Engine Rebuild - recommended engineers?

[Calum]

Hi all
I've got a 2001 petrol 2.5 V6 141,000km. My local garage has told me it's burning a lot of oil, and needs an engine rebuild. He doesn't have the space or equipment, but told me to be careful to find a reputable firm.

Can anyone recommend a firm, and confirm the likely price?

Gareth at my garage is a Kiwi and said he used to see a lot of Bongos in NZ that had been trundling around the streets of Japanese cities (low speeds, stop-start) and that they tended sell vans out of the country after a few years instead of paying the punitive taxes on "older" vehicles. For that reason they often didn't bother getting oil changes or services. Hence an engine rebuild at such a low mileage
Thanks for any advice.

[g8dhe]

Are you certain its burning oil, and not just leaking it from the cam seals, which is quite common ? Don't think I have heard of a rebuild ever being required!

[Calum]

Well, I wouldn't know. How could I tell?
I'm in Guildford. I'm not sure there are specialist garages around here for Bongo work.

[g8dhe]

Well I'm not an expert on engines, but I do run a V6. If I was burning oil then I would expect;
1. Oil level decreasing,
2. Smoke at all times from the exhaust,
3. Smell of exhaust as well.

Poor emissions can be caused by several problem, including a damaged catalytic converter and various engine sensors. Last year I had just that problem, a damaged distributor cap meant I was getting unburnt fuel getting into the exhaust and overheating the catalyst brick. After a replacement cap, new plugs and new converter all was fine.

Cam seals if not replaced when the cam belt is changed, causes oil to seep out, run the length of engine (its at an angle) and drip on the exhaust manifold, this has a distinctive smell when stationery or slight tail wind blowing the burnt oil back to the front of the engine and into the cabin air-intake.

[Calum]

Oil level decreasing - yes, but also there's an oil leak at the front which the garage said isn't worth fixing right now if I'm having an engine rebuild anyway
Smoke at all times from exhaust - yes
Smell of oil in exhaust - yes
Cam seals - interesting that you say there's a distinctive smell - I've had that, but could also be the other oil leak

[g8dhe]

Perhaps Doone / Allan can comment, they will have more experience than I, but yes from what your reporting you may be the first one we have heard of!

[Bob]

definitely worth a second opinion.

There's a list of Bongo Savvy garages in the Members' Area, although someone near you may have a recommendation.

Not one to argue with a mechanic, but generally the Japaneese tend to look after and respect things. Yes, Bongos are typically sold, and exported, at ten years old, to avoid the 'Shaken', a sort of MoT on steroids, and priced accordingly.

I think a vehicle run for ten years with little/no servicing would likely give trouble in that time, but just a personal view.

[Calum]

Thanks for the insights Bob. I'll give Lakeside a call tomorrow and then see if they can take a look.

[Doone]

In 17 years of working on them, we haven’t seen a V6 that needs an engine rebuild for burning oil.
Yours might be a first.
But as Geoff said, the cam and crank seals leak. This drips oil as Geoff describes and you smell the oily fumes. And of course it loses oil.
Best to get a second opinion from a garage near you.

[Calum]

That's reassuring Presumably fixing those issues would be a lot less expensive. I'll get that second opinion. Fingers crossed. Thanks!

[Calum]

...some time later... I got a second opinion from a Bongo specialist, and they confirmed that the engine needs to be rebuilt/replaced. In fact, at the time they suggested a reasonable alternative would be to sell (for someone else to have the pleasure) and buy a replacement, but a) the price of of bongos has gone up, b) we like what we've got and c) it's otherwise in good condition with no rust.

So, the next problem is getting a replacement reconditioned engine. Apparently they are in short supply. If this garage can't get hold of one, then I'll have to look further afield. I'll start ringing around the recommended garages...

[Katka]

Being a Guildford bongo owner, If an engine shaped hole appears in ours one night, I'll have a good idea where it might have gone.......

I will have to wrack my memory, but I think I saw an engine rebuilder near Farnham, maybe Wood Street - on the Hogs Back off the a31 anyway, is there a reason - except a delay why your existing can't be removed repaired and refitted? They'll not know Bongos of course so may not be attractive to you.
If I can remember where I'll post it here.

[Bob]

It might be worth looking at the cost of transporting it to a Bongo Friendly garage who can do the work.

This is likely to be less trouble/cost than letting someone inexperienced try and sort it.

[Calum]

@Katka - thanks, but I've tried that direction. The engine rebuilder normally works with a local garage who will remove/reinstall the engine. This relationship needs to be excellent. If there are problems then they blame each other. For that reason it's necessary to go with a confident garage. I'm down by the cricket pitch in town, so feel free to leave your engine in a handy spot for me to pick up

@Bob, you're right. I am looking further afield already. A lot of friendly garages 'on the list' are not really set up for engine replacements/rebuilds, so it's a bit of work.

[BongoBongo123]

I "had to have" a new engine.. now I won't go into the details of why and how as I am not comfortable about how this went from start with disagnostics etc (bent over a barrel springs to mind)... small bottom hose leak (temp never went above 97C within spec according to my haydn alarms temp sensor) lead to an engine replacement.

I do know though that the guy who did the replacement engine (not re-build) as a third party was good and I wish I had known about him before I went elsewhere en route to him. He is not a million miles from you:

https://www.bongo-parts.co.uk/

FWIW I have had some terrible service from people on the "Bongo competent" garage list, who cracked the cyclinder head doing a fluid change and bleed. That does NOT include Allans who are great in every regards.

Good luck finding someone reliable.