Smoke And Coolant Smell?
 

2001 Monte Carlo SS 3.8 L

So after I run my Monte at like a highway speeds of 70 or 70+ when I stop I'm sometimes getting smoke or steam rolling out from under the hood? It smells sweet like coolant however I'm not losing coolant that I can see and I don't see any pooling under the car after I stop. I replaced the upper radiator hose thinking that was the problem as it was bulging where the hose gasket was on the engine side and was always "sticky" and "tacky" so I assumed it was leaking from a pin hole maybe there. That didn't fix the problem.

What else should I be looking for? Like I said I don't see any visible signs of coolant anywhere in the engine bay that would be getting on the manifold or anywhere else where it would smoke? Its got me perplexed?

Sounds like it could be your coolant elbows... If you can have someone looking at the elbows as you rev the engine to 3000 or 4000rpm... If it is your elbows, then you will see it stream out... Just had to replace mine and that's how we figured it out... Be sure to replace with aluminium ones not the stock plastic crap... If that's not the issue, could be a head gasket, look for a sweet smell in the exhaust and a milky white residue on the inside of your oil cap... Hope this helps and let us know of your progress...:)

OK I'll check those things.

I should add the smoke rolls out on the drivers side if that is any help in diagnosing it?

Hmm, your coolant elbows are on the passenger side, and typically that is where she smokes from... Sounds more like a head gasket, perhaps another member can chime in... Good luck,

Would that be upper or lower or no way to tell at this stage?

Unfortunately, it's a crap shoot, although the upper might be a slightly higher %, definately change both though... It would however still be highly noticeable on the lower one...:)

OK I'm gonna take a look at the oil color and check the tail pipe smoke.

OK oil cap is clean and no residue on the cap. I'll check the smoke from the tail pipe tomorrow after I drive it.

Car also has plenty of power with no issues.

It could be the upper intake gasket is leaking into the motor....
Check your oil and see if its either overfull or could also have a milk shake look on the dip stick. Its obviously leaking somewhere if its showing signs of steam.... How many miles are on it? Have you ever changed the upper and lower intake gaskets?... My moneys on the intake gaskets....
Generally...when the elbows are cracked and leaking...theres not always a sign that they are leaking as it evaporates after you shut it off and leave it sit over night before it has a chance to even drip on the ground... What does the inside of the radiator over flow tank look like? is it clear or does it have some brownish looking stains/residue?

Dipstick looks good. Oil is consistently low which equates to about a quart or a little more of consumption between oil changes. Which I think somebody on here said was about normal for that engine to burn between changes?

Mileage is about 129,000. Gaskets have never been changed by me so I doubt they have ever been done.

Overflow tank is discolored/stained but its so damn hard to see in that skinny bottle but it looks good. I tried to wipe the side with my finger and see if any of the stain would come off on my finger and it didn't.

Oh you know what I remember also my nephew saying I had a leak in the exhaust manifold. So would that be related to a gasket?