which engine and gear box oils?

[bernie]

Apologies, as I know this has been covered multiple times before (I can't find the old threads).

Which engine and gearbox oils are preferable for the Bongo?

And one quick other question...I topped up my coolant with a "can be mixed with any kind of coolant" -coolant. Having read some earlier posts (and knowing how tempermental our beloved Bongos can be) will this be okay?

Many cheers

Bern

[Trouble at t'Mill]

Hi Bernie.

10W30 or 10W40 is fine - worth going for semi-synth designed for turbo-diesels. A decent motor factors should be able to provide good - branded - stuff for around £15+ 5L.

AUTObox oil is Dexron 3.

If your coolant says it can be mixed with any, then I guess it knows what it's talking about! Keep an eye on it over the next few days, tho', or you could always call/email the manufacturer and tell them you have a Jap import and see what they say.

Just how often - in reality - has there been a problem with coolants reacting?!

[bernie]

Many thanks.

I've checked the gearbox fluid level (with the engine running) and it's just above E.
The van has been a bit sluggish changing gears...is it likely that this lower level of fluid is the cause?

Oh...one last thing...where abouts do I fill it up? (I've looked all over and can't see a top up point).

Cheers

Bern

[crazy uncle gray g]

Yes it is possible and you fill it through the dipstick tube, you will find the oil comes in containers with long snout tubes for easy use.

[bernie]

Thank you

Thank the lord for Bongo Fury. And bring on the summer now so we can get some quality use out our vans (I've bought a heater just in case we get another 2008 summer).

Cheers

Lee

[missfixit70]

If it's sluggish & it hasn't been done for a couple of years, it'd be worth spending an hour dropping the gearbox pan (draining the fluid first if you've got or can borrow a pela pump), cleaning the filter out & blowing through the pipework to the cooler. mine looked fine on the dipstick, nice & red, no bad smell, but when I cleaned it out - black, gunge on the bottom pan & waxy crap around the magnet, took out between 5 -5.5 litres, put about 5.5 back in, & it was a bit overfull, even after 20 miles a day of the engine running on & off bleeding the coolant, so pela'd about quarter of a litre out.
The difference in performance is incredible, feels like a different vehicle & it didn't feel that bad before
Engine oil you can use 5w 30 too as several of us do, several recent discussions on this.