Bongo Fury

Northern Bongolow wrote:ive got a spanner that fits, you can borrow it if you can carry it.

http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... ey#p637393

Cheers for the offer - suppose you saw we'd cracked it with the linked spanner trick?

Now just deliberating over the head kit to pick up. Not quite sure on choice, but I think it boils down to:

a) £450 and reuse cam, assemble, set and lubricate
b) £550 and set and lubricate
c) £615 - bolt it down

Will give the sellers a call for advice too.

EDIT: Sorry, there's actually another option I was alerted to by 'a friend' - checking ebay to see if any reputable engine builders out there with Bongo/Ranger 2.5TD WLT engines for sale. The first one I came across had bad feedback (valves not ground in) - checking others.

Hi all
Thought I should introduce myself as "The Assistant" in this job.

Welcome aboard, and well done.

Bob wrote:Welcome aboard, and well done.

Will level with you here, folks. I've stupidly let cashflow get too close to the line in the run up to xmas, so will opt for one of the cheaper options - a bare head or a cheaper assembled one from ebay, buying the gasket kit and belt separately, keeping the budget at £500 instead of £700+. So the list of lower priority accessories to change, hovering at around £150, will have to wait. In an ideal world this wouldn't be the case, but as I'm more familiar with various parts now, they can wait a bit longer.

I'll first check the piston height when I get chance to make sure there's no damage further down, as advised. All being well, expect head ass'bly and fitting next week-ish.

And Um-Bongo, who let you on a computer?

Building a head wont be a problem, shouldn't take more than a couple of hours really.
So don't worry too much about that aspect.

Still think you should throw on a race cam and massive turbo...!

Um-Bongo wrote:Building a head wont be a problem, shouldn't take more than a couple of hours really.
So don't worry too much about that aspect.

Still think you should throw on a race cam and massive turbo...!

Great to see that you have a Firm Grip on the situation.

bongovi wrote: I'll first check the piston height when I get chance to make sure there's no damage further down, as advised. All being well, expect head ass'bly and fitting next week-ish.

Hi all. Hope your new year's plans are moving a'head' nicely.

Before ordering the head, I have just tried to turn the engine to check the piston height... what am I best to turn and in which direction? Not having much luck twiddling on my own.

Turn it by the crank pulley nut. doesnt matter which way you turn it.

Bongolia wrote:Turn it by the crank pulley nut. doesnt matter which way you turn it.

shouldn't matter but id say you are better off turning it clockwise (looking from the front of the car), or you risk loosening the nut/bolt if the engine is stiff.

Bongolia wrote:Turn it by the crank pulley nut. doesnt matter which way you turn it.

Thanks!

Just spoke to Vaughan (sp?) over at AVA Leisure/Mazdabongo.com and he recommended marking up the same crank pulley with tippex if testing piston height, but also added (for future readers) that in his 15 years of Bongo repair, they very rarely, if ever receive cylinder block orders. He also doubted if we'd see piston height difference if bent con-rod, but I know Northern Bongolow has come across this himself.

What I don't want to do is throw out the timing, so am now tempted, given that it was turning over fine before 'the incident' with no major knocks or bangs as it went, that odds are the rods are untouched. The theory being that the coolant was being cleared into the exhaust rather than blocking the pistons...

Also off the ebay idea now after speaking to some of the sellers. Nobody too knowledgeable or reputable tbh, with the best looking offer not saving a great deal and not in stock for another 4wks, compared to AVA who have them in stock and a solid reputation. Just toss up between the £450 bare head, re-using valves and cam, or the £615 'ready to go' model. Previous cashflow issues slightly improved, so both under consideration.

bongovi wrote:

Bongolia wrote:Turn it by the crank pulley nut. doesnt matter which way you turn it.

Thanks!

Just spoke to Vaughan (sp?) over at AVA Leisure/Mazdabongo.com and he recommended marking up the same crank pulley with tippex if testing piston height, but also added (for future readers) that in his 15 years of Bongo repair, they very rarely, if ever receive cylinder block orders. He also doubted if we'd see piston height difference if bent con-rod, but I know Northern Bongolow has come across this himself.

What I don't want to do is throw out the timing, so am now tempted, given that it was turning over fine before 'the incident' with no major knocks or bangs as it went, that odds are the rods are untouched. The theory being that the coolant was being cleared into the exhaust rather than blocking the pistons...

Also off the ebay idea now after speaking to some of the sellers. Nobody too knowledgeable or reputable tbh, with the best looking offer not saving a great deal and not in stock for another 4wks, compared to AVA who have them in stock and a solid reputation. Just toss up between the £450 bare head, re-using valves and cam, or the £615 'ready to go' model. Previous cashflow issues slightly improved, so both under consideration.

Dont understand the Tippex thing?
Anyhow your timing went out when you took the head off, if NB has seen rod damage before then that is more than a good enough reason to check,Its best practice anyway, hopefully you will find nothing but if you did.........
In view of the foregoing cash flow situation I reckon your best bet is a built head. You should still check the valve clearances after its been run.
Good luck.

Nothing to worry about, ive found the timing marks, we're good to go, order the bits!!


(and a massive turbo)

Um-Bongo wrote:Nothing to worry about, ive found the timing marks, we're good to go, order the bits!! (and a massive turbo)

Hah, OK, but I've gone back to ebay as one of the better sellers who didn't get straight back to me was in touch this morning.

Basically bought this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/361879793901 - complete new cylinder head, with 3-way water elbow, all new 'bits', crush washers included (£10 extra through AVA - although AVA did offer free delivery after I was umming and ahhing).

Added on head gasket set £49, bolts £28 and belt £24.50 for a total of £496.50. Saves rebuilding time + saves £130 vs the AVA offer of £615 that I was nearly going for (if crush washers included). To be fair to AVA, they do sell mainly to trade, who are less price-sensitive than I am, because they're obviously passing on the costs with markup.

In the ebay ad it mentions returning the old head, but no mention of that on the phone - I've ordered without ebay's protection, but from a guy with good ebay feedback (returns mistaken orders, good quality reports) and was very professional on the phone. Think it was Brian I spoke to (future ref).

So fingers crossed. I'll report back on any quality issues.

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EDIT: In case the ebay ad disappears, I bought from WIGAN ENGINE SERVICES LTD, UNIT 2, EMPRESS INDUSTRIAL ESTATE, HIGHER INCE, WIGAN, WN2 2BG, 01942 321199, wiganengines[@]btconnect_com - run by Brian and Jason.

Also...

Two vacuum hoses snapped in the removal phase, completely brittle. Assuming they have specific internal diameters, but the AVA chap Andy did mention being able to replace those with something generic - diesel something-or-others. Suggestions for replacements welcome.

As for identifying the exact parts, not near Bongo today, so can't be 100% but one to the left and one to the right of the vacuum pump bit, basically: http://lushprojects.com/bongopartsmk2/c ... 1of02.html somewhere around 20-444 on that diagram. Maybe 20-346 also. Will check. Basically just the thick rubber skin vac hoses.

Happy to experiment with replacements here, if not a terrible idea. There's also a cracked stud in the turbo manifold to replace and I think that's it for breakages.

Standard 3mm id Silicon vacuum tube will do, i have a load in the shed, can donate to the cause.