Please help! Bongo overheating.

[pedrofunk]

Please could someone advise as to where the thermostat is located within our N Reg Bongo?

Much appreciated

Pete Monk

[roosteruk]

Could you advise where your location is?

It may help a close by member to assist you?

[pedrofunk]

hello i'm in gloucestershire

[brorabongo]

Welcome to the forum Pedro.





Passenger side, lift seat, and you get a view something like above, On the photo you will see the brown coloured hose near the bottom? well just behind that there is a grey coloured hose, AFAIK if you follow it up the thermostat is there.

Also you will see a fitting coming out of the side of the engine just beside the alternator, with small coolant hoses going everywhere, it's just below that, also the dip stick runs right past it.

Hope the above makes some sence?


I can't even go out and check, as the Bongo has just been dropped off at local garage, for No.1 exhaust manifold stud replacement. ( can not be bothered to get up early tomorrow morning, to take it on then. )

All the best.

[francophile1947]

hello i'm in gloucestershire

Use the User Control Panel (at the top right of the screen) to enter your location in your profile - it can then be seen every time you post.

[Bob]

Don't forget the Bleeding Process, fact sheet in the Member's area. Good luck. No daft comments now guys, this is important as you well know.

[haydn callow]

Has it actually overheated? Did the temp gauge go up? was coolant ejected from the expansion tank? Was the coolant filthy brown? how long have you had your Bongo. Did the coolant level drop??

[Master Bate]

I'm also at desperation stakes with overheating. About 3 weeks ago my Bongo went into a local garage (one of the clube recommended Bongo friendly ones) to have head gasket changed. Before this I had not had a hint of overheating issues in almot 3 years of ownership. However, on taking the Bongo back after the work done, I got 4 miles down the road before temp guage went to max and it ejected the coolant all over road. Ever since then the garage have been trying various bleeding (!) methods but have been unable to cure it. I've forwarded them all the info I can find from fact sheets on this. Very concerned, because cylinder head ok before this, but could get warped if they are constantly testing and overheating it. Any advice would be appreciated.

[haydn callow]

I think they have botched it somehow. Sounds more than just a bleeding problem.

[scanner]

I'm also at desperation stakes with overheating. About 3 weeks ago my Bongo went into a local garage (one of the clube recommended Bongo friendly ones) to have head gasket changed. Before this I had not had a hint of overheating issues in almot 3 years of ownership. However, on taking the Bongo back after the work done, I got 4 miles down the road before temp guage went to max and it ejected the coolant all over road. Ever since then the garage have been trying various bleeding (!) methods but have been unable to cure it. I've forwarded them all the info I can find from fact sheets on this. Very concerned, because cylinder head ok before this, but could get warped if they are constantly testing and overheating it. Any advice would be appreciated.

If you hadn't had problems why did the head gasket need to be changed?

It certainly sounds as if they didn't do it right.

Put your location in your profile so we can know which "Bongo Friendly" garage to avoid.

[pedrofunk]

Haydn,

We have had the bongo for 3 months now and have taken it on two trips (both 300 mile round). On return from last trip as we parked up outside the house with the engine idling, the temperature guage rised slightly above halfway. When we turned the engine off and had a look under the bonnet, brown water had sprayed everywhere from the expansion tank. The next day, on inspection we noticed that the expansion tank was completely empty. We filled again back to full level, started engine and within 5 mins, the temperature guage raised considerably and brown dirty water was spraying from out of the tube of the expansion tank. Also a friend has suggested that it might be that the thermostat has sealed shut because the heater wasn't getting hot.

Many thanks

Pete Monk

[haydn callow]

By all means have a look at the thermostat but I suspect you have at least blown the head gasket and could be worse. It is no good just topping up a empty header tank. The system HAS to be bled properly.
Do you have a coolant loss alarm fitted|?? How often do you check the level in the tank? All that brown water is where it has boiled and stirred up all the crud.
Sorry...know you don't want to hear this.
Did you find a leak??
Go back to where you got it from and see if they will help.

[haydn callow]

You say above that the temp went up from cold in 5 mins and brown water sprayed out. I think this could only be caused by combustion gases getting in the cooling system..Blown gasket/cracked head would be my guess. I suspect the problem was lieing in wait before you got your Bongo. Was the tank badly stained?? sure sign of a previous overheating event.

[haydn callow]

The heater probably wasn't getting hot co's it had air in it. The thermostat dosn't have to be open for the heaters to work.

[pedrofunk]

Hadyn,

Bugger! How much pain is my bank account going to have to take for this to be fixed? We bought via private sale so have no comeback.

Many thanks again,

Pete