Bongo Fury

A pressure test would have revealled an internal leak. In my case it was a cracked head with similar behaviour like yours. An aluminum head over a cast iron block usually gives rise to a crack if overheated. A cracked exhaust manifold can also be interpreted as a overheat condition as some point. A warpped head will lead to a blown head gasket eventually, but more often a crack in the head is the end result.

Forum diagnostic and advice would have been closer to the point if we knew your stock tempurature gauge had reached a sustained red line!

If the cooling system is in any way suspect; do a thorough discovery BEFORE assuming it's fixed!
I ended up replacing the cylinder head, ALL hoses, serviced the rad, cooling sensors, water pump [just for good measure!], thermostat, top end reseal, and so on! Yes this was costly in the end, but necessary to gain reliability!

Hope it goes well for you...!
Cheers,
Dave
ProGroup
P.S. Check out some of my 19 YouTube videos on the subject - YouTube = search for 'BongoBonnie'

progroup wrote:A pressure test would have revealled an internal leak. In my case it was a cracked head with similar behaviour like yours. An aluminum head over a cast iron block usually gives rise to a crack if overheated. A cracked exhaust manifold can also be interpreted as a overheat condition as some point. A warpped head will lead to a blown head gasket eventually, but more often a crack in the head is the end result.

No leaks were detected at the time of pressure test.
Water pump has most definitely gone - water was running out like a hose by the time he got to look at it! Just waiting to see if there's anything else to add to the fun! Terms like cracked cylinder head have been bandied about. I'm hoping not!

progroup wrote:Forum diagnostic and advice would have been closer to the point if we knew your stock tempurature gauge had reached a sustained red line!

As far as I'm aware, the temp gauge never went up until the end otherwise I'd have mentioned it. I remember looking at it a time or two after the stalling problem started but it was fine. Maybe the problem was brewing and it finally blew it's lid? Likewise, there were no obvious signs of leakage on the ground initially.

progroup wrote:If the cooling system is in any way suspect; do a thorough discovery BEFORE assuming it's fixed!
I ended up replacing the cylinder head, ALL hoses, serviced the rad, cooling sensors, water pump [just for good measure!], thermostat, top end reseal, and so on! Yes this was costly in the end, but necessary to gain reliability!

He'll give it a thorough examination! He's pretty good, he wont let her go this time until he's satisfied the problem is completely sorted.
We're missing her already! Just bought a portable heater for her and we're keen to try it out with a winter camp!

I hope the new water pump sorts out your cooling problems Mrs M but I can't for the life of me understand why a coolant problem would cause your stalling problem..........................

Call me a pessimist but I think your stalling problem has yet to be diagnosed/fixed properly and may return

I am inclined to agree with Alan on this one; yet in my experience, a 'cluster bomb' was awaiting!
Even though I too have mechaniced over 40 years on/off; the method of bleeding the coolant system was totally foreign to me at the time I first got the vehicle. A bit tricky on the first go around!

BTW; the Temperature Gauge spiking to full redline is what initially snared my fate towards replacing the head. The only other advice I can offer up at this time is immediately AFTER receiving your Bongo back, create a 'log' and monitor the header tank [expansion tank where you add coolant]. If you find it gradually disappearing over a few days with no EXTERNAL evidence to support a 'leak'; the only other place its going is out the tailpipe when you ain't looking!!! That spells head gasket AND/OR crack somewhere in the aluminum casting.

I hope and this is not the case!
Dave

great to hear the news!