Should I be worried by empty expansion tank?

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Thanks very much for your prompt & helpful replies.
They haven't even bothered with any summer coolant/antifreeze - just water if colour is anything to go by

Haven't we heard this before about an alleged "reputable dealer"?

Anyone able to pm me the name of a previous alleged reputable dealer ?.

I can't remember who it was but I seem to recall a previous report of a dealer that supplied a Bongo with plain water in the cooling system.

[triathlondave]

Hi I'm in Derby

Just give them a ring and let them sort it out. Hopefully just one of those things.

And fit a low coolent alarm, for peace of mind. It really is a great bit of kit.

The dealer I bought mine off, in Nottingham.

Before delivery had a new thermastat, and new hoses, so it had to have been bleed.

But given the recent cold snap over winter saw the coolent freeze so certainly not 50/50 antifreeze.

That said it's been great for over 2 years, and 18,000 miles

Got it for a good price and as with any other second hand car going to be a few problems.

(now my new audi I pick up tomorrow, that better be perfect) No where to sleep in that though.

Best of luck getting this little problem sorted. fingers crossed it's just one of those things and a quick recovery and bleed it will be as excellent as you hoped.

best wishes

david

[triathlondave]

Hi

What happend to the van?

did you ring the dealer?

did you get it bled again.

All ok?

Best wishes

DAvid.

[cheeseorham]

Hi

What happend to the van?, did you ring the dealer, did you get it bled again? All ok?
Best wishes
DAvid.

Bongo picked up by dealer. The coolant was not neat water as I originally thought, but dark green. Just wasn't possible to see any in the expansion tank. I'm sure that'll be whatever was in it when imported rather than fresh UK spec. Dealer didn't know - when i asked about the presence/absence of antifreeze earlier this week, he bluffed with "doesn't need antifreeze at this time of year".
I suspect that the the coolant drop from the expansion tank is explained by the system not having been bled properly; we paid extra to fit a new waterpump at the same time as a timing belt prior to sale. Whatever coolant was lost then, may simply have been topped up at the expansion tank, without bleeding the system. If that's the case, its a shocking attitude - had I not noticed the absence of coolant in expansion tank after just 50 miles, that engine might well be cooked by now had we gone away for the weekend as planned.
If they did bleed it properly, then there's an underlying problem that they should have detected prior to sale - that's what reputable specialist garages do right ?.
Wonder what else is botched?. Two bits of bodywork repair required were botched - with the 'repair' being localised and visible, rather than matched to surrounding paintwork. Instant devaluation of our vehicle !.
Despite a new mot, I took the van to a garage/mot centre for a one hour visual check before returning it to the dealer as I no longer trust them - seems the tyres are down to the wear depth indicator in places, and close to the 75% wear at which they'd replace. They look old, and I'll be replacing with new asap for safety sake. Wipers also torn. Also 60% wear on front brake pads.
Yet no advisories on the mot we got from the supplying dealer, and their response has been that 'they've passed the mot'. They kindly (sic) offered to replace them at trade cost to us.
They have zero reputation as far as I'm concerned. Hate dealing with people like this, and its a real disappointment.

Thanks for your concern and interest folks.

[triathlondave]

thanks for the update.

woz worried for you.

But you seem to have got it slowly sorted.

Might I be so bold as to suggest you take a holiday near a bongo specialist and get it look over and serviced. Then you can begin to trust it and work out the work that needs to be done.

And get out and about in your van, which is why i'm gussing you bought it.

best of luck and happy bongo'ing

David.

[cheeseorham]

thanks for the update
But you seem to have got it slowly sorted.
David.

Nothing sorted yet !. Van has been picked up by dealer, but waiting for them to report back on 10 different items !.

[mister munkey]

when i asked about the presence/absence of antifreeze earlier this week, he bluffed with "doesn't need antifreeze at this time of year".

Shamefull bullshit.

Its not just antifreeze, 90% of the year the coolants job is to be a rust inhibitor.

Running with just water in the system is a certain death sentance to the rad & metal pipework.

Makes you wonder what other bodges they've made.

I'd seriously consider getting my money back & looking elsewhere for a better prepared Bongo.

[Cosmic Bus]

I have always been under the impression that antifreeze also raises the boiling temp of water as well lowering the freezing point. Have I got that right?

[Northern Bongolow]

yes

[progroup]

This is happening far too often folks! I am BongoBusted over hearing this news! Of course, that is pretty much what happened to me... remember?
On the other hand, it is possible that the selling dealer was not aware of this 'inherent' Bongo disorder?
I just spent nearly $2,000 CDN or about $ 1,200 GBP

I don't have a deep enough pocket or patience to rebuild the Bongo Buzzer from the ground up, but I do believe and hope to realize that all these necessary cooling mods will help.

