Uh oh got a sinking feeling my new bongo is poorly

[bongolou]

Dealer thinks it might be cause it was sat about a lot as a fresh import etc. And that a ccoolant alarm not much use in a petrol model and not fitted one before. Going to get it fitted anyway and take it back to dealer in two weeks time for then to look for leaks in mean time will try see what I can spot myself and keep close eye on water level.

[New Forest Terrier]

A coolant alarm is just as much use on a petrol model. Same convoluted hoses, radiator and thermostat and just as prone to leak with age. I have one on my V6 and it is essential. As it is a TM2 it is good for reassurance that all is staying cool in jams and on hills.

[helen&tony]

Hi
It's an old car with old hoses....any old car will benefit from having a better gauge and a coolant loss alarm...As NewForestTerrier says, it's nice to have a secure feeling. My Jeep has one as standard...so whatever your dealer says, I would go on your gut feeling, and buy a bit o' common sense, and have it fitted!
Cheers
Helen

[bongolou]

Yeah going to fit it next week as planned I want to look after my bongo so seems wise even if they say it's a waste of money I don't think it necessary is. I've brought the tm2.
I just wanted to make sure he knew I was going to fit one in case he wanted to do it or in case they didn't approve so seeming I've got in will fit it and then see what's what with water issue.

[mikeWalsall]

Personally speaking any thing that helps your peace of mind and the mechanics of the Bongo is money well spent ..

Remember a dealer is there to make (take your) money .. nothing else .. he is not there to be your friend .. offer free un - biased information..

Along with other Japanese models the Mazda is known to have a 'damped' temperature gauge .. (but then I suppose your dealer as already told you that) .. by design this keeps the original temperature gauges readings a bit on the low side .. maybe until it is to late in a critical overheating situation ..

So far better to get the damping removed .. or as you intend .. fit an after market devise ..

Also it is not unknown for dealers to 'drop' the temperature gauge needle a touch, so the readings will appear lower than they actually are .. I am not so sure they do this for .. your .. benefit to stop you worrying if the needle is actually higher than shown ..

When my V6 is at 'normal' temp .. the needle sits comfortably at 10.30 - 11 o'clock ... but .. look where the needle sits when cold ......

[bongolou]

Mine sits like that when cold and I'd say 11am when hot can't get it past 11am mark. I've looked at her again tonight can't find anything that looks like a leak but didn't take under tray off. I did notice the air con fan comes on every min quite loud. The in car heaters only blow hot air if I put them into 32degrees lower in the20s it feels like cold air. But is this cause today is a hot day? Am I reading to much into this.
In the plus side thanks to this forum I opened the ykk awning all ok cleaned it off and packed away and fixed one of the clips also replaced the rusty exhaust trim.

[g8dhe]

Mike ALL the needles sit far off the the lefthand end of the gauge that has nothing to do with dealers at all - it is the way the gauge is designed EVEN BEFORE the added damping!
There is little point in wasting display area on the gauge at temperatures below the proper operating range, if you read the display modification write up it explains this and lets you choose the resistors to suit your needs. It doesn't give details on setting the low end but its not that difficult to work out if you wanted to do it!

Where would you start your gauge I wonder if you were the designer ?

Write up is here http://www.g8dhe.net/bongo_images/Tempgauge.pdf

[mikeWalsall]

Forgive my deep morbid fear of dealers ... just one of my little foibles ..

Now (hopefully) as the ABS light appears to be fixed .. I need to take the dash out again to replace a couple of 'missing' bulb holders so I may well do the Temp. mod ...

I would have assumed with most gauges be it .. Petrol .. Temp .. Speedo .. Tacho .. Volts .. Amps or what ever .. then logically the needle should be at the start of the gauge .. in fact my old analogue Multi meter as a precise zeroing screw .....

[g8dhe]

Yup, I know what you mean about the "dealers" in this commercial world we now live in, profit is the only term understood, we still have, as consumers, thoughts that service should also come into it but I'm afraid not these days

Gauges that have an obvious starting point like Speed, Current etc. it would be right to expect the gauge to rest/start at Zero as that has a valid meaning for its purpose.
However temperature is a little different should it start at 0°C or 0°F or 0°K, the point being is that from an engine point of view its only relevant to indicate from say 60-70°C as that would probably be the minimum a working engine should be at, if its less than that and running then something is wrong and it should be switched OFF.
Another gauge that doesn't normally start at 0 is for voltage, most of the older vehicle volt meters only show from about 8-10 volts upwards to about 15 volts, so making the most of the physical display range to show a voltage between 10.5 and 14.5 volts outside of that range means that something is seriously wrong and the reading has little value - however digital meters don't have such a physical range hence they can show from Zero without wasting any more space on the screen!

[bongolou]

Well yesterday she came to the Royal Cornwall show with me, there and back 60 miles approx. No water used so far. I do notice though that the fans only blow warm/hot air if turned up very high temp wise, is this a characteristic of the bongo? They do blow warm if 26-32 degrees id say.

[Simon Jones]

I find my heater is much the same: minimal change at the lower end of the range, then jumps up suddenly to quite warm higher up the range.

[bongolou]

Cool sounds like mine thanks for that so nothing to do with the water issue. Watching it very closely. So we shall see if it was an air lock and fixed going to use it alot this weekend so shall see.