Oh dear! Should I panic or just shrug?

Grannie Annie · Post by **Grannie Annie** » Tue Sep 25, 2012 10:28 pm

I asked my clever son in law to put a new timing belt on my newly acquired Bongo in time for our first Big Outing in Myfanwy.

He put her up on the ramps and found that the water pump is a bit iffy so he's going to replace it. The bearings on the fan belt adjusters/idlers need replacing, it needs new pulleys on the fan belt and the air con. There's a leak on the power steering and the spring loaded clips on the water pipes from the engine all need replacing as there's about half a dozen leaks that he's noticed.

Obviously, this means nothing to me. But should I panic? Should I scream and panic or just shrug and accept that's what happens with a 14 year old van?

Will he have any problems getting the parts? I was hoping to bugger off on Saturday. Perhaps I should accept that I'm not going to get away over the weekend?

Post by **Bongoplod** » Tue Sep 25, 2012 10:36 pm

Dont panic,but DONT DRIVE IT WITH A WATER LEAK AND DODGY HOSE CLIPS.

If any of them go and you lose your water,the head may overheat and thats plenty expensive.

Bongo parts are easily available,and a lot can be bought via the club shop.

As ive stated in a previous post,make sure your mechanic is aware of the bleeding method.

Brian

Post by **Bob** » Tue Sep 25, 2012 10:40 pm

Although this sounds like a lot it will be best to get it all done, all parts are available.

Make CERTAIN he understands how to bleed the cooling system, this is VITAL.

You Tube video on here.

Getting away this w/e depends how quickly he gets on with it,

Grannie Annie · Post by **Grannie Annie** » Tue Sep 25, 2012 10:49 pm

I wouldn't risk going away without it all being done. He said he is aware of the issues about bleeding the system but I'll email him the link anyway.

He's a good lad and I do trust him. He's confident he'll get the water pump off his usual supplier he's just not sure whether the other bits will be delivered before Thursday for him to complete the job before the weekend. I hope he does. I REALLY hope he does get them. Amazingly we've got respite care for The Old Man over the same week we've got off work and WE'VE GOT A BONGO!! I mean...how often will these three things ever happen again at the same time?

Fingers crossed.

Post by **Bongoplod** » Tue Sep 25, 2012 10:56 pm

Good luck !!

Brian

Post by **Bob** » Tue Sep 25, 2012 10:58 pm

Let's hope it all comes together, Annie.

Better to have a weekend at home, wishing you were away, than a weekend on the hard shoulder, wishing you'd stayed home.

Fingers crossed for you.

Grannie Annie · Post by **Grannie Annie** » Tue Sep 25, 2012 11:04 pm

Thanks all. Bob, what a great philosophy. I shall steal that and claim it for my own! We've got another car, an 18 month old, 62mpg comfortable, reliable Mercedes so we won't be stuck at home. But hell....how boring is THAT??

Post by **Bob** » Tue Sep 25, 2012 11:12 pm

Comes from my flying days, weather can be a little 'Troublesome' and we'd tell new pilots, "Better to be down here, wishing you were up there, than up there, wishing you were down here".

No charge.

Dodgey · Post by **Dodgey** » Wed Sep 26, 2012 12:03 am

If he's knows enough to change the timing/cam belt then he can do all the rest with ease. Count yourself lucky you have someone in the family doing it for you.

I just sounds like the previous owner/s didn't have her serviced properly, which leads to loads of things needing replacing in one go when someone who cares takes a look.

MountainGoat · Post by **MountainGoat** » Wed Sep 26, 2012 12:10 am

Fact sheet on how to change the timing belt here if you are a paid up club member.

Tony

http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/member ... ambelt.pdf

Grannie Annie · Post by **Grannie Annie** » Wed Sep 26, 2012 8:23 am

He's a traditional mechanic and has been doing nothing else since he left school. He services loads of buses and coaches in this area and has just set up his own little yard and business so if anyone from the South Wales area needs any work doing on any of their vehicles, he's your man.

He put Myfanwy up on the ramps and said she has a beautiful undercarriage, rather like myself in that respect! No rust at all so he's going to waxoyle it all as well. It's also got a couple of brand new parts that he mentioned, can't remember what he said but he said they are major bits which shouldn't need replacing for the next 15 years or so.

The guy I bought it off only had it imported last year. He bought it for a major tour around Europe and has now emigrated. He said she went up and over the Pyranees and all through Italy without any issues at all. If she's just back from that kind of journey I suppose she's allowed a few weak spots in her tubings!

I've directed him to this site and if he has any issues he'll log in as me and ask you clever people.

I suppose I ought to send my £20 membership off!

Oh dear! Should I panic or just shrug?

Oh dear! Should I panic or just shrug?

Re: Oh dear! Should I panic or just shrug?

Re: Oh dear! Should I panic or just shrug?

Re: Oh dear! Should I panic or just shrug?

Re: Oh dear! Should I panic or just shrug?

Re: Oh dear! Should I panic or just shrug?

Re: Oh dear! Should I panic or just shrug?

Re: Oh dear! Should I panic or just shrug?

Re: Oh dear! Should I panic or just shrug?

Re: Oh dear! Should I panic or just shrug?

Re: Oh dear! Should I panic or just shrug?