Had to get a new radiator cap.. Anyway.. cominghome last night - as soon as I turned off the car I smelled coolant (like it was burning). Opened the hood, checked in necessarily places where it COULD be leaking. No signs (yet).

Is there some sort of leak, or is it the old coolant that spilled out from the old radiator cap and just burning off?

 

Take a hose and rinse everything under the hood for several minutes. Then fire her up, let her warm up and take a whiff. Have someone watch the temp gauge to keep your bases (and ***) covered.

Make sure the coolant resevoir isn't empty. And leave the cap off (but the hose sticking in, into the coolant) and watch the level. Does it rise or fall? If it falls, you may (probably) have a leak. Start checking your hoses - with the engine running. It may only be leaking when the sys is under pressure (when the engine is running.)