engine overheating

BONGOBIKER · Post by **BONGOBIKER** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 6:26 pm

Yesterday i drove about two miles from work when the coolant temperature shot up and off the guage, next what followed was a gurgling grinding noise which i later discovered was the thing boiling up.

I turned my heaters on full pelt and the temp dropped right down and then stayed constant where it normally does for the remainder of my 180 mile trip.

This was a freak occurance i thought, however this morning i set off for a drive and the van kept overheating so i refilled it every time it did so with water and limped to where i was going.

On my return trip the guage started fluctuating between normal and hot.

Since getting home i've flushed the coolant through with a hose from the header to the bleed pipe , the water was initially a murkey brown colour that then ran clear with the engine running. once i connected everything back up i ran it on the drive for ten minutes and it ran cooler than ever but on my way to halfords to get some proper coolant gues what.....

...She overheated!

Any ideas guys? Sorry about the long post

Day two of the saga, I have tried to flush the radiator out and have used the fact sheet to help me replace the coolant. However it is still overheating. The top hose is red hot but the bottom hose is stone cold. Could anyone give me any further pointers, could it be the thermostat as I havn't touched this yet.
I have been taking out for a quick run and the temp guage goes into the hot and then boils and seems to then go back to the normal position is this air or what? Please Please Help

haydn callow · Post by **haydn callow** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 6:33 pm

I would bleed the system as per book. After that, look for leaks.
Be very careful that you don't let the gauge go to hot again. Any more problems get your Bongo to a bongo garage.
Lets hope no damage has been done.
Flush out the system till no more brown muck.

Post by **westonwarrior** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 6:38 pm

you could have air in the system
you could have a leak in a pipe
you could have a broken water pump
you could have a blown head gasket
or you could have a cracked head

Checked for signs of leaks around the pipes and front of the engin block
if none get it to a garage who can do a pressure test on the system and bleed the system properly.

good luck with this

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 12:20 pm

Check radiator (and other) flow and consider a new radiator? My Bongo had no hint of murky water when I did it earlier this year and I think murky water is a warning sign! Low coolant alarm and mason alarm sound a good idea too since your Bongo needs - from its behaviour - to be on 'special measures'.

See it as vets fees. You love it, and it needs love

Peg leg Pete · Post by **Peg leg Pete** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 12:51 pm

Before spending money on alarms, I would check all the basics first.

Ralph · Post by **Ralph** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 2:00 pm

I would suspect the thermostat.
Take it out put it in a pan of water and stick it on the cooker,
it should open just before the water boils, it's worth changing
it anyway as they are not that expensive, you could run the Bongo
without the stat for a wile see if it still gets hot if it does it's not
the stat.

Blame the pan on me if the wife finds out us bikers have to stick
together.