Overheat coming home from garage

[BongoBongo123]

Have read this post several times now.....I assume you have the temp sender to your TM2 fixed as per instructions on the rear of the cylinder head. You say the max temp recorded was 107C after you stopped. 7C of that would be heatsoak.....these temps are not really excessive, just the circumstances when they were recorded.....I have achieved 110C towing a small caravan up a long hill on more than on occasion.
Sounds to me that a good bleed done correctly could be the answer.....I hope so!!

Installed exactly as instructions suggest.

I have been driving the Bongo for 2 years with the TM-2 reading 88-92C almost all the time. It fluctuates a little for very obvious reasons, inclines, declines, speed, day time temperatures. You get to know your vehicle and I know my nominal temps like the back of my hand. Rare occasion saw an alarm at 97C 2 mile long incline, Brecon Beacons, that kind of thing. Extreme conditions.

Nothing has changed with the TM-2 and now it overheated at 107C with the scavenger fan whizzing which never happens. (Friday) It had hit 107C before I stopped and that is where it maxed out before I stopped the engine so it is not "heatsoak". It is Bongo broke soak !!!!!

Yesterday 101C in 10-15mins just local after being categorically told 97C max temp 2.5 hours before. (He had air con and hot air blowing -fan to red - I did not. His settings whilst driving it to me is far from normal cabin heat/aircon control set up)

The mechanic has clearly stated he could not get any more air out. That to me should have been a good bleed Haydn.

Simple facts are it is not right. It has gained a nominal increase of 15C over what it was with scavenger fan running. That should not be acceptable to me or anyone given the temperatures experienced previously. This is an obvious cooling efficiency problem caused when the coolant has been changed, what we do not know yet.

It is a Bongo with nothing attached on local roads.

It is a clear case of Bongo working well, it has been worked upon, and now Bongo is not working well.

[haydn callow]

My advice....get it bled properly and see if that restores normality....if it dosnt the garage need to get it fixed .... It was fine when it went in....now it isn't !!!

[BongoBongo123]

My advice....get it bled properly and see if that restores normality....if it dosnt the garage need to get it fixed .... It was fine when it went in....now it isn't !!!

We will do everything we can to make that the case. Thanks : )

[BongoBongo123]

Sadly my suspicions have been fully realised.

I now know what I will do. Employ a professional.

This is hard to take to be honest.

[callum]

Sorry to hear this, what was the diagnosis?

[BongoBongo123]

There is no diagnosis thus far because the garage has clearly demonstrated no knowledge about Bongo's at all. In addition I have been accused of bringing a Bongo with a pre existing problem to him (The final straw) One simple quote would sum the complete and total lack of knowledge up. For now I withhold it.

I have to cut my losses for my health and mind state and now employ a competent who I can trust not to cause more damage than may or may not have been caused.

Given the temps I have seen (and a test I was asked to do this morning by a true professional competent) I am hoping that it is not too serious. But a not so serious problem could turn into a serious problem from this garage I went to.

Hard and costly decisions to make but life is hard sometimes.

[Bob]

Really sorry to hear this.

[roosmith]

If this is a garage off the approved list, as the very least this list needs to be updated, if they're not allowed to be named here - surely that is the point of the approved list, ones that we've all tried and tested?

[BongoBongo123]

If this is a garage off the approved list, as the very least this list needs to be updated, if they're not allowed to be named here - surely that is the point of the approved list, ones that we've all tried and tested?

They are on the list. I will not give the name of the garage, I would love to but I am a calm headed and careful person so will take one step at a time. I have a lot to think through but at least I know they cannot cause me even more problems. I can focus on solutions, it is a better place to be in my mind.

[cmm303]

I appreciate that you are being very careful not to slander anyone or give overdue bias.

Reading between the lines you may be looking at low-loading Bongo, possibly some distance to somebody you really can trust. No idea of cost but I get where you are coming from, a few £100 rather than £1500. Peace of mind etc. You know you could not have acted more diligently.

