What is it ? is it a coolant alarm ?

[daveblueozzie]

I was having a little drive around today (I was bored ) and noticed a black V6 tintop bongo for sale at a garage forecourt, got nowt else to do , so I went and had a look .
Got the usual salesman pitch until he suddenly realised I knew more about the bongo than he did (well I thought I did ).
I had a look under the bonnet as you do and was kinda transfixed with what was fitted to the expansion tank , buggered if I know what it was for , it does look like its got a couple of wires coming from it, so it could be some kind of coolant alarm.
I asked the garage salesman and he said he didn't know what it is
So come on you techno guys and gals any ideas.

[Driver+Passengers]

My guess is an in-line filter, possibly with temp/pressure sensor. Just a guess - no knowledge of these at all.

[Simon Jones]

There was a chap on eBay selling a home made low coolant alarm last year and I think this could be one of those. If it is, then judging by its location, the water would have to have dropped to the point where air would get into the system before it would trigger.

[daveblueozzie]

I was wondering if it was some kind of float chamber, so when the coolant drops it sends the alarm off, bit like the ballcock in the toilet system.

[Simon Jones]

Think this may be the same thing: http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... larm+float

[jaylee]

I was wondering if it was some kind of float chamber, so when the coolant drops it sends the alarm off, bit like the ballcock in the toilet system.

May work more closer to a fuel tank gauge sender principle Dave...? I've seen these before...

[helen&tony]

Hi Simon...
Well spotted...I remember it well....lots of clips, pipes, and a little chain to pull???
Cheers
Helen

[daveblueozzie]

I think the first thing I would do if I bought that bongo (which I'm not ), would be to take that off, and fit a new pipe with less cuts and joints to go wrong.

[helen&tony]

Hi Dave
ABSOLUTELY!!!!!....a prime leak source
Cheers
Helen

[steveyd]

Hi All,

I've got one of those! I bought it off ebay when I got my Bongo a couple of years ago. I have to say its been pretty reliable - never leaked, but the electrical connections were a little iffy (i.e. no actual plug supplied but had to slip a little connector over the male connectors and the fit isnt the best). There should be a little LED (possibly on the switch blank inside) with a really annoying screechy buzzer for when it goes off.

I have to say, when I replace my header tank (suspected crack) I might take it out of the system and replace it with a Haydn. The downside of this LCA system is that it doesnt have a self test function on startup which only feeds my paranoia. And we all know Paranoia on a Bongo system can only be a good thing... The other downside of course, is by the time this one goes off then you've lost a lot more fluid then when a Haydn goes off as its lower in the system. Still, its better than nothing - I also have a Mason alarm to keep an eye on things too.

cheers,

Steve

[haydn callow]

The following has more or less been pointed out above.
But in a Nutshell.

Do you really want to put "extra" joints in the cooling systemn ??
How do you know if it is going to work or not ?? (you could have a bad connection and know nothing about it)
If it ever does go off you have a empty header tank and air in the system. (not what you want at the roadside)

I think the guy who made them got the message and they are no longer available.

I also think only about 4/5 were fitted to bongos....I know that 2 were removed and a new hose fitted along with a better known LCA

[egor617]

What's the difference between a mason alarm and a haydn alarm?

[g8dhe]

The Mason alarm, handles the temperature side of things, it allows the normal Temperature gauge to move in a linear way, rather than the Mazda damped gauge, it also sounds an alarm at a preset point to warn you that the temperature has been exceeded.

Haydn's alarm handles the level of coolant in the system, it monitors coolant level in the expansion tank, and if it drops below a safe level sounds an alarm.

[chipvan]

haydon ..alarm every time..its saved me a fortune loads of times!...

[Simon Jones]

What's the difference between a mason alarm and a haydon alarm?

Factsheet explains all: http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/member ... Alarms.pdf.

I've used all 3: Haydn LCA, TM2 temp gauge & Mason alarm. They each do different things, so if you want to cover all bases, then fit all of them