i was driving the other day, in some traffic, and looked down and noticed my temp. gauge was redlining. this is the first time that's happened.

 

also, the gauge shoots up fast on my way to work in the morning which is only about 10 minutes away.

 

i hear the slightest gurgling sound when i start the car recently.(just under the dash)

the smell of the antifreeze has become more noticeable lately as well.

any troubleshooting tips or suggestions? should i think water pump? radiator flush?

tanks

how is you coolant level doing? It could be you have a leak allowing bubbles to enter the system. If that's the case, you just need to find the leak, fix it, then burp the system after you fill it back up.

 

However... if you're smelling coolant in the cabin, and hearing gurgling from the heater core, it sounds like you have a leak there. This will be confirmed if your floor mats start getting wet, or if the air coming from the vents is very moist.

 

If it is the heater core, it'll require pulling the dash apart to get to it and fix it.

 

I also would drive either as little as possible, and/or keep adding coolant so you don't do any real damage before you get it fixed.

its most likely the hoses goin to the firewall from the engine. They are routed close to the clutch arm, so they are prone to leaking due to rubbing on the arm. top off with coolant, start the car, let it get warm. get a flashlight and look aroumd the coolant hoses, pull on them to flex the hose. This will help open the leak so you can see where its coming from. Careful not to get antifreeze in your eyes from the spray.. IT hurts

1st, Yes look for leaks coming from the area describe with the heater core.

2nd, Those two hoses (in and out) might be the problem.

3rd, That air could to just passing through the core, check for other leak.

4th, Head gaskets. Just did them and fix my gargle noise coming from that area.

5th, Included in 3rd. Radiator, I'm not sure of the best way to test this.

6th, Make sure the fan(s) is working.

Good Luck!

I had that exact problem, as well as my feet getting soaked with warm green liquid when i turned sharp corners. I actually rerouted the coolant hoses to skip the heater core entirely ... but then I live in a warm place and it's not my daily driver.