But considering again the captioned post "Should I be worried by empty expansion tank?"; yup, I'd be loosing sleep unless I could return it or swap to another one!

[mikexgough]

I have always been under the impression that antifreeze also raises the boiling temp of water as well lowering the freezing point. Have I got that right?

Yes that is right.....the coolant nearest to Japanese spec and cross referred to me by coolant manufacturers and suppliers is Car Plan Premuim Red or as close as... Comma Red G30 xtream.... both ..due to the OAT make up will raise the boiling point to 130 C at a 50% ratio....(these are known as G12+ coolants)
If you choose to use other coolants non OAT (G11 type usually Blue or Green in the UK) then the boiling point is raised to 112 C at a 50% ratio..... Both will give you around -36 C protection at 50% ratio too

As with all coolant posts I do....I always do the warnings.......
If your Bongo has not had it's coolant changed in the UK or as an owner you are not aware of a change and do not know the coolant in the system..... then either use a Universal coolant called...Prestone... as a stop gap..... Not a Halfords Universal..... The best option is to empty flush and change to coolant...

Remember..... Japanese coolant is OAT type or G12/12+ and is in many colours.....so colour is not a good indicator...of what you have.....as an example....
Original Mazda FL22 ...coolant is green pre 2005 with a 5 yr life... then it changed in 2006 to Blue for an 11yr life.... you can now get it in purple.... same basic composition but longer life properties in the blue/purple versions..... so if say ....your filled with ..blue or green Mazda for instance and you mix with the G11 green or blue UK coolants....... sludge/gelling.....blockages ....overheating and the consequences of that.....
Me..... Premium Red G12+ in my system..... yer pays yer money and all that...

[cheeseorham]

After picking up the Bongo on the back of a truck, the Bongo specialist set about fixing 10 different items, the most important being the worrying coolant loss.
Apparently, there was no coolant loss but 'just' and air-lock which needed expelling. Pressure test apparently completed, we picked it up yesterday.
Checked the expansion tank next day when cold - guess what !.
So, with zero confidence in the 'specialist's ability to prepare vehicles properly for sale, or diagnose problems accurately, nothing but complete rejection of the vehicle
and refund would satisfy me.

Vehicle not fit or purpose but rejecting it will be impossible as far as I can tell, until they've had 3 attempts at fixing it.
That aspect of sales legislation seems weak to me - if faults develop, then fair enough. But if the fault or ineptitude was present at the point of sale, then complete rejection
would seem fairer. To date, we've driven the vehicle back from the vehicle twice, and that's the only use its had !.
Anyway, another phone call to the 'speciailst' today, and having to hold my tongue whilst listening to patronising, inacurrate nonsense.
e.g they reckon that 1/2 litre of coolant was enough to top up the system. Yet the photo i took before handing the van back shows a completely empty expansion tank.
Half a litre my a****. And of course, no explanation as to why there was an 'air-lock' in the first place.
Grrrrr.

Anyone know the capacity of the expansion tank ?.

[missfixit70]

If the tank is empty, it's not just the capacity of the tank you need to worry about, but how much it has dropped beyond that & why? This may help - http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... ty#p439065
Good luck getting your money back

[haydn callow]

How many times do we hear this story.
There is a garage local to us who are part of a small (3) groupe of garages whigh are affilited to Mazda.

There was a bongo on the forecourt and after a couple of weeks I went to look it over with a view to buying/selling on....£5000 was the price (Rreg)...had a good look over and played with all the bits....Super condition and everything working (except drivers mirror)/no rust at all.
Popped the bonnet....the dirtyist brown header you can ever see.....brown stains everywhere and no coolant in the header........went for a chat with the salesperson.....assured me everything was in order and fully checked.....pulled out a invoice from late last year.....new radiator and hose fitted........I pointed out that the drivers mirror wasn't working and the broken wires were easy to see in the open door.....also that I strongly suspect the engine had overheated and defo needs investgating........
It was sold yesterday to a guy who buys VW's and converts them for camping....thought the Bongo would be a good investment....
In a month or so somone will buy that converted bongo and be in exactly the same position as the author of this topic......

This really winds me up........
I even left a card with the salesperson to contact me if they needed any help with the bleeding.....Wasn't interested......we deal in Mazdas and don't need any advice.

[mister munkey]

there was no coolant loss but 'just' and air-lock which needed expelling.

Unbelievable!!