over heating!!

[LEEANGE]

my van over heated yesterday
i only drove home from work (about 3 miles)
didnt get stuck in traffic or stand for any length of time.
water was low so topped up with water and coolant but did the same again today!!
any thoughts???
gonna try a new thermostat

[haydn callow]

Doubt it's the thermostat. How low was the coolant in the tank ??
Any puddles underneath ??
Heaters blowing hot ???

[LEEANGE]

heaters are awesome, no puddles and not sure how long the coolant`s been in.

[spout]

What do you mean by "overheated"? because I've read on the fact sheets that the temp gauge can give a faulty reading.

If there was clouds of steam and boiling coolant everywhere, ignore the above

Good luck..............

[LEEANGE]

i`ll ignore the above then spout!!!
sort of had a mobile sauna
have topped it up again but just hope i havent done any permanent damage!!

[haydn callow]

Didn't ask how long the coolant had been in the tank....asked how low it got??

[haydn callow]

the temp gauge go up to the HOT END ??

[LEEANGE]

sorry my mistake!!
must have been very low.
didnt even notice the gauge going up,like i said,only drove for a few minutes
and when i got out at home,noticed loads of steam coming out.
lifted the seats and steamed my windows up!

[hogggman]

you may have been very lucky if it was driven for such a short while.
i hope so,
jamie

[jaylee]

Been a lot of forum users with top hoses go lately..

[missfixit70]

It needs to be bled properly if you're not sure how low it got, but you need to find where the water's going & sort the problem & don't drive it until you do or you will kill it. Check all your hoses & pipework for leaks, see if there's any water staining.
Have there been any other issues leading up to this? sounds like one the coolant level alarm and/or the mason alarm may have picked up if fitted?

[LEEANGE]

just been out to it and ran it for about 15 mins.
heaters got hot,temp gauge didnt move
no leaks that i can see

[missfixit70]

Bear in mind, by the time the temp gauge moves, it's probably too late ( Mason alarm resensitises the "dumbed down temp gauge), I'd get the seats up & check the hoses for bulges or pinpricks asap, could be the waterpump, check everywhere for staining from a leak that may only happen once it's up to temp/pressure, 15 minutes on the drive probably won't be enough to open the stat.

[mister munkey]

Been a lot of forum users with top hoses go lately..

Hands up. I'm one of them. Mine popped overnight, with the engine off, at the Silverdale meet a month or two ago. Thanks to the assistance of certain forum members, all was well sameday but I'd would've been b*ggered otherwise.

Top Hose Syndrome is, I believe, the first warning sign that the 10/12 year old set of rubbers have reached the end of the line.

[bigdaddycain]

Don't forget to check the level of coolant before you attempt to re-start the bongo leeange, you'll be VERY lucky to have got away without an airlock...

Take some coolant along with you on any subsequent trips in case you get "caught short" somewhere... Best of luck.