Back Box (AKA "The Dustbin")

dave_aber · Post by **dave_aber** » Wed Jun 13, 2012 2:51 pm

I think I have had my money's worth out of this one :

Second pic explains why it was so noisy!

Here's why it's so restrictive :

A quick call to MIJ, 24 hour delivery and an hour's work later and it's all sorted.

Northern Bongolow · Post by **Northern Bongolow** » Wed Jun 13, 2012 3:14 pm

wheres the scot in you!!!. can you not weld tissue paper.?

helen&tony · Post by **helen&tony** » Wed Jun 13, 2012 3:23 pm

Hi
Loads of life in that one!!!!!!!!...kitchen foil, GunGum, some wire wool and an old dog food tin and some wire...jobs a good'un

Cheers
Helen

Driver+Passengers · Post by **Driver+Passengers** » Wed Jun 13, 2012 4:35 pm

Worried about the slots you put in the tail pipe, and you never even noticed the rest!!!

mikexgough · Post by **mikexgough** » Wed Jun 13, 2012 9:03 pm

They perform much better with an MIJ stainless...... mines been on 3 years and still looks as good as new the MOT tester thought it was new when I got my test last month.....

Post by **Bob** » Wed Jun 13, 2012 11:22 pm

Bean cans and Jubilee Clips.

Hope you weighed the old one in for scrap.

brorabongo · Post by **brorabongo** » Thu Jun 14, 2012 8:09 pm

Had no problems with my MIJ stainless, must be over 4 years old now.....one thing though......now, she does not look as shiny as she did.

alant54 · Post by **alant54** » Thu Jun 14, 2012 8:18 pm

helen&tony wrote:Hi
Loads of life in that one!!!!!!!!...kitchen foil, GunGum, some wire wool and an old dog food tin and some wire...jobs a good'un
Cheers
Helen

Helen stop living in the past....

Been there....done that....AND got through an MOT.....

Long gone are the days when motoring was motoring and you were able to do your own repairs with the aid of a Haynes workshop manual......

Cars are so sophisticated now ( technically ) that you HAVE to take it to a garage or probably to a dealer who have all the equipment to diagnose what the problem is.....

The days of the good old mechanic are numbered I fear.....guys with a lifetime of knowledge and experience are being taken over by spotty little oiks with a computer in front of them who tell you that ...this is gonna cost a bit mate!....

Oh to go back to the olden days when cars were fun and relatively cheap to own and run......

Rant over.....Alan

dave_aber · Post by **dave_aber** » Fri Jun 15, 2012 1:29 am

IMO it's gone full circle;

1. Cars were simple, everyone knew how to fix them, and did.

2. Cars got complicated, only garages with trained mechanics knew how to fix them.

3. Cars got more complicated, only the main dealer and a computer could diagnose & fix them.

4. "Mechanics" got simpler, turning into monkeys with a toolkit. Owners started paying over the odds to "train" these monkeys to learn about their cars.

5. Diagnostic & maintenance equipment got cheaper (VAGCOM is about £10 these days on eBay), owners started learning how to DIY again.

6. Complicated cars are really still simple, owners can fix their own. (and for the most part, Bongos are REALLY simple to work on)

As an example, I swapped my exhaust in under an hour with a £100 trolley jack, a pair of axle stands, a grinder and a socket set. I'd have paid around the same in labour charges as these (re-usable) tools cost me. The axle stands & grinder I have had for about 15 years, the socket set about 30 years.

Northern Bongolow · Post by **Northern Bongolow** » Fri Jun 15, 2012 3:30 am

brorabongo wrote:Had no problems with my MIJ stainless, must be over 4 years old now.....one thing though......now, she does not look as shiny as she did.

do they come with more mounting brackets than that, or do you have to reuse your old rust steel ones. the ones that go to the gearbox.

helen&tony · Post by **helen&tony** » Fri Jun 15, 2012 4:30 am

Hi
Dave....
Quite agree...anything that is put together can be taken apart....and part of learning is dismantling things and analysing...be that a mathematical theorem or a simple thing like a car....Anyone that even has 'O' level science subjects knows the 4-cycle engine...they still haven't changed

Humankind is a collection of idiots, and we're afraid of substantial improvement and wish to live in a "comfort zone"...any improvement in a common or garden car would surpass the requirements in Joe Public, so all technology has done is to add a few fancy frilly bits of circuitry, and we pat ourselves on the back quoting how wonderful we are...fact of the matter is...a piston still turns linear motion into circular at a flywheel....WHOOPEE...how mediaeval

Cheers
Helen

dave_aber · Post by **dave_aber** » Fri Jun 15, 2012 7:33 am

Hi Ady, No, they come as per Donald's photo above. You have to re-use the gearbox support.

mikexgough · Post by **mikexgough** » Fri Jun 15, 2012 7:54 am

Cars were always simple(ish) if you knew what you are doing..... they sort of got "complicated" when electronic ignition and coil packs started then ABS etc....so drivers got spooked about them being complicated, which was of course fuelled by Garages promoting the fear factor.....
Drivers also had more £££'s in the late 90's/ 2000's before the neo liberal governments & Banks mess up in 2008...... so were "happy" to trust their dealer for service.....the little bloke in the trade suffered badly..... the dealers took on young oiks who were trained as technicians in the corporate manner....to change expensive parts rather than small repairs.....
The Old School spanners started to collect tools like diagnostic kit on the cheap..... plus many customers who's cars the dealer did not want to service as they were more than 3 years old (yes it did happen)......
Cars now have simplified once again.....BUT with huge amounts of sensors on them.... and in the main.... if they develop a fault... it's a sensor.... or a worn bush other than service consumables like brakes etc.
I agree with Dave..... Bongo's are simple to work on.... believe me.... but that applies to most Japanese metal... they keep it simple and well engineered,sometimes too well engineered.....
If you want complicated..... rear bushes on BMW's ..... and costly too.... and the BMW Mini...... Rear suspension arms....very dodgy as they bend with age...

