Bongo Fury

We have had a bongo for a couple of weeks, and love it apart from it the fact that sometimes it really seems to struggles up hills, and it struggles to maintain a reasonable motorway speed. Other times it goes really well, so i guess there must be some sort of intermittent fault.
I have checked the fuel economy twice now. it travelled 210 miles from a full tank to a quarter full (45 litres), with a light right foot and no town driving.
I assume the perforamce problem, and the poor fuel economy are linked.
has anyone got any ideas, what the problem could be ?

hi there
is it recorded in miles or km, 2 wheel or 4 wheel drive, changed filters, grade of oil, injectors cleaned with fluid,
any more info you could pass on regards these items for us please before opinions formed.

In a Bongo just because the gauge has gone from full to a quarter does not necessarily mean you have used 3/4 of a tank. Best to refill tank to brim and use that amount as a guide to MPG. Need more info reguarding poor performance.

210 miles, about 9 gallons, about 23 mpg. Sounds lowish, but not wildly so. Given the fact you have only estimated the fuel usage from the gauge, it could be more than the 23, or less.

Only way to properly check mpg is brimming the tank twice over a reasonable distance. Ours is in pretty good nick, but we rarely get more than 25 mpg on a tankful - most ever was 27.

Bongos generally go up hills pretty well, so sounds like you have a problem.

Possibilities:
fuel filter needing changed
turbo pipe loose
blocked/dirty air cleaner

Plenty about these in the search facility

I checked the fuel used, which was 45 litres, which is 10 gallons, over 210 miles, hence 21 mpg - not good for non town, light right foot driving.
Somebody has told me the poor mpg and poor performance could be due to a faulty airflow meter.

Fit a magnet on the fuel line.

When's your birthday Vanmanerik, I'll buy you a new set of spoons to keep the stirring going - You know they don't believe us!!

Doesn't have an airflow meter to go faulty kernowbongo...........


Or.........have you a petrol model????

You should be getting better than that kernowbongo. Is yours a 4WD or 2WD. No matter though as I think you should be able to get near to 30mpg on a well running 4WD Bongo from what I've read on BF - 32+ on a 2WD.

I'd take Dr Dandy's advice and start giving the old girl the once over. Can anyone advise about checking tha tthe injector is properly adjusted. I've seen it discussed but lack the technical know how to be able to comment myself.

Good luck

You will have to get more scientific if you want advice on whether or not the performance and mpg you describe are normal!!

2 or 4 wd
converted or not
loaded or not
Speed travelled
motorway
traffic non traffic.

All thses things affect the Bongo performance!

I have got as little as 15mpg around town in traffic and recently averaged 27mpg travelling pn a quiet Mway at around 70mph.

Driving style seems to have a huge affect on Bongos.

Bongos definitely hate hanging around town that's for sure

thanks for the replies so far.
the bongo is a r reg diesel auto, 2 wheel drive aft.
the driving was all dual carriage way, and normal A roads, so should have been good for fuel economy.
However as soon as i get to a hill it loses power really quickly, and ends up struggling to get to the top. from what i have read on Bongo Fury, the performance should be really good, and average 30 mpg on a run, but i dont seem to be getting either of these at the moment.

Have you checked that the fuel and air filters have been changed?

this may be off interest to you http://tinyurl.com/ywsays ...I cleaned mine today and it was full of crap it had been making the bongo kind of sluggish ..... I used a set if fine long nosed pliers to get the filter out its quite far in under the spring but its straight forward to do ...there are pictures on the site somewhere but I ran a blank when I looked...