So we just got a 2013 LR4, we love it. But last night when we parked after coming home, I could smell coolant. I checked the overflow and the levels are where they should be (orange coolant). I checked for puddles under and nothing. I also looked under the hood around the water pump and couldn’t see any signs of leaks. I don’t smell any coolant from inside the vehicle either. Any ideas of where else this smell could be coming from?

 

Its possible its residual from work being done, such as a water pump replacement. You can try gently cleaning the engine with some Simple Green®™. Spray it down, rinse it off. You may also want to mark the expansion tank after it sits a morning. Then closely pay attention before you start it each time to see if the level dropped at all. You will have some slight fluctuations, but if you feel its going down and you still have the smell its time to poke around. Sometimes you can have a small enough leak that it basically vaporizes on exit and when cool there is not enough pressure to show a leak.

 

Take cap off over flow tank after stone cold and if there is any pressure, you have a leak somewhere.

 

UPDATE: so I was able to look at it under better light this morning. And under where the water pump is you can see where it has been leaking. I haven’t lost any coolant in my system according to the overflow. You should see a change if the water pump is leaking correct?

 

Depends on how aggressive the leak is and if its bringing air back in when cooling to displace the coolant. Does the pump look new? If not, clean and keep an eye for any new smells or leaks now that you know where to look.

 

That was my plan, I am going to clean everything real good tonight and then watch it and see how much leaks out. I don’t think the water pump has been changed. Thinking about going ahead and doing that.

 

UPDATE: I clean off the leaked coolant so that I could easily see where it was leaking. I just checked the overflow level and I have fallen below the cold fill line. But I don’t see any fluid below the water pump. Any ideas?? Also I have the orange coolant in the LR4. Are you guys using the OEM coolant or is there a coolant I can pick up at a local parts house that will work just as well with the orange coolant?

 

Havoline Xtended Life is the original orange stuff probably. Good for 5 years, 150,000 miles - on paper. Its a Dex-Cool specification. But many move to Zerex Dex-Cool as its compatible, less expensive and easier to find. For now, if you are not in a freezing climate, distilled water would be perfectly fine to add as you may end up draining the system anyway.

If you still smell coolant and the level is dropping, you appear to have a leak some place. Do you see any sort of white spray on the belts? Would look like dried salt water.

 

I didn’t this afternoon I am going to look with a flash light after dark. I’m also planning on pressure testing the system this weekend. I was thinking it was a water pump because of where the coolant was right underneath in the bottom of the engine compartment. Hoping maybe it’s a small leak in a hose.

Just another question just for my knowledge. When replacing parts such as a water pump. Do you recommend going OEM or would a water pump from O Reilly’s work. I know there is a big price difference. I was planning on going OEM but don’t want to if it’s not absolutely necessary.

 

The OEM pump is really well built. I never looked into who actually makes it. I prefer to go straight to the OEM for parts versus a re-box with a LR logo on it - which is always double the price. I am not sure about your specific engine, but the 4.4 on the LR3 seems to have good luck with the AC Delco pump. Unlike the OEM unit its one casting not split. So one less gasket to worry about. But again, in your case I am not certain.