I have an 07 Jk. I have been recently noticing a radiator coolant smell when I get out of my jeep. This smell started about a month ago. It's full of coolant, not dripping and I can't find any visible leaks. I usually only drive it to and from work and that's only about 3 miles one way so it shouldn't be over heating. The temp gauge is almost always at the half way mark. No matter how short of a distance I drive. I drove it on a 6 hr trip a few days ago checking fluid levels before and after and they stayed the same.

Any ideas of what it may be?

 

Check around the ragas cap...known to leak

 

I think mine runs right at 195-200* (about halfway). It does not matter if the conditions are cold, hot, long ride, short ride- any way you slice it.

Have you checked under your water pump? With it being an 07 you may have some light seepage. Keep it updated where you may find a leak.

 

I got the aeroforce interceptor gage installed ...it shows coolant temp peaking at 212 ....temp gage on cluster stays right in the Middle .....

 

I stay at 197 most of the time. I have a bully dog set to monitor coolant temp. Since the Poison Spider hood vent, if I'm cruising at 65 TC locked, not pushing it in anyway, it will run down the highway at 194.

I have seen temps as high as 212 +/- in 100 degree outside temps or if the 3.8 is working hard on hill or something.

 

09' Jeep, B&M Trans Cooler, Aeroforce Gauges.
Trans: 120
Coolant: 140-180

 

14 JKU - 212 degrees according to the EVIC and right in the middle of the temp gauge.

 

I had an 08 with an Aeroforce gauge.

On level roads the coolant ran between 195 and 212 depending on outside temp. If I ran it from Denver right up to the Eisenhower Tunnel basically going about 65 all the way it would peak at 230 to 240 depending on outside temp.

I'd get under it with a flashlight and see if it was weeping at all from around the pump shaft seal. A water pump will usually give you a clue and a chance to repair before something catastrophic happens. Noise of any kind at idle means repair right away. Maybe it was hotter that day and you actually got a bit of overflow even though that should not happen after years of running.

 

 

I had that smell recently on my 2013 jku after 4 trips to the dealer they replaced the water pump.