Pressure testing - head gasket gone - help!

[Gasy]

Do you have brake down cover
AA or the like

[Marbleous]

Yep - but it is still at the garage.

[Gasy]

Get them to transport it to a bongo garage
Might have to pretend you just broke down there and then

[Marbleous]

But there isn't a bongo garage in about an hours radius!

Is there anyone in Cambridge who can recommend a garage?

Thanks

Vicky

[Gasy]

Check your policy
I don't think that is a problem
I know If I brake down they will take me home or to a garage of my choice

[Simon Jones]

They say it went up to 25 psi? That's 1.7 bar and the cap on the header tank is rated at 1.1 so I would expect you would have coolant peeing out which doesn't seem to match the symptoms you describe. Personally, I would get it to a Bongo friendly garage for a second (and possibly more informed) opinion.

There is also a mobile mechanic who advertises on the forum who is highly recommended and may at least give you some free advice over the phone even if he is a bit out of your area.

[Marbleous]

Between everything that has been said on the forum, what I have seen and what a mechanic friend has told my OH on the phone and how the garage was acting - I think they were either trying to pull a fast one - or are wrong in the diagnosis.

I'm going to sleep on it and decide my course of action in the morning - anymore advice gratefully received!

Thanks for your advice, particularly Roo.

Vicky

[Bob]

Often it isn't someone trying to 'Pull a fast one' but that most dangerous of things, the things we don' t know that we don't know.

All to common with garages and Bongos.

If the nearest BF garage is 5 hours away it will be less hassle than 20 local garages who 'Learn' at your expense

I will again suggest BF might know.

[New Forest Terrier]

A little knowledge can be very dangerous with a Bongo. As well as a diagnosis the coolant has to be bled after a head replacement and further damage can be caused by an airlock. Any garage considering steel seal is not to be recommended. It does a lot of damage and while it can be used to patch up an old car for a bit more life, it is not for what was probably an expensively purchased camper.

Every bongo garage has stories of Bongos being towed in with a diagnosis of head gone where it is a far less serious problem. If there is no Bongo garage in your area, is there a Mazda one who might be familiar with the beast? They might have the knowledge to give you a correct diagnosis.

Find your nearest rated Bongo seller and give them a ring to see if they can recommend anyone. If all else fails find your nearest Bongo specialist, check that they can handle a V6, sign up for relay and go and brake down. Ask to be relayed there.

When I first had my Bongo V6s were incredibly rare and my local Bongo garage, a Mazda specialist did not want to touch it. I took it instead to a classic car specialist who understood old designs of V6 engines. This might be another possibility.

[Simon Jones]

Have you spoken to Andys Imports about who he would use for mechanical work? You mention you went to see him when you were looking for a Bongo as he was not too far from you.

[haydn callow]

It's a diesel not a V6.....according to the original post.

[Northern Bongolow]

they could have got 25 psi readings if they removed the cap and pressurized it through this point. or fit a pressure gauge here and let the bongo go up to this point during testing this is how i do it,
but not that high as the system isnt designed to stand that pressure.

try contacting member -mikexgough- he has a garage buisness and a bongo of his own, he maybe able to help.

[New Forest Terrier]

Apologies all. What confused me was the how many heads question. A V6 has two so I assumed it had to be that for anyone to consider it an issue. The keep clear of steel seal still applies.

mikexgough sounds a good bet for your next move. He is somewhere near you.

[hijimhere]

Wonder where the got the adaptor to pressure test - I have been looking for one`for a year for my sykes pickevant kit.
A block test (test for level of hydrocarbons in the coolant) wouldn't be a bad idea. But I would seriously listen to the advice being given and use an experienced Bongo dealer no matter how far away.

[Northern Bongolow]

get a expansion tank flat cap with no spring in it, or cut the seal out, then inflate up the expansion tank overflow pipe with a foot pump that has a pressure gauge in line.