highlander1]

Yak yak! Well that other chap on here ran over a deer so I suppose it's not that out of the question!


OK, I shall check tomorrow and report back (it's cold and dark now and the other badgers might come and get me!).

Hi

I replaced the battery recently because it started to smell and leak electrolite "clear froth" could smell the sulfur. I didn't carry out a voltage check when changing it so fried the second new one voltage reg had gone.

When the battery is topped up it shouldn't get hot when engines running unless it's being over charged.

[kitesurf_phil]

A leaking heater matrix smells faintly of curry, I am told. Look for tell-tale stains on the passenger side carpet. Also check the coolant level at the filler cap.