Hello from Tad!

[mikeonb4c]

Cheers everyone!
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mikeonb4c. Nah, no alloys yet, the wheel trims just look good in the photo! I'm still on the look out for an ebay special.
"Fit a low coolant alarm if not done, for peace of mind. "
I'm a bit coolant obsessed anyway, especially with driving diesel cars for so long. Is it an easy job?

As for the T2 driving experience, pretty comfortable but more aking to sailing a small boat than driving.
The Bongo however is a really comfortable drive. Not a hint of a bad back after driving it home. Would have been 'ow me back' after that long in a car

So, sorry for the noob questions, but were id the sensor that stops the beeping when the roof's up?

I will no doubt make a meet at some point and then my life will probably change as it did in my VWCombi days

Low coolant alarm is dead easy to fit, hour max. Worth looking at modifying the temp gauge too (either a Mason alarm or with this cheap mod) as it's dumbed down so it doesn't scare people by moving once it's up to temp , there's a factsheet in the members area on coolant alarms & monitoring.
Make sure the coolant has been thoroughly flushed out & replaced as it's reasonably new on the country, the Jap spec coolant isn't compatible with the uk spec stuff, causes sludging up & acidic mix if you're not careful, worth replacing the stat while you're at it. Make sure you know what coolant is used in it so you can top up with the same stuff. Give it all a good check over especially coolant hoses etc & keep on top of maintenance as her looks bely her age That way you should enjoy many happy years of trouble free bongoing in whatever form your bongoing will take

Good advice. I really think its worth tapping into the enthusiam you have when you've just got it and go over it as much as possible so you know it well and can catch any issues early on.

I find the Bongo seats v. comfortable with my back BUT I find there is a pressure point on the base of my spine caused by the very back of the seat base where it is v. firm. I fitted a heated massing seat pad (cheap 2nd hand off ebay) and although the wiring to it is always playing up, even when its not working it seems the provide the perfect solution for removing the pressure point and the seat is perfect now.

[Mountain]

Was the coolant alarm talk a premonition?
Driving along today and I noticed the temp gauge was right to the top
It must have only just got that hot. Luckily this was as I was driving past Tescos. Freewheeled into carpark. Let her cool down whilst I went in and bought some economy mineral water.
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Topped up. Running fine now. Have chucked a litre of antifreeze in incase we get any more frosts and threw a radweld in for good measure.
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So, I think the low coolant alarm is the next priority.
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I can't see any obvious leaks or corrosion. Put some cardboard underneath....no wet spots.
So, is there a common place for leakage or is it more likely to be an evapouration issue? I've noticed the rad & header caps are not the tightest of fits.
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Thanks
Martin

[mister munkey]

How much top up did it need?

[DE-OGZ]

Hi Martin,

Nice to see a fellow newbee here, coolant allarms seem a must. I,ve been starting work this weekend stripping ours out ready for leccys to go in, been looking at all the nice pimp bits to buy but tonight will be a credit card date with Hayden to try and keep my investment safe

Hope yr coolant prob is only a minor one - good luck with it

[Mountain]

How much top up did it need?

A couple of litres!
I checked it last weekend and it was low. This was just after I bought it. However, it's practically impossible to see the level in the header tank....even with a torch Today I could see thanks to the sunshine, though.
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I will pressure test it next weekend to be sure. And have a look every day to be on the safe side. I can't be doing with a knackered head gasket or worse.
(I had a car hose split while I was doing 90 odd on the motorway once, by the time I pulled onto the hard shoulder the head was cracked.)
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Aside from that, I'm a quite obsessive oil and water checker. And I think this was the only occasion ever I've been without water in a vehicle....

[Mountain]

Hi Martin,

Nice to see a fellow newbee here, coolant allarms seem a must. I,ve been starting work this weekend stripping ours out ready for leccys to go in, been looking at all the nice pimp bits to buy but tonight will be a credit card date with Hayden to try and keep my investment safe

Hope yr coolant prob is only a minor one - good luck with it

Cheers
I'm just waiting for pay day I ended up buying the Bongo after being victim of a "crash for cash" insurance scam. Wrote off my car...and my back, neck etc. I do agency work for our dear NHS so it's no work no pay.
Mind you, only a complete idiot would do a "slam on" in front of 2tonnes of van with some bullbars.

