Coolant looking a bit low

[sotal]

It's been an expensive month already with MOT (with work needed), Service, New LB, Insurance and Tax - it all came at once!

Just looking at something else on the Bongo and I noticed the coolant level looks a bit lower than normal. I normally check it cold on the road at the top of our drive. It isn't perfectly level but is the most level bit around here. The nose of the vehicle is slightly higher than the tail but not much in it at all. The coolant level looks to be just above the haydn alarm screw. Looking around the only wet patch I could see was the lower corner of the front radiator which I take it is the aircon rad not the main coolant rad.

I've got a couple of longer journeys ahead so want to make sure it is sorted.

It hasn't overheated at all, the coolant alarm isn't going off, I can't get any clues from the ground as it has been raining earlier this morning!

What do you reckon?

[cmm303]

You're right that the front rad is for the aircon.

I live on a hill with a sloping drive (levelling ramps nearly level the Bongo.) and find it really affects the coolant level shown but not as much you are showing.

Personally I'd top up, go for a 5 mile drive and see when cooled how much coolant is lost. Take it from there.

Northern Bongalow has posted a way of checking for leaks by pressurising the cooling system. You'll need to assemble some bits and pieces including a pressure gauge. It removes the guesswork. Have a search and hopefully his post is still with pics!

[teenmal]

Looking at the pic it looks like it might be worthwhile checking the coolant radiator for a pin hole (spray) . If you get a piece of Dry cardboard and slide it between the AC and Coolant radiators then run the Engine for 10 minutes or so it might show the problem.
Again it might not, but worth trying.

PS and keep checking the Coolant level physically , don't completely rely on this type of alarm.

[Bob]

You're right to investigate that, it's going somewhere.

[francophile1947]

For what it's worth, my level was always there, but never went any lower - it seemed like it was it's natural level. I had no problems with overheating etc.

[ade33]

Our header dropped a little bit for a few days, before the rad went pop. We hadn't had the van long, so were unaware of just how 'tricky' the cooling system is (no coolant alarm either at this point - got one now)!

It had sprung a leak that went unnoticed, then blew big style at the top tank joint on the drivers side.

[mikeonb4c]

Our header dropped a little bit for a few days, before the rad went pop. We hadn't had the van long, so were unaware of just how 'tricky' the cooling system is (no coolant alarm either at this point - got one now)!

It had sprung a leak that went unnoticed, then blew big style at the top tank joint on the drivers side.

Some of the trickiness (radiators leaking, for example) is really just down to age and not necessarily unique to Bongos, though i did read once that as a japan market only car it was not designed for an expected life greater than 10 years

[Eye Guy]

If you see my recent post:

http://igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/view ... =3&t=73887

I am having similar issues. I did the cold pressure test (it was easy) and it highlighted that I had a small pin hole leak (that's as much help as I can be - I haven't identified the offending pipe yet, or fixed it!)

Good luck!

[ade33]

Some of the trickiness (radiators leaking, for example) is really just down to age and not necessarily unique to Bongos,

Couldn't agree more I guess the 'trickiness' also comes from the complexity of the system and the critical bleeding process.

But you're right, age comes to us all, even cooling systems!

[sotal]

Well I've monitored it but not touched anything yet.

The level has not changed at all.

The wet patch on the radiator has not been wet again - possible it was rain somehow.

Done a couple of hundred miles including 70mph driving and a couple of steep hills during this time.

So at the moment I'm going to leave it alone and continue to monitor - I am wondering if it has always been at that height at cold - it had been a while since I last checked and I can't really remember the natural level.