Radiator or Powersteering leak????

[DansBabyGurl]

We are buying a '94 ATX w/ 110K on Friday. We have already made the deposit, but noticed that there is a fluid (can't see it, only smell it and see some smoke from burnoff) on the back of the engine on the passenger side that smells sweet like either antifreeze or powersteering fluid. It's not affecting how the car runs whatsoever, but we were wondering if it's more common to have leaks of one fluid or the other in that location???? Any recommendations? Thanks!

 

[MotoArts]

Both are viable choices for fluid leaks in that area. The PS system is tough to get to, period. Any of the lines or reservoir tank could be leaking. For antifreeze, the water pump may be a culprit, and is located directly above the crank end (balancer) and the catalytic converter. It can drip antifreeze (or oil if the crank seal is bad) on the converter, causing a smell you describe. Water pumps are common service items that nobody seemingly replaces. There is a service procedure (called "60K") that includes water pump, crank seal, crank position sensor and timing belt replacement.

I'd definately recommend NOT driving the car until the smell source in question is located and repaired, due to obvious fire or potential overheating.