Low coolant alarm coming on

[Printer]

Hi

Thanks again. Ok so I have found the following items, is this what you are on about:

You need to find a garage/mechanic capable of understanding the bongo cooling system is a complex beast & needs bleeding properly, then they need to find where the coolant is going, fix the problem, & get it flushed out, refilled with the correct strength coolant, (be it long life OAT or standard 2 year ethylene glycol) & make sure it's watertight & everything working as it should.

Can you please recommend a particular brand or type of coolant? What is the correct strength to use? If I am doing a total flush out and bleed I presume the car plan premium red is best to go for?

It probably needs at the very least a new thermostat as well (Mazda original not a copy part preferably).
Get some decent temperature monitoring sorted, whether it be a standard gauge mod, Mason Alarm, TM2 or cheap temp gauge from ebay. When the cooling system is up to scratch, get the glow plugs changed asap, preferably with the NGK Y-701J ones.

I have found the following items - are they ok? Mine is a 2WD 1997 2.5 Diesel Mazda Bongo Automatic.

Thermostat:
http://www.bongobits.com/Main.asp?PageN ... Product=19

In the members area of this site there seems to be 4 or 5 different thermostats, which one should I be looking at?

Glow Plugs:
http://www.bongobits.com/Main.asp?PageN ... Product=18
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MAZDA-B2500-B ... 442wt_1037

Temperature Monitoring:
I have read through the fact sheets and am none the wiser really. Maybe the Mason Alarm is best to get or just do the temperature gauge modification. Could a mechanic do this or do you need a specialist to modify the temp gauge?

[missfixit70]

Coolant - I & some others use standard 2 year ethylene glycol, others use the longlife stuff, there is no right or wrong answer, just make sure it's fully flushed, concentration - follow the instructions on the coolant, usually between 40-50%, capacity of the cooling system is @13.5 litres, but you won't get that amount in after a flush as there will be residual water left in there after it's flushed, you can never get it all out, so always best to put the correct amount of neat coolant in first IMO to get the right mix, then top up with fresh water, the waterpump/system will mix it up properly as you bleed it.

That thermostat looks like its a copy part, better to go for a Mazda original as listed in the club shop (available elsewhere too) for £25, may be available from a mazda dealer. The other ones listed are for V6 & 2 litre - different engines.

The glow plugs you found are copy crap, don't usually last long & have been known to fall apart, dropping bits into your engine, google (or do a forum search) the NGK part no's I listed earlier, they won't be much more expensive. if the ones in yours are longer (some are) then the mechanic just needs to bend the fuel rail down slightly to stop the glow plug rail touching the fuel rail.

If the mechanic can't manage sorting out the temp gauge, or fitting a Mason, you sure as hell don't want him playing with the cooling system

[missfixit70]

The van was serviced not too long ago (about 8000 miles ago) and since then has been all over Europe on a monster drive. 4. A leak: If I do have a leak in the coolant system, how can I check this or find out if this is indeed the case?

Needs at least engine oil & possibly filter changing too then, get yourself a handbook for @£20 from the clubshop, it gives you service intervals & what fluids etc to use.

[haydn callow]

Could this have anything to do with my glow plugs as I know they always need heated up before I drive.

Glow plugs are ment to heat up every time you start the engine.....sounds as though they are doing what they are supposed to do.

[haydn callow]

I guess the LCA (low coolant alarm) saved your bacon by doing it's job as intended....the moral being ... if it goes off...STOP....find out why.

[missfixit70]

Could this have anything to do with my glow plugs as I know they always need heated up before I drive.

Glow plugs are ment to heat up every time you start the engine.....sounds as though they are doing what they are supposed to do.

From the thread I linked to earlier

Hi guys

You are all awesome! Thank you and that helps a lot. The problem we had of black smoke is also gone now thanks to the advice to heat the glow plugs a few times so thank you all!

ie iffy glow plugs

[haydn callow]

Ah !!! corrected....

[Printer]

Thanks for clarifying!

Yeh the glow plugs do need replaced. The LCA did its job alright, because it went off after 1-2 minutes driving though I thought it was nothing really and drove it on a couple of big trips (300km or so) but then it was coming on and staying on a lot more when I started the engine so I thought it best to ask you guys.

As you can all probably tell, I am not the best techie around by a long shot... so if I am getting the mechanic to sort out the cooling system but in a mason alarm etc, I may as well get him to service it. Can he just service it with regular oil filters etc or should I buy Bongo specific stuff from this site to give to him. I suppose I am asking really cos if I am buying glowplugs, manual, thermostat etc all from the Bongo Fury shop I may as well get other useful things I will need as I am in Ireland and would only want to pay shipping once if possible.

What do you think i should get then? (please be pretty specific as this is all new to me)

PS If I do get my friends friend of a friend mechanic to do the work, will that hold up ok as paperwork if and when I sell on the van in a few years?

[Printer]

Thanks for clarifying!

As you can all probably tell, I am not the best techie around by a long shot... so if I am getting the mechanic to sort out the cooling system but in a mason alarm etc, I may as well get him to service it. Can he just service it with regular oil filters etc or should I buy Bongo specific stuff from this site to give to him. I suppose I am asking really cos if I am buying glowplugs, manual, thermostat etc all from the Bongo Fury shop I may as well get other useful things I will need as I am in Ireland and would only want to pay shipping once if possible.

What do you think i should get then? (please be pretty specific as this is all new to me)

PS If I do get my friends friend of a friend mechanic to do the work, will that hold up ok as paperwork if and when I sell on the van in a few years?

Any ideas on this guys?