Coolant

waycar8 · Post by **waycar8** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 9:45 pm

JTR wrote:If anybody can post a picture of the radiator tap then I would really appreciate it! I cant see it anywhere! Do you access it through the bonnet or from underneath the front of the van?

is your rad the origional one with the plastic trim at the top?, if so get down under neath and its on the bottom corner of the radiator

Vanmanerik · Post by **Vanmanerik** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 10:05 pm

Its black plastic and looks like a key you would wind an old clock up with.

Its on the lower SIDE of the rad, not the bottom, with a nipple below it pointing downwards where you can connect a tube if required.

Vanmanerik · Post by **Vanmanerik** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 10:09 pm

Copy and paste the link below into your browser, it will not work by clicking on it.

http://www.lushprojects.com\bongoparts\pages\1500B Cooling system (Diesel) (02of02).html

When you see the page it shows the coolant system, look for Part 15-203, this is the DRAIN TAP.

Hope this helps.

JTR · Post by **JTR** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 9:56 am

Great - thanks everyone - I'll give this a go tonight!

I just turn the tap and hold a jug underneath then?

Cheers,
JTR

Vanmanerik · Post by **Vanmanerik** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 10:51 am

Remove the cap from the expansion tank, place a jug under drain hole, turn tap and fill jug, empty jug, you know know you have to replace it with 1 jug of neat antifreeze, so if you drain off 3 jugs of coolant replace it with 3 jugs of antifreeze etc.

Warm engine up and bleed thoroughly, best of luck.

JTR · Post by **JTR** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 10:53 am

Thanks!

'Bleed thoroughly'!?? How do I do that??

Sorry for my stupid questions!

Vanmanerik · Post by **Vanmanerik** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 12:00 pm

Sorry mate this has been covered a hundred times so do a search for it or if you are a Bongo Member look in the members area for 'Coolant'

Linusface · Post by **Linusface** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 12:16 pm

Hi,
Last week, while checking the oil levels, I noticed a black 20mm ish pipe running along the chassis rail (can't remember if left or right side). It has a 180 degree bend in it & a black tee shaped plastic stopper bung in the end. Curiosity killed the moggy, so I gently prised off the cap - guess what came out .............................. coolant fluid ....... and very quickly!!!
I immediately put the stopper back in & checked the level my expansion bottle, which had dropped about 50mm. Would this be a good place to drain a bit off???

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 12:24 pm

Vanmanerik said

place a jug under drain hole, turn tap and fill jug, empty jug, you know know you have to replace it with 1 jug of neat antifreeze, so if you drain off 3 jugs of coolant replace it with 3 jugs of antifreeze etc.

I'm confused,, probably because I'm not good at maths and logic. But if I drained off a jug of 50/50 water/antifreeze mix, wouldnt I just replace it with a jug of (new) 50/50 water/antifreeze mix?

Mike

Vanmanerik · Post by **Vanmanerik** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 12:30 pm

This is the 'Bleed Pipe', when you want to expel the air from the coolant system you carefully remove the bung from the end if the coolant is hot and lower it to run coolant out and raise it to stop. Mind you if the engine is hot and there is air in the system it will still steam and fart out of the ipe even if it is raised.

I have fastened a piece of wire coat hanger to the sun visor with a hook on the end to hold the pipe up during bleeding and yes you can drain coolant using this pipe.

This pipe can fray near to the alternator and should be clipped into a fixed position to stop this, chack the pipe and replace if it appears to be cracking on the top of the alternator or it will let you down when least expecting it.

haydn callow · Post by **haydn callow** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 1:43 pm

I would strongly advise you NOT to drain from the Radiator drain. If you do some coolant will drain from the header tank (that good) but there is a great danger of also draining coolant from your bottom hose (not good)
This would then if it were not properly topped up and bled lead to possible overheating (not good)
Loosen the rad cap.... remove the header cap.....let coolant just drain away untill the header tank level is not quite down to the level of the 2 small in/out hoses.....tighten rad cap.......top up tank with antifreeze.....replace cap.......run for a couple of days....repeat as required. No bleeding required as long as it was done properly in Scotland, and as you drove back it should be o.k.

haydn callow · Post by **haydn callow** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 1:53 pm

Ermmmmmm.
Drain about a pint out of the expansion tank and then fill it up full and run it for a day??????

Where is the expanded water/antifreeze going to go when the engine warms up? Out of the tank................ is antifreeze that cheap?.

No!! you don't FILL UP the tank but I have always kept all my cars over the years topped up to the FULL mark when cold. When hot the level of course rises within the tank and in the case of the Bongo this is about 1cm . Never had a problem.
Antifreeze is cheap enough.

Coolant

Drain rad.

Drain rad

Coolant

Bleed

Coolant