Bottom hose cold

[iBongo]

I had a V6 engine replaced in my Bongo. On my way home my coolant alarm starts flickering after about 100 miles. I pull ove immediately Popped the hood and the coolant is just below the level of the CA screw.

I topped up the coolant with some water and drove it another 50 miles and then checked the level, level had stayed the same. Drove home and then checked the coolant level, it had dropped, but not by much.

Watched the You Tube vids of how to bleed a bongo several times over the weekend and learned a lot. First thing I did was start the Bongo and get it up to temp and check the bottom hose, STONE COLD

So, now I plan on trying to do the you tube bleed thingy with a mechanic friend of mine and a few others that I can get a hold of from BF, all you East Lothian members

I have a few questions:

My Bongo is also LPG but is disconnected due to the engine being replaced, I'm due to have that fitted next week before the coolant bleed. Should I do the bleed first?

I drove the Bongo back from Bury to Edinburgh with air in the system, will I have done any damage?

Should I drive it now?

Any other info would be great, I'm just about Bongoed out

[Driver+Passengers]

It doesn't immediately sound to me like you have air trapped. I don't know if the coolant tank on the V6 is the same as on the diesels but theory is that air will only get into the system from the header tank if the level drops right out - you've suggested that the level was low, but not empty. Run the front heaters on hot, if they blow cold then there is no water flow through the front heater matrix, one of the symptoms of an airlock.

The bottom hose will only get hot when the thermostat opens - it may take a little more than "up to temperature" to get this to happen. Keep your A/C and heater fans off and give it a couple of minutes on the driveway at 2k rpm, two or three times, and you should get it hotter. Then check the bottom hose again.

Perhaps you have a small leak somewhere, so worth investigating further. If in doubt, don't drive it until you get it seen to.

That's my initial reaction to what you wrote, but worth waiting on here for another opinion or two...

Good luck,
Matt.

[iBongo]

Thanks Matt

After reading your post it may not have been hot enough. I will try what you suggested, and not drive it. Thanks..

[Simon Jones]

Expansion tank is the same as diesel, although I've heard some of the last V6's have an additional self-bleed pipe. The V6 seems to run a little cooler than the diesel, so it will take longer for the 'stat to open up. In all other respects, bleeding is identical to the diesel instructions. When you had the replacement engine fitted, did you have a new thermostat fitted too? It be a worthwhile thing to do as it may well be past it's best.

[iBongo]

I took it out again tonight and let it get hot, checked the bottom hose and had the hot air and air con on, hose hot and it's blowing how air through the air con.

I guess I must have a coolant leak somewhere Thought I smelt something on the drivers side Thought it was oil, but now I think of it, it might be coolant

Might have to go see Bongo Bill.....

[Simon Jones]

Put a call in to whoever supplied / fitted the engine. There may be a problem with it and they may be more amenable to offering support before anyone else gets their hands on it to start fiddling.