Frozen Will Not Start

[Freddiexxxxx1]

This is worrying !!! ... shocking !!! ... unacceptable !!!

Shouldnt the vendor be named and shamed? (without threat of litigation). This forum is more expert than many sellers apparently.

I bought my 2.5 V6 Petrol from "down South" 3 months ago.

So is my Coolant/Antifreeze/Engine Protection gonna be upto reqd strength?

How is this checked out without draining, re-filling and bleedin' bleeding ???

Worried as hell now !!

[dunslair]

Any decent garage should be able to check the coolent strength for you, as a first step. Depending on the outcome then new coolant stat etc next. it may be an idea to buy a workshop manual (in bongo shop) which covers bleeding the V6 ers. At least then you could take it to your regular garage with the manufacturers procedure in hand.

[Freddiexxxxx1]

Thanks Dunslair, will be doing this asap, hopefully i am going to be all OK, i feel for the poor owners who have frozen already though.

Freddie

[briwy]

Most motor factors will sell you a hydrometer for checking the coolant strength, (make sure its for coolant and not battery checking) for a few pounds.

Got one the other day to check mine and it said OK for -32C so even allowing for a bit of hit and miss it should be OK.

[francophile1947]

Shouldnt the vendor be named and shamed?

Someone hasn't read the rules before posting - see Rule 5 here http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... 23&t=26157

[Freddiexxxxx1]

You are quite correct John ... i realised this as soon as i had posted ... many apologies.

Nonetheless some worrying messages in this thread ... as usual Bongo forum members leaping to the fore with commonsense answers to my concerns.

Thanks for referring me to the rules.

Freddie

[Alison01326]

There but for the grace of God go a lot of us, I feel.

Whilst I am not defending said dealer, I have to confess that I gave absolutely no thought to any fluids (oil, coolant/anti freeze, steering fluid, etc) when we bought our Bongo from a dealer. In particular, I hadn't discovered this forum when I bought the Bongo so I knew nothing of the crucial issues regarding the cooling system generally. Didn't check it when I bought it, and didn't give it a thought until I discovered the forum nearly three months later.

As I said, there but for the grace of God ....

As Briwy said, most modern vehicles don't get looked at from one service to the next and to be honest my previous car (which I had from new) had its oil checked by me occasionally, and the washer fluid and tyres checked a lot more often but other than that it was left to the garage.

The dealer that we bought our Bongo from was just that, a dealer - not a garage. They did not have workshop facilities there and were not (as far as I know) mechanics. I think we were lucky that all of the Bongos they had on the forecourt were good quality unregistered imports and we chose a very good one with low mileage and a full service history.

[haydn callow]

This is worrying !!! ... shocking !!! ... unacceptable !!!

Shouldnt the vendor be named and shamed? (without threat of litigation). This forum is more expert than many sellers apparently.

I bought my 2.5 V6 Petrol from "down South" 3 months ago.

So is my Coolant/Antifreeze/Engine Protection gonna be upto reqd strength?

How is this checked out without draining, re-filling and bleedin' bleeding ???

Worried as hell now !!

Pop into any garage that does servicing and ask them to check your coolant strength..Takes less than a min and probably free.

[mikexgough]

May i bring your attention to a topic i started way back in warm sunny september


http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... =3&t=43741


I can't believe that people are still ignorant to the needs of any water cooled engine

I did comment at the time too......

I personally can't believe how many vehicles are suffering frozen engines in these modern times...... short cutting and poor maintainence is the only answer......

There was a thread this week on Pistonheads about coolants...... why wait until it's cutting things fine.....they were chatting about Halfrauds Universal coolants.... needless to say there was a heated debate from the know alls .... and the correct info from the mechanics and engineers.....

[Freddiexxxxx1]

Gonna get all techie and buy a coolant hydrometer and check it out myself.

Thanks for the tips guys and gals ... i guess owning and running a Bongo is a good point to revisit/increase maintenance skills.

And just think of the peace of mind i will get haha.

Freddie

[M 80NGO]

If your really unsure of your anti freeze content or your not proficient enough to do a full system drain n flush and can't get to a local garage to get it tested go to a local motor factors and buy 5 litres of neat antifreeze not premixed, when the cooling system is stone cold remove the cap from the radiator, then remove the cap from the header tank, the header will now empty through the radiator cap down to the radiator level, replace radiator cap and slowly pour the neat antifreeze in to the header tank until it is just under the "MAX" mark, replace header cap and run up to temp to mix the coolant in the system, leave a couple of hours to cool down then re-check the level in the headertank.

You can repeat the above until you get all 5 litres in the system, if there's any one in the cambs area that wants there system checking for antifreeze then i'd be more than glad to do it for you free of charge.

[Doone]

I find it easiest to test the strength of the antifreeze with a hydrometer that has a long nozzle for easy access, and the 'coloured discs' for reading the strength... no squinting required! I've never bought from the trader on this link, but this is the type that I find easiest to use: HYDROMETER.

[Tessie]

Lidl are selling coolant/antifreeze testers from 2 December, 99p each. Don't know how good they will be but they must give some indication of strength and at 99p...............

[rita]

Lidl are selling coolant/antifreeze testers from 2 December, 99p each. Don't know how good they will be but they must give some indication of strength and at 99p...............

Hi,
I have used the Lidl tester..very good and easy to read,well worth 99p..

[francophile1947]

If your really unsure of your anti freeze content or your not proficient enough to do a full system drain n flush and can't get to a local garage to get it tested go to a local motor factors and buy 5 litres of neat antifreeze not premixed, when the cooling system is stone cold remove the cap from the radiator, then remove the cap from the header tank, the header will now empty through the radiator cap down to the radiator level, replace radiator cap and slowly pour the neat antifreeze in to the header tank until it is just under the "MAX" mark, replace header cap and run up to temp to mix the coolant in the system, leave a couple of hours to cool down then re-check the level in the headertank.

You can repeat the above until you get all 5 litres in the system, if there's any one in the cambs area that wants there system checking for antifreeze then i'd be more than glad to do it for you free of charge.

Whoa If it's a fresh import, it may well have the original Japanese antifreeze in it - this does not mix with most of the stuff sold over here and can cause clogging of the cooling system. Far better to drain all the old stuff out, flush the system, refill and bleed properly.