Hi everyone, I'm a novice mechanic at best. Usually I just figure things out blindly if I can, and learn along the way.

I just bough a 1999 Volvo S80 T6. There is apparently some sort of coolant leak, which I presume only because I can smell the stuff in the cabin while I drive.
However I haven't noticed any puddles on the garage floor over night. So I'm stumped about it being a leak (maybe more like a pressure crack, and then coolant burns on the engine while I drive????)

If you have any helpful tests to pass my way, or comments or questions: Please respond to this thread! I will be very grateful.

Also if it helps at all there are CHECK ENGINE LIGHT codes: P0014 (timing) P0432 and P0422 (Apparently having to do with Catalytic converters?)

Could I be smelling that exhaust (which is thick with syrup smell like coolant) because of the catalytic converter problem? Exhaust leak?

The car runs and drives well enough. It doesn't have as much power as I feel like it should, but it isn't terribly sluggish or anything. It doesn't overheat, and it idles very smooth.
The power steering fluid looks like it might have a slow leak too, but again, there isn't anything on my garage floor.
I did just buy it, and I considered it a little project.

Any help figuring out where the coolant smell is coming from would be very helpful!
Please, what do you think about the coolant smell coming into the Cabin?

-Zac

 

Possibly leaking at heater core which is in dashboard. Check carpet under dash for wetness. Hope this helps.

 

Thanks Vincent,

The last owner said that they just replaced the heater core, and he had the side panels open under the center of dash area... and mentioned something about that area.
I'll check for the dampness.

Are there any common places where a leak would be coming from?
Any other details that I could use?