hot top hose, cold bottom hose.

brookie · Post by **brookie** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 3:44 pm

A hot top rad hose but a cold bottom one, although the temp guage is "in the green". Can anyone guess as the likeliest cause?

brorabongo · Post by **brorabongo** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 4:01 pm

Seems that under normal conditions, the top hose is hot, and the bottom hose is warm/ just touchable. That means the rads doing it's job. If the bottom hose is cold, then it sounds like a there could be blockage in the rad?

There is plenty of threads/posts about this, so it's worth doing a search. Try using....bottom AND hose.........

francophile1947 · Post by **francophile1947** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 4:16 pm

Same here - I've never had my bottom hose any more than warm. It's usually cold unless I've had a long run. There was a thread on this several months ago.

haydn callow · Post by **haydn callow** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 6:14 pm

Don't worry. Sounds good.
If you had a blockage you would have overheated long ago.
Hot top hose, warm bottom = good

brookie · Post by **brookie** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 6:28 pm

Thanks everyone for your advice, maybe I'm just an over worried newbie Bongo apprentice!

haydn callow · Post by **haydn callow** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 6:36 pm

Borabongo........ I think it should be a bit cooler than that. After a very long run towing a caravan I can still hold my bottom hose with no discomfort.
If the bottom hose was cold (after a run )it would not be a blockage. If you had a blockage you would overheat very quickly

brorabongo · Post by **brorabongo** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 6:55 pm

haydn callow wrote:Borabongo........ I think it should be a bit cooler than that. After a very long run towing a caravan I can still hold my bottom hose with no discomfort.
If the bottom hose was cold (after a run )it would not be a blockage. If you had a blockage you would overheat very quickly

Cheers Haydn. You will know better than me as I've never checked mine.

I was just trying to remember what I read months ago. (was too lazy to look it up again)

Socket Set Sue · Post by **Socket Set Sue** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 12:19 pm

I remember this thread well, a lot of thought and practical investigations took place with good results and conclusions but unfortunately it seemed easier for the less mechanically minded to opt out and fit warning devices to tell them they had a problem instead of taking measures to ensure they did not have a problem.

I run a Bongo where the top hose gets very hot, the radiator is hot at the top and lowers in temp the lower down the radiiator but the return to the engine is not cold once running temp has been reached and the thermostat is operating, this would show a 'no flow' condition which would worry me even taking into account the theory that the front and rear heaters can dissipate the engine heat without circulating through the radiator.

haydn callow · Post by **haydn callow** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 12:37 pm

SocketSetSue....
I'm not saying the bottom hose should be cold whilst running. It should be "warm" to the touch and def not "hot".
If it were cold and there was a blockage the engine would overheat very quickly. If the bottom hose runs "hot" this would suggest a partly restricted radiator.
Top hose Hot....Bottom hose warm = Good news

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 1:15 pm

Socket Set Sue wrote: it seemed easier for the less mechanically minded to opt out and fit warning devices to tell them they had a problem instead of taking measures to ensure they did not have a problem.

I understand where you are coming from Sue, but I (and others I suspect) opted to fit warning devices for intelligent reasons. In my case:

1) I am (reasonably) mechanically minded, but I have better things to do with my limited leisure time than do preventative maintenance to the nth degree

2) Using my reasonably mechanically minded mind, I assessed the Bongo and reckoned that hoses seemed to be in good condition so thought I would test my own judgement out on that

3) I assessed my ageing back and body, added a dash of 'if it aint bust dont fix it', and reflected on that.

4) I decided that wearing a parachute might be a good idea in case my judgement was wrong

5) Having decided on my risk management strategy, I implemented it by buying a low coolant alarm. It is great and every day my hoses dont blow I feel good about the choice I made. When they do blow, the alarm will (with luck) tell me before the engine cooks itself, and the RAC can tow me in. Or I may find time to replace any suspicious hoses when I get to my next coolant change, and thus kill two birds with one stone.

Richard Burton was on Michael Parkinson once, many years back, and Parky asked him why he had left the UK and given up the chance to become possibly our greatest Shakespearian actor, and gone instead to the USA to make some 2nd rate movies. Burton replied, in his wonderful way "Well, I always liked to get the maximum result for the minimum of effort". As the days become more precious to me, I've tended to take that line too!

Socket Set Sue · Post by **Socket Set Sue** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 1:50 pm

Hi Mike, you have stated your case admirably and I see no problem with your thinking as have many other Bongo owners but it still is avoiding the probability that you have a problem in the cooling system somewhere.

OK, your response is an early warning system, if this suits you then thats fine. If it ain't broke don't fix it, but at the same time don't go looking for trouble or it will only worry you, just do the routine oil, water, brake fluids, battery check and power steering, air and oil filters and drive the machine......

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 2:29 pm

Thanks SSS. My gut feeling is my coolant system is good as it was crystal clear when I drained it earlier this year - should have put that in my post. Yet more risk management

hot top hose, cold bottom hose.

hot top hose, cold bottom hose.

hot top hose, cold bottom hose

Hot top hose.

Re: Hot top hose.

Hot hose