Urgent HELP...Maybe radiator?

[helen&tony]

Hi
Two days ago, we stopped in the local town...steam from under the bonnet...lifted the air scoop for the front heater, and it was coming from the hose which goes to the clear plastic degassing tank. Drove home (18Km), wathching the TM2 alarm, and temperature gauges, and the temp was good, until needing to slow, when a rise was indicated on the TM2. The coolant in the tank was mostly below the minimum mark, and the coolant loss alarm had been going off. Replaced the hose, which was due for replacement with silicon ones, and it just slid off the radiator. Problem solved , we thought, but there was seepage around the radiator header/ matrix junction. Went to town today (18Km), and more steam. This time at the seepage point mentioned.
The coolant in the rad looks normal colour, no frothing in the plastic degassing tank, and the temperatures when running are only marginally higher, except when slowing in town. The TM2 sensor is bolted under the 1st rocker cover bolt on passenger side and reading 51- 54 Deg. C whilst running.
Would the problem be just the rad. header to matrix seal?, in which case I can get the rad repaired/ flushed / re-sealed locally, or could there be something else....The car has never got over- hot, except in the snow, as Bongos don't handle deep snow without a struggle, and that was ages ago.
Help and advice appreciated
Thanks in advance
Cheers
Helen

[nfn]

If your temp gauge is reading normally out of town, surely the radiator is okay -- is your cooling fan coming on? It's more important in town.

[helen&tony]

Hi nfn
I had a feeling that as the matrix/ header junction was seeping, this was resulting in a pressre loss causing a marginal overheat when at low speed. Normally the fans all work.
Cheers
Helen

[helen&tony]

Hi
I've just been on e-bay, and seen "Iezuraparts" have radiators at a reasonable price...does anyone have experience of their parts?
I expect that it may be cheaper in the long run to get a part sent , than to get ANYTHING repaired over here.
Cheers
Helen

[dandywarhol]

Their exhausts seem ok but I've seen a faulty new cylinder head from them - completely wrong casting - obviously a bad copy!

[helen&tony]

Hi Dandy
Thanks...I'll bear that in mind....any idea of a good supplier that will post?
Cheers
Helen

[Ian]

AVA Leisure (http://www.mazdabongo.com) will supply good quality rads, and can post to Bulgaria using TNT.

[Shad]

Hi
I've just been on e-bay, and seen "Iezuraparts" have radiators at a reasonable price...does anyone have experience of their parts?
I expect that it may be cheaper in the long run to get a part sent , than to get ANYTHING repaired over here.
Cheers
Helen

Hey there. I fitted a new Iezuraparts radiator to my bongo just last month. I was more than happy with it - I followed Harry's factsheet and that really helped. I did note, however, that even though on ebay the rad was described as a Bongo rad, it did have the spurious extra nozzle on the top. I'd read earlier on this forum about the possibility of this as it's actually for a Ford Ranger that uses that extra nozzle, apparently.

I solved it by stealing some of the expansion tank overflow pipe and attaching it to the extra nozzle with jubilee clips and a bolt shoved in the end. I've done over a thousand miles this month with no problems. A strange smell comes from the radiator, though, but I'm hoping that this is just cheap paint coming off (it's a copper unit painted black).

Hope this helps,

Cheers, Shad.

[helen&tony]

Hi
Many thanks, Ian, & Shad, I have mailed them both to see what turns up.....if that's the only problem.
It's purely guesswork, but I think it may be a stuck thermostat that has caused a problem at some time, subsequently working erratically....having read the cooling system post, I am beginning to wonder about the efficiency of the stat in cold conditions....we had minus 20 Deg.C in the winter, and it may have given the stat a "Bit of a Workout". At no time have I seen the Temperature on the TM2 go mad, but I think the rad has seeped for a while, as the fluid usually remains constant just above the sensor on the coolant loss alarm.
Cheers
Helen

[brorabongo]

You steam from the rad sounds like what I experienced lately:-

Rad leak

my rad was seeping between the head and matrix, the metal lugs on the matrix came away from the plastic head. Coolant would leak out and vaporate on the maxtix making the steam.

I got my replacement from iezuraparts. ( I just went for the cheapest) It Seems ok, but then, I'm not an expert. I did however need to block the small pipe just below the rad cap. I did expect to do it, as read I about that pipe on here somewhere. ( worth searching for "iezuraparts AND radiator" ? )

The head and matrix are both metal on the iezura rad, and it came with the little pipes for ATF fluid? which I did not need or blocked.

Harry has a good write up in the members section for replacing the rad.

[helen&tony]

Hi Brora
Thanks for the info....I just came in and wrote up a plea for advice, as I always manage to mess up the search facility..and Tony (the computer brain) was reeling in a corner with ear damage after I found the hose wasn't the problem (my language is a bit ....er....colourful ). I hope, as I have said, that that is the only problem, but if so, a new rad will get rid of any sediment problems.
Cheers
Helen

[helen&tony]

Hi
Following Shad and Brora's recommendation, I've mailed Iezura and asked them to send me a rad....we'll see how long it takes to get here!!!
Hoping nowt else is wrong
Cheers
Helen

[vanvliet]

I emailed the vendor to check and this Rad is supposed to be a genuine branded 'MAZDA' item. Is this true?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk:80/ws/eBayISAPI.d ... TQ:GB:1123


This one is not a branded 'Mazda' item but they say that it exceeds the original specs.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk:80/ws/eBayISAPI.d ... TQ:GB:1123

[Simon Jones]

Some advice I was given from Bell Hill Garage was to spend the extra few pounds & get a genuine Mazda part. Apparently they are far superior to the generic copies. IMHO, it's not worth compromising on anything in the cooling system. Good luck with getting it sorted.

[helen&tony]

Hi Vanvliet, and Simon
Thanks for the info/ advice, I've got a rad. coming, and, when fitted , I'll post the outcome , for other folks' info.
Cheers
Helen