Sigh...another coolant loss problem

bernie · Post by **bernie** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 5:15 pm

Having only had my Bongo back from the garage for 6 weeks (it was at the garage last time for 4 months and eventually had a new engine fitted) it's losing coolant again (thank god for the coolant loss alarm!).
I've given it a thorough once over and can't see any leaks, but whilst I was driving I could smell a faint aroma of coolant so perhaps it's evaporating at some point.
Anyway, I'm considering taking it to Churcham garage in Gloucester.
Can anyone recomend this place. I really don't want to take it back to the garge that fitted the new engine as the really were clueless about the Bongo.

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 6:23 pm

Someone was discussing Churcham recently and someone else either had or was going to drop in and check them out. That was only a few weeks ago. Have you tried a Search on here. I think the talk was encouraging - they certainly used to advertise a lot of Bongos for sale, and not at rock bottom prices (is that good

)

Good luck and keep us posted. And as you say, thank goodness for the low coolant alarm. Avoids a drama becoming a crisis

daveblueozzie · Post by **daveblueozzie** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 7:11 pm

sorry cannot answer about the garage, but as you said you could smell coolant evaporating ,sometimes the loss will only happen when the hoses are warm and under pressure and it only needs a pinprick hole for the coolant to find a way out. so inspecting the hoses after a run or during , might get you the result in finding the leak.

haydn callow · Post by **haydn callow** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 7:12 pm

Sounds as though you may have a small leak and you can smell it as it gets hot and evaporates. Top it up and then have another good look round whilst the engine is running and hot. Look for a fine mist.
I take it from your comment that the alarm sounded and warned you??

bernie · Post by **bernie** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 8:02 pm

yes Haydn, yuur fine alarm works very well.

bigdaddycain · Post by **bigdaddycain** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 11:41 pm

Were Haydn and dbo sat next to each other when they typed the above posts? spooky!

I've only heard good things about churcham garage,i'd be tempted to check them out if they were in my locale...

bernie · Post by **bernie** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 2:12 pm

okay...having filled up with coolant and run the engine for a bit I can now see fluid dripping from underneath ( a quick inspection found this to be coolant).
So...is this likely to be a damaged coolant hose? It's due to be looked at by the garge today...I just wanted to give them a few ideas (if they needed them)

Cheers
Bernie

haydn callow · Post by **haydn callow** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 2:18 pm

hose/radiator/waterpump/metal pipe/core plug ??

haydn callow · Post by **haydn callow** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 2:30 pm

where abouts underneath ?? front/back/right/left ???

bernie · Post by **bernie** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 10:52 pm

Okay...turns out it was a split in the hose. Garage fixed it in an hour.
Phew. Hopefully that's that sorted (for now at least).

Cheers

Bernie

missfixit70 · Post by **missfixit70** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 11:09 pm

Glad it was sorted out ok, do you know which hose? Did they inspect the rest of the hoses?

haydn callow · Post by **haydn callow** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 11:10 pm

Do you know which hose failed ??

bernie · Post by **bernie** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 1:11 pm

Okay...fixed yesterday...this morning...started it up and it immediately starts leaking (the engine had barely been running for 3 mins).
It's booked into the garage again on Friday.
I'm just quizzed as to why it pees out coolant when it's barely even warmed up. This may have also gotten passed the garage yesterday as they assumed it was leaking once the pressure had built up.

The hose (I don't know which one) had split, but had split close to the end so could be cut away and still used. The mechanic did mention that the other hose had some minor damage to it but that it shouldn't really be an issue. I'm hoping that it's this and it simply just needs to be replaced.

Bongos are great vans...but they really do test your patience.

haydn callow · Post by **haydn callow** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 1:22 pm

The garage does not sound very competant. Who would repair a hose and not properly test everything was o.k. before releasing the vehicle back to the owner.
Are they bleeding the system as per a Bongo ?? Every mechnic thinks they can bleed a vehicle but a Bongo is not at all stright forward. If it's not done properly once the leaks are fixed you could be looking at big bills.
There is a factsheet you could download and give the garage.
This really is is important !!!

haydn callow · Post by **haydn callow** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 1:25 pm

Might be a good idea to invest in a set of Flippa's hoses