Another coolant problem (V6)

[A1tony]

My V6 has an incontinence problem !

I have noticed a large wet patch on the drive and after examination it seems that its coming from a T-Piece in the cooling system. Its located in line with the trailing edge of the drivers door near the sill edge and links three flexible hoses. I reckon its the usual Mazda problem of using ferrous metals in the cooling as I can hear it crackling when I move it.

Has anyone changed this part or fitted a modified one ? I cant see it mentioned on any of the threads on coolant or diagrams. I was thinking of a copper central heating t-piece instead as it might last longer ??

Any advice gratefully received or a pointer to the original part for sale somewhere.

Many Thanks

[lpgimports]

hi

We have fixed numerous bongos when they rust out here, we cut the T out back to good metal and slip a hose on the straight piece of steel pipe, use two jubilee clips on it one after the other as there is no bead on the cut pipe to stop hose pulling off if pressure in system goes up, two clips should stop this. Then we fit a nylon T as used in LPg Conversions, not got a bongo to hand as its 11pm but I think the hose sizes are different and so we used a 22mm 15mm T or something, we have a selection for gas fitting.

Nylon T's are available from most good motor accessory shops.

Paul

[A1tony]

Many thanks for this, going to get underneath and have a go at it shortly.

You would think Mazda would have twigged by now that this is a big design flaw. Its not just the bongos that do it. There is a rear heater in the Mazda MPV that does exactly the same thing (might even be the same part). The pipes just rot away and the first you will know about it potentially is the temp going through the roof....

Tony

[A1tony]

When I took it all apart, the tee piece was not in such bad shape, but there was enough pitting to suggest that water was getting round it somehow. Anyway it was an excuse to practice my soldering so I made a new one with 15mm tubing and longer lengths to allow for twin jubilee clips. At the moment all seems well. Complete git getting the air locks out though. I cannot for the life of me find the vent tube in the engine bay. Thinking this must be for the diesels only ???

Got there in the end but it belched a few times whilst trying to overheat ! have led to the leak...

A couple of photos if it helps anyone. You can see the pitting that seems to

http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n63 ... 54f897.jpg

http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n63 ... da9252.jpg

Regards

Tony

[Simon Jones]

I cannot for the life of me find the vent tube in the engine bay. Thinking this must be for the diesels only ???

The bleed pipe on V6 is located under the passenger seat in the same way as the diesel, although it connects to the head in a different place. Should be fairly easy to spot. The bleeding process is pretty much the same as the diesel. I have heard that the very last V6 version may be self-bleeding in which case it will have an additional pipe on the expansion tank. Never seen one (or know anyone with one) so would assume to be very rare.

[A1tony]

Mine has an extra one on the expansion tank, but mine is a 99 model so unless it was retro fitted I dont know. Looked all round the engine bay passenger side and I couldnt see it at all. Seemed to clear itself in the end and it only lost about 2 litres of fluid with what I was doing.

I am led to believe that the pipe is clipped to the side and should be obvious, but it definitely isnt on mine !

regards

Tont

[Simon Jones]

That probably solves that mystery. At least I know of one person now with this style of bleeding arrangement

[haydn callow]

Any chance of a photo of the "extra" pipe from the expansion tank ???