[mikeonb4c]

Cripes

Hope its alright

[missfixit70]

How much top up did it need?

A couple of litres!
I checked it last weekend and it was low. This was just after I bought it. However, it's practically impossible to see the level in the header tank....even with a torch Today I could see thanks to the sunshine, though.
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I will pressure test it next weekend to be sure. And have a look every day to be on the safe side. I can't be doing with a knackered head gasket or worse.
(I had a car hose split while I was doing 90 odd on the motorway once, by the time I pulled onto the hard shoulder the head was cracked.)
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Aside from that, I'm a quite obsessive oil and water checker. And I think this was the only occasion ever I've been without water in a vehicle....

Make yourself a dipstick from a lollystick or something, mark a line 20mm from the end & that's the level when you stick it vertically in the header tank.
2 litres is a lot of coolant to lose, to be honest, you're asking for trouble driving it with that sort of loss as you could well be ending up with airlocks etc, get the seats lifted & check all the hoses, water pump, heater matrixes etc, a loss that big should be visible. The system should be pressurised & in theory have no losses, if the pressure cap doesn't fit properly, that'll not be helping at all.
You've chucked coolant in, it may not be compatible with what's already in there, which can cause all sorts of problems.
Don't rely on the temp gauge to tell you you're in trouble as it's dumbed down.

[mister munkey]

Make yourself a dipstick from a lollystick or something, mark a line 20mm from the end & that's the level when you stick it vertically in the header tank.

Starbucks wooden coffe stirrers are perfect (& free!)

[Mountain]

"2 litres is a lot of coolant to lose, to be honest, you're asking for trouble driving it with that sort of loss as you could well be ending up with airlocks"
Yes it is. A leak of that amount would be hard to miss! I topped up, ran it for a while. Let it cool and topped up again so hopefully no airlocks.
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"get the seats lifted & check all the hoses, water pump, heater matrixes etc, a loss that big should be visible. The system should be pressurised & in theory have no losses,"
Yep, done and couldn't see a thing! No leaks!
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"if the pressure cap doesn't fit properly, that'll not be helping at all."
Well......guess what?
Header tank and rad ones are different aren't they? Obviously the rad one for higher pressure.
They were on the wrong way around. I am pretty sure this was the cause.
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The engine (supposedly) had an oil change and coolant changed when imported. Looks like whoever changed the coolant put the caps on the wrong way around. The big clue was "radiator only" on the cap that was on the header!
The air filter pipe was also loose and the top had only two clips engaged.....
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Considering this lack of attention to detail, it's definitely getting a pressure test, coolant system flush and replacement, and oil and filter change next weekend.
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Oh and a pocket full of coffee stirrers from the canteen at work tomorrow

[missfixit70]

The rad pressure cap should not be able to vent, it doesn't matter what cap goes on there, if it does have an open vent (some repalcament rads have one, but it should be blocked off, any pressure relief should go through the header), there could be your problem, should be 1.1 bar on the header.
Worthwhile aquainting yourself with the bleeding procedure rather than just topping up & hoping for the best.

[Mountain]

So,is the header cap supposed to vent when overpressure?

The spring on the rad cap is 1/2 inch longer than the header one. The header cap wouldn't seal tight enough on the rad.....it didn't even feel tight.
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I'll have a good read of the 'bleeding coolant' section
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Thanks for the help...much appreciated.

[missfixit70]

So,is the header cap supposed to vent when overpressure?

Yup. highest point in the system, if it vents at the rad you'll get problems.

[Mountain]

Right, that's what I was thinking.
I'm pretty sure it was venting at the radiator then! I will have a look for any signs of leakage around the rad cap....I was concentrating on the usual suspects, bottom of the rad, hoses etc. I must say I didn't pay a great deal of attention to the radiator cap.
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I will bleed the system tomorrow. I don't want any airlocks

[mister munkey]

You'll have to have more than luck on your side to get away with a 2 litre drop in coolant without any long term effects.



With an undamped temp guage by the time its risen - its usually too late.

From the sounds of it you have an idea of what may be wrong & what to check for but try not to drive it at all until all has been double checked & the original source of loss has been seen too.

Big bucks will be saved in the long run.