HELP: Something is wrong with my baby (head gasket or wot?)

[mikeonb4c]

Hi Mike
Those torches aren't a lot of good (I have one to see what it's like), and there's not really enough power from them. You need a good 240volt UV light, and I believe there was a thread some few years ago that confirmed this...but it won't be hard to find a good light source of reasonable power, and I would think like the article says, you might spot traces of dye round the exhaust.
Cheers
Helen

Thanks Helen. Couldn't find a 240v u/v lamp on Amazon or EBay. Where do you buy them (cheaply!)

[helen&tony]

Hi Mike
Disco supplies!...alternatively security supplies
Cheers
Helen

[helen&tony]

Hi Mike
Here you are:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/75W-UV-Effect ... 4d0971f2c1
Try looking at UV disco lighting...there's heaps on there!
Cheers
Helen

[Northern Bongolow]

haha fancy an old disco dog not knowing that eh mike.

[mikeonb4c]

haha fancy an old disco dog not knowing that eh mike.

Steady now Ady - me and Trish are off to a Motown evening next Saturday, to hospital with slipped discs on Sunday if we're not careful

[mikexgough]

For my ten pence.....lol.... From a Bongo which had Kseal in it....
Water pump was leaking and was swapped out for a new one.... centre shaft worn badly

[mikeonb4c]

For my ten pence.....lol.... From a Bongo which had Kseal in it....
Water pump was leaking and was swapped out for a new one.... centre shaft worn badly

Thanks Mike. Not sure how to interpret that as I thought from old posts you might be a KSeal supporter. That pump looks clean to me. Are you saying a faulty pump wrecked the Bongo, or KSeal wrecked the pump?

Meanwhile I'm still flummoxed. Bongo starting near normal in warmer drier weather, with a little smoke that doesn't look like water vapour. Also, I'be thought twice now when reversing that I could smell a whiff of coolant, and after starting the other day there was a bit of oily water on the drive at the rear of the undertray. The Bongo is running beautifully and when hot, the top hose doesn't feel unusually firm. So I could have two quite unrelated problems. Just have to keep watching and waiting I guess. Gonna try the u/v dye thing at some point. Not inclined to muck around with KSeal. If it is a head gasket problem I'd like it fixed properly.

See you on a flatbed truck somewhere

[jimmo62]

Have you been able to work out where the water is escaping - i.e. is it coming out of the header tank which would mean excessive pressure (or a faulty cap) or disappearing from somewhere else?

You could run the overflow hose at the header tank into a small plastic bottle (I have a coke bottle in place) which would catch any water coming out of the header and give you an indication if that is where it's escaping - once you have ruled that out then the UV dye should indicate if it's a hose/radiator leak somewhere - and if neither of those that just leaves the pump or head I guess?

[mikexgough]

For my ten pence.....lol.... From a Bongo which had Kseal in it....
Water pump was leaking and was swapped out for a new one.... centre shaft worn badly

Thanks Mike. Not sure how to interpret that as I thought from old posts you might be a KSeal supporter. That pump looks clean to me. Are you saying a faulty pump wrecked the Bongo, or KSeal wrecked the pump?

Meanwhile I'm still flummoxed. Bongo starting near normal in warmer drier weather, with a little smoke that doesn't look like water vapour. Also, I'be thought twice now when reversing that I could smell a whiff of coolant, and after starting the other day there was a bit of oily water on the drive at the rear of the undertray. The Bongo is running beautifully and when hot, the top hose doesn't feel unusually firm. So I could have two quite unrelated problems. Just have to keep watching and waiting I guess. Gonna try the u/v dye thing at some point. Not inclined to muck around with KSeal. If it is a head gasket problem I'd like it fixed properly.

See you on a flatbed truck somewhere

Just saying Mike..... no traces of any strange coatings in that water pump.... what I'm saying is Kseal hasn't wrecked anything...the water pump had done over 200,000 kms.... and was leaking due to being knackered at the shaft seal...the usual ...with or without Kseal....

[mikeonb4c]

For my ten pence.....lol.... From a Bongo which had Kseal in it....
Water pump was leaking and was swapped out for a new one.... centre shaft worn badly

Thanks Mike. Not sure how to interpret that as I thought from old posts you might be a KSeal supporter. That pump looks clean to me. Are you saying a faulty pump wrecked the Bongo, or KSeal wrecked the pump?