Not sure of your location (Kent?) but wondering about two options that may be cheaper especially if it really is only a bleeding problem and you are calling time with your local garage. I recall fairly recently on the forum mention of a well recommended mobile mechanic Midlands way - what would he charge to come and bleed it and give you an assessment on your drive? Another possibility might be if another nearby forum user, experienced in bleeding, could spend an hour with you. From what has been said, doing a bleed on your drive and then only if it appears successful a careful test drive will quickly tell you if it really needs the low loader.

Find out what antifreeze the garage used - use the same to make it easier.

Did they only flush and refill? Thermostat replaced? Pressure caps replaced? Any other work?

[BongoBongo123]

They have only said flush and fill/bleed.

Sound advice. I will await contact from a pro who has been very helpful and take it from there.

The difference in attitude from a real pro is truly staggering.

As you say the hardest thing of all is trying to do the right thing and ending up with both injury and insult. The alarm bell warnings from my phone call today could not have been any clearer. I was literally at one sentence that was uttered then I knew this person could never touch my Bongo ever again.

[BongoBongo123]

Decisions have been made.

Arranging transport to widely publicized expert Bongo mechanic who is very far away. That is going to cost a bit and whilst the man is very busy he will work on it between jobs. (we don't have an immediate rush for it till Mid/end May thankfully) so timings should work.

I will do a National Express special to his garage when it is ready via Londinium. Sleep on a country lane in Bongo and drive back the following morning after a little Bongo fry up.

In any event I am confident it will be in the hands it needs to be in.

There could have been other ways to deal with it but this seems most agreeable to myself and my wife. Feeling slightly better already.

[2newbies]

hi, Just read your posting, as said before it sounds like it wasn't bleed correctly..when I've done mine it has taken awhile sometimes to get that bottom pipe hot, perhaps thats what they didn't do.....Anyway good luck I'm sure it will be OK I've had mine up to 107 several times.........Paul

[roosmith]

hi, Just read your posting, as said before it sounds like it wasn't bleed correctly..when I've done mine it has taken awhile sometimes to get that bottom pipe hot, perhaps thats what they didn't do.....Anyway good luck I'm sure it will be OK I've had mine up to 107 several times.........Paul

That is true, I wouldn't worry about 107. What with towing a caravan and a love of hilly places, we've seen those sort of temperatures too!

[BongoBongo123]

Thanks for words of support. I will let you know how we get on. I feel like a broke record as the bottom line is we all now our own Bongos and the temp gauge not only shows the temperature but you get detailed insight into temperature vs time in winter and summer. That is very interesting and important information.

Normal temp here for last 2 years 88-92C. On rare occasion the alarm would go off set initially at 95C or 97C (It annoyed me a bit going up hills at 95C and I knew it was alright so bumped it up to 97C) I know these vehicles fluctuate a little. It is obvious. But this has been taken into account, a 100C + is definitely not normal for a single person in it local driving. And 107C after a mere 1/2 mile drive is definitely not right at all.

Also remember there was not just a small dip in level on the header tank after my initial 107C temp. The next day the header was completely EMPTY ! (So much for being blamed that I brought an already iffy Bongo to him) Extremely insulting and very unprofessional.

If it was pre coolant change it would have been about 65C at that driven distance, (if that, from cold, though again I assume the engine was warmed from the start).

Also the scavenger fan kicked in when my temp gauge was only reading 81C which is 100pct not normal. I have hardly ever even heard the scavenger fan come on since we have had the vehicle. (I wondered if it was working even).

It could be a number of things according to the new mechanic, he was kind enough to explain in email and over the phone the most likely issues that would require diagnosis and also suggest a test I could perform myself to see if gasses were entering the coolant pipes (which fortunately they appeared not be doing)

Something a garage clearly out of their depth could not even begin to do.