I drive a 1995 Lexus SC400 w/ 120000 miles. Upkeep has been regular and the oil was changed a week and a half ago. I put in 93 octane.

For the past few days, occasionally i would smell a scent akin to musk. It would periodically come and periodically go. Last night it became overwhelming, and a vapor started to billow occasionally from under the hood. When i got gas, i popped the hood, and a liquid/vapor mixture was streaming from a gap between the front fan and the engine, and as the liquid struck the hot metal of the engine, it evaporated.

I would have checked the guages/radiator fluid but it was midnight.

Symptoms include:
Musky smell.
Very hot air being blown through the air conditioning vents with the air conditioning turned off.
Vapor of some sort being emitted from the engine bay, between the front fan and the engine. I believe that the radiator is leaking.

Billowing vapor occurs most frequently when shifting from Park to Drive. (auto)

Thanks for any help, post your questions/imput please!
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It could be somehoe fluid from your fan, the SC400's have a hydraulic fluid run fan and the area sounds like that is what is leaking allthough I am not sure what it would smell like, probably smell similar to a PS fluid burnoff. If I am correct your high pressure PS hose runs underneaththere so if it was leaking it would drip on the ground not the engine and same with the coolant if it was coming from the radiator.
I would say get under tha car and in the engine bay and thoroughly dry everything off then run the car and try and see where it is coming from but to me it sounds like the fan.
I am no expert just throwin in my opinion sometimes it helps.

 

Sounds like the best route to take would be to take pictures to post when i get off work.

 

****ing cracked radiator. $697.54 to replace.

 

well if you are sure its a cracked radiator and do not want to spend so much on it, this maybe a calling to go aftermarket..although i do not know which one works better for our favor.

 

I had the same problem
Cracked radiator

 

Ooo Ooo!! i can help!!
Mine cracked too, but I got a new radiator and got it put in for maybe 300 bucks if I remember correctly.
There is a site around the net that specializes in radiators. I'm not exactly sure but try a search for Wholesale Radiators or something like that. I ordered mine directly from them for i think $220 range. It came in in only a few days. We took it down to the Lexus dealership for the install.
Basically, don't pay the dealership part prices. The parts are out there.
I haven't had a problem since.
If you can't find the site, pm me and I'll look for you.
Peace,
Dix

 

Unfortunately, a certain family member took it to pepboys- they're buying the $400 part from the dealership then installing it cheaper. I need the car back today though b/c i'm going to california for a week.

 

Damn that sucks I wish I had seen this thread earlier than just now. What part of texas are you in? I would have driven to you and fixed it for WAY cheaper than what you are fixin to get buttraped for.

I have already replaced 2 SC radiators, and it is super easy to do (takes about an hour and a half though because it has soooooooo many damned little screws you have to take off ) I get the radiators from the local O'Reillies and they cost about $180. They have real nice metal tanks and are every bit as good as the OEM Lexus ones.

If you break anything in the future, let me know

 

My friend's SC400 radiator went on him just last week. He got a replacement for $200 and it was a heavy duty, all copper radiator which is better than the toyota/lexus one. He did the install himself in about 1.5 hrs. Pretty easy job to do. I was there helping (read: watching).