A couple of months ago, after a long run, engine still warm, I noticed the Bongo was just a little slow to start on turning the ignition key. Only slight hesitation, but I know my Bongo well. From then on, it would be momentarily lumpy on first start of the day, and a little smoky at times. Warm start seemed OK except for occasional slight hesitance. I reckoned it was glow plugs and since I’d suspected one being duff for some time, I guessed a second one had gone. Took it to Adrian and had 4 new NGK glowplugs fitted. Only one of the old glow plugs was u/s which left me wondering if they were in fact the cause of my problem or not. Went straight on for a picnic and was surprised at lumpy start and smoke from warm engine afterwards (as if a working glowplug in the cylinder where the duff one had been might have made things worse). Next day coolant alarm went off on cold engine when I turned the key. Topped it up but it did it again a few days later. On a cold damp day I was struck by how much steamy smoke was coming out the exhaust (though many cars were emitting steam on that cold wet day). I started to worry and took it back to Adrian. Coolant pressure test revealed slight weep from constant pressure clip refitted to new rear heater hose. No other apparent pressure loss. Engine started perfectly for him so I couldn’t demonstrate the lumpy start problem. His view was that we needed to get a better idea of the cause: it was pointless speculating until the problem became more obvious.
I carried on using the car, with lumpy starts from cold most mornings, a little smoke on dry days, lots of steam on cold wet mornings. Sometimes a bit lumpy starting from warm and woe betide if I depressed the throttle pedal: lots of smoke and lumpiness which took minutes to settle. I continued to lose coolant, albeit at a very slow rate, with no obvious cause (my drive looked bone dry etc.).
Adrian still says he’s reluctant to put me for a big bill by taking the head off only to find the gasket isn’t the fault. But the camping season approacheth and I want a healthy Bongo ready for it
What to do?I wondered about using KSeal, as it seems to have good reports on BF and elsewhere, especially where a gasket fault may only be slight. It might at least allow me to determine whether my problem is related to a head gasket fault. Adrian thinks KSeal is OK and has heard of good results obtained with it, including on a Bongo with rather a major gasket problem. His advice is to remove header and radiator caps when the engine is cold and let header tank drain. Remove just enough coolant from radiator to allow pouring in of KSeal. Replace radiator cap, top up header tank, take car for good drive to get everything circulating. Do not remove header tank to do any topping up while pressurised as its this pressure that’s needed to keep driving KSeal into gaps.
There’s some uncertainty over how KSeal might affect the Low Coolant Alarm by coating the sensor screws. The feeling is it may coat them so they need removing an wire brushing but the KSeal should soon be out of solution so that wouldn’t need repeating.
Oh and the smoke coming out of the exhaust is not black, and I don’t think it is blue. Not all white smoke is head gasket related though I think: unburned diesel from faulty glowplugs might look similar. This morning for example, even on a cold damp morning, the car started perfectly and with no steamy smoke initially. But after about 15 seconds, it started to produce billowing amounts of steamy smoke, and even when warm I noticed steamy smoke coming out of the exhaust when stationary at lights. If nothing else, I don't like being a Smoky-Joe motorist. Its not cool!
One minor thing. I fitted a new air filter yesterday. Could be coincidence but starting seems better since. Also, fuel filter not been changed for a few years. But I don't think this could explain my symptoms, though I must get on and change it.
So, at this point, I would really welcome thoughts. I’m philosophical about the cost of whatever might need doing, as after 9 years of faultless behaviour I have to expect a bit of rain, as it were. But I need to be targeting the problem and am not sure of the best way to do that.
Cheers chums. This one’s a brain teaser!
it WASN'T the gasket, but the rad!
