Coolant again

[garythebass]

New kid on the block (well old bloke on the bloke) had Bongo for a year, fortunately can walk to work so only really gets used for camping trips to Cornwall/Devon, short trip to high street parts shop & on arrival much banging & crashing from front under bonnet, expansion tank having a paddy & water dripping from mid way under van, got him home, topped up tank & now unable to recreate problem

Should i panic? front heater is blowing hot, rear warm?

Any advise greatly appreciated

[dobby]

Suggest you panic and get it to a Bongo Friendly Mechanic ASAP. Use recovery services and don't drive it as you'll make any damage worse. Sounds like it's had a major event. Hope it's ok. May just need new hose and coolant refill and bleed but get it properly checked out. Bongo cooling systems are complex and need proper setting up.

Good luck

[missfixit70]

Did you bleed the system properly? (factsheets in members area) You'll need to lift the seats and/or get underneath to find the leak, could be a pinhole on a hose or any noumber of things, you may have to get the undertray off.
If you're not sure what you're doing ,then I'd get it recovered to a bongo friendly garage.
If you're handy with spanners then theres a thread on pressure testing the system to find leaks - http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... t=bleeding

[garythebass]

Thanks for the replies, just to clarify did drive home & have had it running on drive but no reacurance & no burning water smell.
Will call my local bongo friendly garage & get him booked in

Cheers Gary

[jaylee]

New kid on the block (well old bloke on the bloke) had Bongo for a year, fortunately can walk to work so only really gets used for camping trips to Cornwall/Devon, short trip to high street parts shop & on arrival much banging & crashing from front under bonnet, expansion tank having a paddy & water dripping from mid way under van, got him home, topped up tank & now unable to recreate problem

Should i panic? front heater is blowing hot, rear warm?

Any advise greatly appreciated

Hi dude, i'm a singer in a Metal band & walk to work...

I had a moment the other day when i saw water under the van.. Turned out to be the drain pipe from the under windscreen guttering as the screen was on the defrost!

Thanks for the replies, just to clarify did drive home & have had it running on drive but no reacurance & no burning water smell.
Will call my local bongo friendly garage & get him booked in

Cheers Gary

Just a thought...?

[garythebass]

Cheers Jaylee, the noise was water returning back to the expansion bottle (this carried on for a couple of mins after the engine was stopped) & the leak was behind the engine, roughly in line with side door, it has accurred to me they maybe i'd allowed the water to get low but the leak

For those about to rock!!

Gary

[missfixit70]

If the leak was between the front & rear wheels on the drivers side, could it have been the condensate drain from the rear aircon? Did you have it running at all? Worth trying the pressure test though as you shouldn't be losing any coolant anyway, how much did you have to top up?

[garythebass]

Hi Kirsty, sorry new to the underside of the Bongo but you've described the approx area, was unable to get underneath properly where I was parked (busy carpark)
I'll search on here how to do the pressure test, honestly not sure if aircon had been on
It took about half a litre

Thanks for all the replies

Gary

[dobby]

Gary


The header tank has kettled and it's been driven, this is not good. It won't overheat on the drive because you have topped it and it's probably not up to full temp. There's probably now air in the system and it needs bleeding etc. If you are not handy with the spanners don't risk further damage (New head £1200+).

[missfixit70]

Hi Kirsty, sorry new to the underside of the Bongo but you've described the approx area, was unable to get underneath properly where I was parked (busy carpark)
I'll search on here how to do the pressure test, honestly not sure if aircon had been on
It took about half a litre

Thanks for all the replies

Gary

You don't need to search, I put the link in my first post.
Personally I wouldn't drive it until I was satisfied it was bled properly, just topping it up could lead to an expensive fix as has already been said. If you rely on the standard temp gauge to tell you anything it'll be too late by the time it moves as it's damped right down.

[Bob]

Trust the Gang. Don't drive it until this problem has been sorted.

Many of the Bust Head threads start like this, continuing, "I just drove it to the garage", or "It seemed ok and I had to take the kids to school".

You must get it bled properly.

[garythebass]

Advise taken, booked into Bongo speacialist Tuesday for pressure test & service whilst its there

Thanks again

Gary

[jaylee]

Hope all turns out OK fer you, & not to costly!
There's another Bass player on here with a Bongo.. John or (John the bassist) I met him at a meet last year.. In fact i loaned the PA for his band last year & he loaned the lights fer mine the following night!

Maybe you could both swap notes...? All be it deep ones...!!