More folks now are "having a go" again at DIY due to the shortage of cashflow.... but there are many who still want the dodges....there are "mechanics" who are armed with a code scanner who turn off MIL, Air bag and other warning lights for £30 a pop....and drivers thinking they have gotten away with a service cut or MOT failure....
The times a friend of one of my classic customers or regulars happens to have a warning light on......and "do I think I can help".... many have been to "Scanner Sam" for a light to be turned off at £30 and then it comes back in 2 weeks.....or less.... One recent had the Management Light on.... paid his £30... came on again... I was asked to take a look.... I scanned... found what I suspected along with his rough running and fuel consumption up symptoms ( coolant temp sensor - common problem) ... £15 for the sensor... 5 mins work... he went away.... £30 lighter but with a fixed motor... for him result, me a new customer.....
If anyone wants to DIY then I agree with Dave too..... good tools....BUT you don't need to break the bank to pay for them.... Good axle stands like the 3 ton ones by Clarke

and an aldi/lidl jack will get you started.... and for other tools the Aldi/ Lidl sockets sets take some beating.... Gedore quality for Kamasa prices.... the Lidl ones are six sided sockets too...and tested to GS(VPA)..... to destruction and to get that "ticket" is no mean feat.
Also if anyone want's to DIY too..... prepare well before you do the job....and ASK for tips etc.... and on reassembly ...... go the extra mile and use copper grease on nuts and bolts...when an MOT tester sees traces of copper grease he knows the vehicle is cared for and attention to detail has been paid....

Last tip...... use Motor Factors/Trade Counters... they deal with the public, most can get Blueprint brand parts for Jap motors.... and will do you prices to make you smile....quick example .... Astra 1.6 oil filter... £1.81 +vat - £2.17... avoid Halfords unless your buying cleaning products...

dave_aber wrote:IMO it's gone full circle;

1. Cars were simple, everyone knew how to fix them, and did.

2. Cars got complicated, only garages with trained mechanics knew how to fix them.

3. Cars got more complicated, only the main dealer and a computer could diagnose & fix them.

4. "Mechanics" got simpler, turning into monkeys with a toolkit. Owners started paying over the odds to "train" these monkeys to learn about their cars.

5. Diagnostic & maintenance equipment got cheaper (VAGCOM is about £10 these days on eBay), owners started learning how to DIY again.

6. Complicated cars are really still simple, owners can fix their own. (and for the most part, Bongos are REALLY simple to work on)

As an example, I swapped my exhaust in under an hour with a £100 trolley jack, a pair of axle stands, a grinder and a socket set. I'd have paid around the same in labour charges as these (re-usable) tools cost me. The axle stands & grinder I have had for about 15 years, the socket set about 30 years.

Diplomat · Post by **Diplomat** » Fri Jun 15, 2012 9:29 am

dave_aber wrote:...

As an example, I swapped my exhaust in under an hour with a £100 trolley jack, a pair of axle stands, a grinder and a socket set. I'd have paid around the same in labour charges as these (re-usable) tools cost me. The axle stands & grinder I have had for about 15 years, the socket set about 30 years.

Jacked up? Axle stands?

I merely put the nearside wheels up on the kerb (permitted in the Dartford part of Bexley) and slid along the gutter in my boiler suit (I'm fairly agile, mid 60s but getting less inclined to crawl under cars). Done in a flash.

I wouldn't have dreamed of venturing into exhaust changing aggro on any other vehicle I've owned before. Nasty dirty job, full of unexpected hitches, with all the corroded debris falling onto you! Seen my neighbour cussing and getting scratched while trying to save money!

Bongo an absolute doddle. Loads of space loads of ground clearance. Diesel model no problem replacing the back box with plain pipe until funds/time permit.

Frank

steveyd · Post by **steveyd** » Fri Jun 15, 2012 11:20 am

Hi,

I've just been changing my exhaust too - trying to get the old one off was a nightmare - however, if I had a grinder it would have been a doddle..

For future reference it IS possible to withdraw the entire exhaust as a single unit from the rear (including winter pack warmup valve!). BUT you will need to remove the bumper, the spare wheel, the heat shield (bolts sheared!) and one of the handbrake cable mount bolts as well as jacking up the N/S - with a bit of fiddling, brute strength and poor language it all comes out backwards - but be careful of snagging the brake pipes on the axle.

The Bongo's van design i.e. straight floor and short straight exhaust make it about one of the only vehicles you can do this. Ok it was a faff - but it was a lot easier than chipping away at crusty old bolts or 6 hours with my dinky hacksaw! I would agree the Bongo is a doddle to work on - I've even drained the coolant system and refilled a few times and never had much of a problem there (apart from the time I left the radiator cap off rather than the expansion cap..). Luckily my Bongo is quite forgiving and 2 years later no coolant issues.

BTW - my old mild steel exhaust had sheared off right by the turbo!

S

Back Box (AKA "The Dustbin")

Back Box (AKA "The Dustbin")

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