Coolant Level Going Down - Please Help.

[Jelly]

Well, over the past month or so, I've noticed that my coolant level has gone done a little bit...nothing major, but enough to start getting me interested in the situation.

A couple of things I have noticed that may help in diaganosing the situation:

1. I just changed my oil a few days ago, but I've had to make a few trips, and already put about 600 miles on it. When you pull the dipstick and take a look, most of it is it's original golden brown, but at the very bottom of the dipstick, the oil has turned a very dark brown color.

2. After a hard run last night, I smelled the distinct sweet scent of coolant, almost like it was being burnt. I could only smell it for maybe a second though, but it definitely smelled like coolant (I get a good whiff of my exhuast right now because it exits right behind the cab)

Thank you for any help.

 

[Schmoe]

Sounds like your heads or head gasket is leaking into the exhaust ports. That sweet smell is antifreeze. Somewhere along the engine it's getting cooked. If it was getting in the oil, you'd have other tell-tell signs. Maybe you need to do a used oil analysis just to make sure.

 

[Bogatyr]

Jelly,
A compression or leakdown test might also be in order to help you diagnose what's going on.
Bogatyr

 

[outrun]

Do not waste ANY time on this.

Have the leak UV tested and or Compression Tested to pin point origin ASAP.

A radiator-ATF leak just killed my parents Transmission two weeks ago. Tragic as the transmission and engine were about to hit 200k of trouble free miles.

Again do not underestimate the potential severity of coolant getting into the engine.

Water + Oil + Bearings spells death-