Bongo Fury

You may have to pause it from time to time to absorb the text overlays but it is a good little video on how the cooling system works:

https://youtu.be/V7inC4lOpGs


Note: They seem to have Centigrade and Fahrenheit mixed up though cause they said the coolant gets to 200-250C at normal temperature. I would have thought unless I am mistaken by then your engine would be a molten lump of metal on the road. (Later they say 180F for the thermostat to open and as I gather this is about 82-85C roughly)

It is a clever system.

That's a good safeguard for sure. Since my issues in January i have wanted to buy a TM2, but don't have the funds currently. We have an LCA, but i preferthe idea of seeing the real temperature.
On my classic cars i always preferred the Smiths capillary gauges as they always worked or were broken, no worries about electrical misreadings, akin to the Bongo temp gauge!
Perhaps when my wife isn't looking i shall purchase a tm2!

callum wrote:That's a good safeguard for sure. Since my issues in January i have wanted to buy a TM2, but don't have the funds currently. We have an LCA, but i preferthe idea of seeing the real temperature.
On my classic cars i always preferred the Smiths capillary gauges as they always worked or were broken, no worries about electrical misreadings, akin to the Bongo temp gauge!
Perhaps when my wife isn't looking i shall purchase a tm2!

I am of the mindset you should not drive a Bongo without one. The cost is a 20th of the cost of the repairs to a cracked head.

I feel it is a matter of when, not if with Bongo's.

I have never had an electrical misreading with my digital cylinder head temperature gauge that came from Haydn Alarms. I think it is the TM2.

This is the one I have:

http://www.coolantalarm.co.uk/shop/inde ... roductId=8

That's the one yes. We're too strapped for cash at the mo, plus not really planning any proper trips this year (new baby in 4 weeks time), so it is a purchase for later on in the year.

Surely that's the ideal Christening present.

I like the van, but i don't think it's worthy of a christening!

I have a transcript of the Bongo bleed video written down now. So that will help when I do that myself next time. Do you really need 3 people !.. Maybe the revver can also be your header tank checker.

They are coming to look Monday with coolant and do some checks nad possibly take it back to the garage for further investigation depending on findings. He said it had been test driven with no issues and running in the garage. Header tank appears empty to my eye as I was requested to check. The mechanic said they "do a simultaneous drain and fill technique which is suppose to minimize the problems of air lock." That was there words.

I said the only way I know is the YT video on Bongo bleed and what he mentioned was above my head and the fact remains it was overheating within 2/3 mile from the garage.

callum wrote: but i prefer the idea of seeing the real temperature.
On my classic cars i always preferred the Smiths capillary gauges

.

i have the low coolant alarm and the added extra of a high coolant alarm, if it boils and tries to expel coolant, and love it. but im like you i like these too so i fitted a smiths capillary into the hose that goes from the rad top to the header tank this is constant flow straight from the engine, through the rad top into the expansion tank so isnt controlled by the stat at all, its very nearly as hot as its going to get especially in traffic.

a few years ago i had a water pump failure whilst 10 miles from home, turned the key on, no coolant, low coolant alarm on so topped up, no bleed then drove home carefully watching all the gauges. no damage was done to the engine as i had plenty of info as to what was going on in the engine. once you have faith in your info you know where you are. no info, no idea.

Hi
I agree with Ady...as for various reasons, I have a number of gauges, (try 12 ) and it shows exactly what's going on. The Bongo is an old vehicle working outside its intended life-span, so watching what's happening, AND listening should help keeping the thing ticking!
Cheers
Helen

callum wrote:That's a good safeguard for sure. Since my issues in January i have wanted to buy a TM2, but don't have the funds currently. We have an LCA, but i preferthe idea of seeing the real temperature.
On my classic cars i always preferred the Smiths capillary gauges as they always worked or were broken, no worries about electrical misreadings, akin to the Bongo temp gauge!
Perhaps when my wife isn't looking i shall purchase a tm2!

Modified temp gauge as an interim?

Costs pennies. It may not give temp in numbers or ring alarms but gives an immediate view on temp behaviour which can be judged against "normal".

I look at the temp gauge a lot, especially in the 10-25mins area when warming up, but an audible alarm is surely essential.

Bongo is a relaxing drive (and you are in the holiday mood after all) and you need the when something is up.

Chap should be here to sort it soon. I will watch what he does.

Fairly sure as long as there are no unexpected issues that I have the Bongo fill and bleed video in memory now after watching it a few times. The Mantra "At no time must the header tank become empty or the bleed pipe funnel, otherwise it is sucking in air !" firmly in mind.

Ok Bongo gone back to the garage for now.

Chap checked header tank put 500mL in, waited a few mins (engine off). Pulled bleed bung out and watched fairly high pressure flow of red coolant coming out with finger over end, suggesting that was a decent sign.

He is driving Bongo back to garage now keeping an eye on the temp gauge, leaving his car here and he is going to drive Bongo back to me once he has it properly sorted this time. (5-10 mins journey) luckily the Bongo garage is only 2-3 mile away from home.

Fair do's.

Sadly coolant coming out of the bleed tube is no indication of an air lock or not, but let's hope its all sorted soon.

Bob wrote:Sadly coolant coming out of the bleed tube is no indication of an air lock or not, but let's hope its all sorted soon.

Good point Bob, I was thinking that when I typed it, less so at the time, cause surely high air pressure could push fluid out. Unless he meant that it was not just pure air being release.. I did hear a pffffffffff when the bung came out before the finger went on, I suspect that is not so good.

This is why I am going to learn this drain fill and bleed myself, get a mate to give me a hand, one of us can do the revving and running round to the header tank to check the "dunker".

There are seemingly no short cuts to this, you either do the job properly or you don't do it.