94 Chevy PU Antifreeze smell

Have a 94 Chevy PU 4WD with 91K miles, 350 V8 engine. After driving I have noticed a strong antifreeze smell when I walk by the front of the truck. More so on the front driver's side than the passenger side. I have not seen any visual signs of leaks around the hoses, radiator or thermostat. The temperature gauge is where is should be, so it is not running "hot". Is this something to be concerned about?

 

can't give you a specific answer but can offer a few places to look.

if a water pump is weeping, it is often evaporated before it falls to the ground so it can be smelled but you do not tend to see it on the ground.

also, heater cores develope small leaks that either leak inside the vehicle (carpeting gets wet) or it is evaporated before it has a chance to be seen. A film on the windshield is a telltale sign of this.

sometimes these leaks are so small they do not tend to be noticed in the coolant level. it does not take much antifreeze to make a lot of smell.

 

Thanks for the reply. I would suspect the water pump more than heater core since the smell is so much stronger up in the front of the vehicle where the water pump is. I haven't noticed a wet floorboard or film on the windshield. I'll keep an eye on it for more major leaks, and the antifreeze level too. I am going to have a mechanic give the vehicle a ckeckup in the spring. I only drive it about 1K miles/year right now, but the kid turns 16 this summer and gets to inherit the beast. From your assumptions it doesn't sound like nothing major to be looked at right away.