A few issues for a newbie!

[alexknill]

Hi

Hope someone can help!

I have recently bought my first Bongo and have a few general technical questions:

1. At about 30-40 mph there is a slight whine from the rear? It goes away at higher or lower speeds - is this in the gearbox / differential and does it need any attention?

2. When the weather was really cold, the Bongo took some starting - often it wouldn't even turn over but it did when putting the autobox in neutral - is this normal? Is it an electrical fault? It works fine now that the weather is warmer.

3. When the engine is cold, the autobox doesn't shift into top / overdrive(?). After 2-3 miles everything is fine.

I am after some advice on these issues

Thanks for reading!

[trevd01]

No 3, autobox is normal. The others are not.

A good Bongo will start first-time whatever the weather, and it won't whine.

[sparkymik]

Hi

No2 could be the Gloplugs check out the factsheet in members, hope this helps


Sparky

[alexknill]

Thanks for the advice!!!!

[Rhod]

Don't know about the whining - maybe checking the oli level in the rear differential would be a good idea. Re No2 - it sounds as if your battery may not be up to the job. Or the battery connections are slightly loose.

[missfixit70]

1)Check your diff oil level check for leaks, check your gearbox oil level too, dipstick under the drivers seat, make sure you check it after a run. Brakes & handbrake on wheels chocked, go through the gears & check it while in "drive"
2)Don't think mine'll start in anything but "park", sounds like maybe glowplugs?
3)what Trev said - normal

Welcome to the forum , stick your location in your profile by clicking on "user control panel" top right, may be some local assistance.

[Rhod]

2)Don't think mine'll start in anything but "park", sounds like maybe glowplugs?

If it was glowplugs would the engine not still turn over - just not fire up?

[missfixit70]

2)Don't think mine'll start in anything but "park", sounds like maybe glowplugs?

If it was glowplugs would the engine not still turn over - just not fire up?

I was thinking there may be confusion with the interlock? I must admit I'd never tried to start it in Neutral until just now - & it did . I've tried to start in Drive by mistake before & nowt happens.
As you say, if it's struggling to turn over rather than nothing happening at all, it could be the battery.

[Doone]

When the weather was really cold, the Bongo took some starting - often it wouldn't even turn over but it did when putting the autobox in neutral - is this normal?

Bongos will start in both 'neutral' and 'park'. They shouldn't start in any other gear.

[dandywarhol]

No 3.............sounds like the start of a starter solenoid contacts problem - slipping it into neutral momentarily cuts the connection and it catches in neutral. I know this cos mine did the same..................

[missfixit70]

In which case this may help - http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... mit=Search

A bit more detail may help with the remote diagnosis Alex

[The Great Pretender]

No 3.............sounds like the start of a starter solenoid contacts problem - slipping it into neutral momentarily cuts the connection and it catches in neutral. I know this cos mine did the same..................

Had me going back to look at No3 untill I realised the time of your post, r u dixlexik or full of scotch mist?

[bongobong]

2)Don't think mine'll start in anything but "park", sounds like maybe glowplugs?

If it was glowplugs would the engine not still turn over - just not fire up?

As the name suggests, Glow plugs are plugs that are screwed into your cylinders like spark plugs in a petrol engine. They are heaters that ‘glow’ when you turn on the ignition, (the Glow plug light on your dash will illuminate for a few seconds). If one or more of these are defective, not enough heat is generated to get the engine started, and could well be your problem.

Hope this helps
Dave

[apole]

Hi,

Regarding the whine, I posted similar a while back and someone pointed out to check the diff breather wasn't blocked. It's a small cap pointing upwards on the top of the diff, mine had been undersealed and the advise was to check that hadn't blocked the breather.

If the bongo is new to you, and you are not sure of the service history, it's probably worth changing all the fluids, filters etc, then you are starting from a good known point, and you know the levels are good too.

[Rhod]

2)Don't think mine'll start in anything but "park", sounds like maybe glowplugs?

If it was glowplugs would the engine not still turn over - just not fire up?

As the name suggests, Glow plugs are plugs that are screwed into your cylinders like spark plugs in a petrol engine. They are heaters that ‘glow’ when you turn on the ignition, (the Glow plug light on your dash will illuminate for a few seconds). If one or more of these are defective, not enough heat is generated to get the engine started, and could well be your problem.

Hope this helps
Dave

Afraid that I'm being dense here I understand why an engine may not start in cold weather if the glowplugs are defective, but I'm struggling to see how defective glow plugs cause the engine to have trouble turning over. Can someone please explain If it was my own van that was struggling to turn over, then I would have diagnosed a poorly battery, alternator not charging, or a problem with the starter motor. If the engine was turning over ok in cold weather, but not starting, then I'd have gone for glowplugs. I guess that these glowplug thingies (yeh , I was a petrolhead ) are more complicated than I thought....