V6 Coolant leak, Cylinder Head blown, how can I tell?

[Mrs Feynmans Bongos]

My Bongo woes seem to have multiplied
(on top of "V6 erratic idling, cuts-out":http://igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/view ... =3&t=68973)

A few miles from home, windscreen was suddenly/explosively showered with murky liquid from under the bonnet. (I don't think it's relevant, but I was driving two-footed, with Redex in-tank, as a last-try in case of clogged injectors, before taking it to garage next week for the idling problem).

I guessed the liquid had come from the BATTERY (eg a blown cell), as mostly offside windscreen was sprayed, and battery area was wettest under bonnet. I rinsed it down carefully in case of acid.

It still started, but I then disconnected Battery Earth (to try and get home on alternator). Less than a mile later, with loads of acrid steam building-up, I lost electrics so coasted to a safe halt, secured it overnight.

Next day I replaced old Jap battery with a Varta G7 (Heavy Duty, as seen elsewhere on Fury). It started, I sat in "Park" for 15-20 mins (with 1000-1500 revs necessary to prevent it dying with Idling problem ), whereupon temperature needle came up to ~30% full-scale (which I reckon is normal) and stayed there.

So I gently pulled-away, got about half a mile before temp. needle took-off +more steam. I pulled-over immediately, found I was out of COOLANT, added 4 pints tap water, which boiled furiously for 2 minutes, steam seeming to pump from top of radiator. I then added more tap water, up to FULL level on expansion tank. No drips evident for a few minutes, but then a dribble developed from under radiator, est. 200-300cc per minute. I topped up again, drove ~100m to end of lay-by, but temp. gauge was climbing again so I gave up.

Does this sound like CYLINDER HEAD BLOWN, or RADIATOR, or hoses?
Sounds like former needs garage equipment for a pressure test, but can I eg leak test radiator/hoses myself?
I have only now read on Fury about Coolant Level Alarms, these sound very wise to fit, £Ballpark ?

Grateful for any advice .
Please be kind! (I am just trying to tame the costs by replacing easy stuff where I can).

[Gasy]

One of the low coolant alarms available
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/170927068334? ... EBIDX%3AIT

I would get your bongo to a bongo savy garage to be checked
Don't think the petrols suffer so bad with head problems
But it has been over heated so get it in to be checked

[haydn callow]

Sounds like a serious coolant leak.....find the leak....fix it and BLEED IT PROPERLY according to the fact sheet and YouTube vids.....visit website below ref coolant alarms......hopefully the cylinder heads will be o.k.

[Mrs Feynmans Bongos]

Thank you so far, folks!

Gasy, looks like you are in Peterborough? (45 mins from me).
Which Bongo-savvy garage do you use please?
(Only one close to me seems to be mobile outfit in MK, then Buckingham ...)

[Gasy]

I do most of mine myself
But when cambelt needed doing I used acc . Think there called auto car commercial on a industrial est next to prison , can dig up there details if you require
They said it's not the first bongo we done
Good price said he could get all details up on his computer etc
There is a bloke closer to you who I think runs his own specialist car garage on here , has his own bongo etc
I will pm you his name
Welcome and good luck

[Mrs Feynmans Bongos]

So after 2 days parked-up +drying-out ...
- I checked the OIL, both in the Filler Cap also Dipstick, it is golden, no evidence of water/gunk
- COOLANT Expansion level shows below LOW, by the same height that FULL is above it


- Trying to find the leak, I poured-in another 4 pints of tap water
- At least 3 streams poured forth from Top of Radiator, which is stamped "SAE PA66-6F83"


I'm hoping that means I "just" blew (top of) the Radiator, not the Cylinder Head.
Obviously I will get everything checked, also get Coolant Alarm fitted, then back to IDLING issue.

Will try MO's (Fenstanton, 32 miles) as my "local" specialist. ACC (Peterborough) last did one ~2 years ago.
The closer specialist with his own Bongo has not replied to my PM (maybe he's away).

[Simon Jones]

Hopefully, you just need a replacement radiator, flush the system and refill with fresh coolant and bleed it the same as the diesel engine.

[Mrs Feynmans Bongos]

One more question ...
Behind the Radiator, above what may be the ?Banjo Filter, there's a big AIR DUCT assembly.

Mine lifts off quite easily, is this normal?
It also has a LEVER setting, can someone tell me which setting to use, as my Japanese is not so good

[g8dhe]

The air duct is the Air Con inlet and is normally held in place by scrivets and the lever allows selection of air from either directly over the radiator for Summer conditions, or by operating the lever air is drawn in from the back of the bonnet area after it has passed thru the radiators (thus warming the air), bear in mind that the Japanese call cold climate as under-20°C !