BONGO OVERHEATING!!!

zoe.no1 · Post by **zoe.no1** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 10:55 am

HELLO TO ALL YOU BONGOLIANS OUT THERE! CAN ANYONE HELP?

WERE HAVING AN OVERHEATING PROBLEM. THE ENGINE IS TAKING A GOOD WHILE TO GET UP TO TEMP, THEN SPIKING UPTO FULL TEMP! SEEMS TO BE WORSE WHEN REVVING HARD. THE RAD IS COMPLETELY COLD, THE HOSES IN AND OUT OF THE RAD ARE ROCK HARD WITH PRESSURE AFTER A FEW MINS OF THE ENGINE RUNNING. THE FRONT HEATER IS BLOWING COLD, YET THE REAR HEATER IS WARM BRIEFLY, AFTER TOPPING UP THE WATER BUT THEN BLOWS COLD ALSO. RAD WAS FLUSHED A FEW MONTHS AGO AT THE FIRST INCLINE OF AN OCCASIONAL PROBLEM, WHICH HAS RECENTLY BECOME A LOT WORSE. tHE COLD SPOTS ON THE RAD HAVE NOW BECOME A COMPLETELY COLD RAD! HAVE REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT, BUT I DONT THINK IT IS OPENING, AS THE CASING IS HOT, AND THE HOSE BELOW IS ONLY LUKEWARM. HAVE ALSO REPLACED THE 2 CAPS, THE ONE ON THE HEADER TANK AND THE RAD CAP, BUT THE ONE ON THE RAD SEEMS TO WEEP CONSTANTLY FROM THE LITTLE BLEED PIPE. COULD IT BE THAT COOLANT IS NOT RUNNING ALL THW WAY THROUGH THE SYSTEM? HOW DO I FILL IT? COULD THE HEATER MATRIX BE IN SOMEWAY DAMAGED?(IF THERE IS ONE WHER IS IT SITUATED?) THERE IS NO MAYONAISE IN THE OIL, ITS FINE. THERE ISNT OIL IN THE COOLANT. THE COOLANT WAS A MURKY BROWNISH COLOUR BEFORE I DID THE FLUSH. NONE OF THE HOSES LEAK EITHER. HOPE THERE IS ENOUGH DETAILS HERE, AND THAT SOMEONE OUT THERE CAN ADVISE US IN WHAT TO DO NEXT.
THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME TO READ

P.S DONT KNOW HOW TO BLEED SYSTEM

Harry · Post by **Harry** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 11:13 am

Sounds very much like airlocks in the system.

Have a rootle around this section as there are a few threads on bleeding.

It would also be helpful if you put your location on your profile. A local bongo owner may be able to come along and show you how.

cheers

H

raystoke · Post by **raystoke** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 10:31 pm

be very very careful. I had this problem and my cylinder head cracked it cost me £900 for new head and gasket.If I were you I`d get it checked quite quickly .Also i`ve had NEARLY all my rubber hoses replaced as one after the other have gone on me. The last one to go was tonight 16/11/07 Taken it to garage but going to tell him replace any he thinks looks deficient.
GOOD LUCK

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 10:49 pm

I think clogged coolant systems is an issue with (some) Bongos. There's lots of talk about it on here (do a Search and read up on it). Brown coolant is v suspicious in this respect. Is the radiator all clogged up (you talk of cold spots on it). Get it flow tested and if in any doubt, treat the Bongo to a new radiator. But whatever you do, don't do any driving until you have got the coolant system sorted. Overheating Bongos is bad news. But be optimistic. Once you get the coolant system sorted, hoses in good nick etc. they'll run all day with no trouble. Loads of very happy owners out there. Good luck.

Mike

zoe.no1 · Post by **zoe.no1** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 1:45 pm

Hello to all you guys who have replied with advice! Have flushed the system but dosen't seem to have made any difference, so it looks like we are going to be purchasing a new radiator. Hopefull this will do the job,

Will let youknow how we get on. Fingers crossed it dosen't turn out to be the head!!

Harry · Post by **Harry** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 5:16 pm

Hi Zoe

Have you sussed out the bleeding technique yet?

If you havn't flushing etc will be to no avail if you've got airlocks.

H

Labusch · Post by **Labusch** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 8:51 pm

Hi I don't have a reply to this problem but only a similar one. About 9 months ago I started to notice that my heater was continuously blowing cold air. After a while I then noticed that the cooling fans seemed to be on a lot more than normal. Eventually my radiator gave way and it had to be replaced. It was replaced and immediately the engine started to get hot when it was first run. Not wishing to do any damage I decided to remove the thermosat completely. This has now been like this for the last 8 months and apart from taking a while to warm up has given me no problems at all. But now winter is upon us I decided to fit a brand new thermosatat. I filled her with water and started her up. Within 10 minutes she was at boiling point with the heater blowing cold air. Oil is clean and the water is clear. Any ideas please as I have reverted back to being without a thermostat. Cheers Steve

francophile1947 · Post by **francophile1947** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 9:00 pm

Labusch wrote:Hi I don't have a reply to this problem but only a similar one. About 9 months ago I started to notice that my heater was continuously blowing cold air. After a while I then noticed that the cooling fans seemed to be on a lot more than normal. Eventually my radiator gave way and it had to be replaced. It was replaced and immediately the engine started to get hot when it was first run. Not wishing to do any damage I decided to remove the thermosat completely. This has now been like this for the last 8 months and apart from taking a while to warm up has given me no problems at all. But now winter is upon us I decided to fit a brand new thermosatat. I filled her with water and started her up. Within 10 minutes she was at boiling point with the heater blowing cold air. Oil is clean and the water is clear. Any ideas please as I have reverted back to being without a thermostat. Cheers Steve

It sounds like an airlock - try Pete's see-saw method of bleeding the system.

Labusch · Post by **Labusch** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 9:24 pm

Thanks for the quick reply and after looking at several discussions on overheating I am inclined to agree with what you say. Biggest problem is finding how to bleed it successfully as there as so may different ideas.

francophile1947 · Post by **francophile1947** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 10:47 pm

Have a look at the fact sheet in the Member's area - this gives 3 methods of bleeding that have proved effective.

BONGO OVERHEATING!!!

BONGO OVERHEATING!!!

THANKS FOR THE ADVICE ON OVERHEATING!