Meanwhile I'm still flummoxed. Bongo starting near normal in warmer drier weather, with a little smoke that doesn't look like water vapour. Also, I'be thought twice now when reversing that I could smell a whiff of coolant, and after starting the other day there was a bit of oily water on the drive at the rear of the undertray. The Bongo is running beautifully and when hot, the top hose doesn't feel unusually firm. So I could have two quite unrelated problems. Just have to keep watching and waiting I guess. Gonna try the u/v dye thing at some point. Not inclined to muck around with KSeal. If it is a head gasket problem I'd like it fixed properly.

See you on a flatbed truck somewhere

Just saying Mike..... no traces of any strange coatings in that water pump.... what I'm saying is Kseal hasn't wrecked anything...the water pump had done over 200,000 kms.... and was leaking due to being knackered at the shaft seal...the usual ...with or without Kseal....

Thanks Mike, that's really useful to know. My feeling is that KSeal might have a reasonable chance of dealing with minor defect in a head gasket, and without gunking up the works. So your pic is very reassuring. Even the thermostat in Widdowsons pic looks only to have a clean coating, and Adrian at JapanDirect thinks KSeal is reasonable to use also. If the thermostat were to become sluggish, I think I'd pick that up with slow-to-warm times and/or abnormal engine temps (I'm expecting to fit a TM2 shortly - a long overdue job). If that happened, I'd fit a new stat as the KSeal will have come out of suspension by then. But really, if I decide it is the head gasket, then after 8+ years of good service, and because I'm keen on best care for my old friend, I'd be happy to wear the cost of head gasket replacement. I'm due for a new cambelt soon anyway, and I could use a new rocker cover gasket, so might do the lot together, and maybe the water pump and thermostat, to save labour costs and downtime.

jimmo62 - no sign of system pressurising, or the header tank overflowing. Bongo is running textbook well except for suspicious starting symptoms and slow coolant loss. It may be I have a(nother) coolant leak, and the starting and smoke has nothing to do with a head gasket problem. Biggest problem for me is I'd like to know what's up and be confident I have a reliable Bongo for the upcoming camping season!

Mike

[The Great Pretender]

Hi Mike, I don't get back here to often lately. Sorry to read about your problem, I went down the same route with my coolant loss. Gauge showed no pressure rise in the system, undertray removed and cardboard under the Bongo in the garage with no damp overnight, U V dye showed no sign of leak, bottle on the tank overflow....Nothing.
Had it up on ramps in two workshops that I respect………Nothing.
In the end you may be aware that I part exchanged it for pennies with a printed sheet detailing the Bongo and the fact that is was using coolant.
As Arthur Conan Doyle said “When you have eliminated the impossible whatever remains, HOWEVER IMPROBABLE, must be the truth.”
I never got to the truth, although I think I may have by deduction found the culprit……….the turbo.
I hope you get it sorted Mike, I have somewhere in the workshop a fresh bottle of U V dye that you can have if you are passing.
Good luck............

[helen&tony]

Hi Mike
Just to add to your thought re: the slight "possible" coolant whiff from the exhaust, start the Bongo, put your hand firmly over the exhaust for a few moments, and take a "niff"....and don't presume any water is from the engine..it's condensation...it's the coolant smell you're after!
Cheers
Helen
P.S. I strongly suspect that Mel's right re the turbo, OR metal piping in the system
Cheers
Helen

[mikeonb4c]

Thanks Mel (great to hear from you) and Helen. All very helpful. I've tried the exhaust hand sniffing thing: nothing conclusive. I'm not familiar with turbo anatomy - could it put coolant into the chambers if faulty? I assume it is kept cool by being included in the coolant circuit? Interesting thread this!

[mikeonb4c]

Hi Mike, I don't get back here to often lately. Sorry to read about your problem, I went down the same route with my coolant loss. Gauge showed no pressure rise in the system, undertray removed and cardboard under the Bongo in the garage with no damp overnight, U V dye showed no sign of leak, bottle on the tank overflow....Nothing.
Had it up on ramps in two workshops that I respect………Nothing.
In the end you may be aware that I part exchanged it for pennies with a printed sheet detailing the Bongo and the fact that is was using coolant.
As Arthur Conan Doyle said “When you have eliminated the impossible whatever remains, HOWEVER IMPROBABLE, must be the truth.”
I never got to the truth, although I think I may have by deduction found the culprit……….the turbo.
I hope you get it sorted Mike, I have somewhere in the workshop a fresh bottle of U V dye that you can have if you are passing.
Good luck............

Thanks Mel. I've got a bottle of u/v dye so should be ok for that. Had a chat with Adrian today. He's not co.e across a turbo failure involving loss of coolant into the exhaust before but that's not to say it's never happened. I'll see if u/v reveals anything - bet it doesn't!

[Bob]

Let's hope this is soon sorted for you, Mike.

As you say, the camping season is starting and we want you out there.