Rough idling and hot or burnt smell of coolant

2004 FORD EXPLORER
140,000 MILES • 4.0L • V6 • 4WD • AUTOMATIC
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BRUCEWC
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  • 1 POST
The truck idles rough and gives off a hot or burnt smell of coolant. It did overheat and leak maybe a half cup of coolant out of the reservoir but has not done it again in about two to three months.
Feb 14, 2018 at 2:20 PM
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PATENTED_REPAIR_PRO
  • AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR CONTRIBUTOR
  • 1,853 POSTS
If there is white smoke coming out the tailpipe then the rough idle and the burning coolant smell could be because of a blown head gasket, but I think rather you are smelling the burning coolant from under the hood. If that is the case than perhaps you have a coolant leak and it is leaking onto perhaps a ignition component and causing the misfire, perhaps leaking on a spark plug wire.
Feb 14, 2018 at 5:41 PM
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