Hoses

Harry · Post by **Harry** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 9:47 pm

Just one week ago...it seems like a lifetime..I nearly cooked the engine following a blown bleed hose on the motorway (a nasty close shave reported elsewhere).

Up to that incident I'd had no cooling probs for 12 months so we can say the system was working normally.

Having dealt with the problem and done about 300km since up hill, down dale and on/off motorways imagine my shock/horror when the temp guage started to climb again yesterday afternoon. Stopped, cooled off, waited for the bongo to cool off, then managed to pour over 3 litres of water into the system!....no sign of leaks?????

Anyway I delivered her to the garage this a.m. for her annual big service and lo and behold she wet herself (little puddle under front end)!

Doctor said to leave her and he'd check her over.

Diagnosis....a slightly split bottom hose which only leaked when engine was really warmed up (hence thermostat open) and warm water circulating under pressure. Turn off engine = no pressure = leak stopped.

He thinks that it could have happened when the engine overheated last week but suggests that it may well have been the root cause of the catastrophic burst of the bleed pipe (hammering down the motorway fully warmed up) if I had lost sufficient fluid to allow an air bubble to get to the top of the engine and boil off into steam.

So what have I learned

Check ALL me pipes for leaks regularly.

Check coolant levels every day or every few hundred miles (possibly a bit OTT).

The bongo is dead easy to bleed without resorting to fancy tricks.

The engine can get very warm/hot before you damage anything too severerly.

AND
I love my Bongo....first full service in 12 months ....68,000 km interval...
Oils/coolants/filters changed but doctor said that they were all Vgood and didn't appear to be near end of life. (Having said that the cooland was mainly clean tapwater )

Replaced the front brake pads and there we go...fit for MOT....hopefully now ready for the Wirral meet.

bigdaddycain · Post by **bigdaddycain** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 10:40 pm

Phew!.. its probably a good job you shut her down before you lost ALL the coolant harry...

Vanmanerik · Post by **Vanmanerik** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 11:43 am

Having had a good firtle around the cooling system the last week or so it appears that most of the rubber coolant pipes are rather old now, probably the originals from years ago.

Some of the pipes are very simple straight lengths that can be purchased at any motor factors but others such as the feed to and from the heater circuits from the crankcase lefthand and righthand sides are quite intricate pipes in their own right. I would prefer to replace any or all the rubber hoses now rather than wait for a leak which may occur at the most annoying time.

Has anyone had the pleasure of replacing these parts? Where can you purchase the new water pipes from? Are they tremendously expensive?

Any assistance appreciated.

Harry · Post by **Harry** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 12:27 pm

Diagnosis on my water leak revealed a perished small dia hose (I think he said coming from the area of bottom of the radiator) preshumably associated with the heater circuit.

Same dia as the bleed hose....replaced with standard coolant hose.

The bleed hose was also showing signs of chafing and had started to 'weep' when warm....this has also now been replaced.

I agree that these 10 year old hoses need a good looking at to prevent a potentially catastrophic overheating and the consequent expense.

cheers

H

Grahame at work · Post by **Grahame at work** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 12:58 pm

I agree with all these comments.

My hose from the top front of the engine down towards the red failed on my way home last night. I had decided already to get it changed as it showed signs of getting weak like Dandywarhol's photos last week - I even got a price but didn't actually order one

As it turned out there was a small hole at the bottom end. The RAC came to the rescue and fitted a temporary hose and I watched very closely as he bled the system. Took him about 15 mins to reach me (centre of Aberdeen) and I think he was with me for about an hour - great service!

and I was back home in time for dinner.

I've just ordered a replacement from Bongo Bits - delivery tomorrow, just less than £30.
So I shall be having a go at fitting it on Friday pm and check out all the others while I'm underneath - then off to the first camp of the year at Kinlochrannoch.

regards Grahame

haydn callow · Post by **haydn callow** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 1:08 pm

Graham at work...How did the RAC man bleed your system so quickly?? I'm surprised an RAC man would know the ins/outs/ of our Bongos.

haydn callow · Post by **haydn callow** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 1:39 pm

Waiting till it rears it's ugly could be a very expensive mistake. Overheating seems to happen very quickly with often terminal results. You would only have to be distracted from your temp guage for a very few mins for overheating to strike. If in any doubt at all replace NOW..
My advice for what it's worth!!
Must pop out and have another check.

vanvliet · Post by **vanvliet** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 5:29 pm

So, for piece of mind its a new radiator and complete set of all rubber hoses .Then flush/fill
A reasonably priced kit would be nice .Can The club make one up?

Post by **Ian** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 5:30 pm

I reckon I could get a kit together. But how many hoses are we talking about?

shakey · Post by **shakey** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 7:20 pm

Hayden, why are you suprised an RAC man knew the ins and outs of a Bongo? An RAC man near Redditch last August bled mine out in about 1/2 hr. A good spannerman should have no difficulties with anything he gets chucked at him. Then again, there are mechanics, and there are those who bought a Haynes manual and some spanners at a car boot sale!

Shakey

Vanmanerik · Post by **Vanmanerik** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 8:37 pm

For a start - Suggested hoses to be replaced as per http://www.lushprojects.com/bongoparts/pages/ part numbers. Other members may know of other hoses that may be weak after 10 years or more motoring and need urgent replacement.

I would imagine a lot of the hoses can be replaced with plain rubber coolant hose as long as the correct diameter can be obtained but others such as those below have too many bends in them so the original is required, unless of course some-one knows where you can obtain bends from???

A few short lengths of metal piping in the different diameters would be usefull to repair split hoses, wherever possible cut the hose where the split is and insert the pipe and a couple of jubilee clips to hold it all together.

Top hose from cylinder head 15-186
Bottom Hose nearest thermostat 15-185
By-pass hose 15-261
Rear Heater hose 61-213
Rear Heater hose 61-21
Hose to turbo 13-551
Hose from turbo 13-539A

I haven't inspected the input output hoses to the front heater, 61-211, 61-212 nor any of the hoses going to the rear heater, from the drawing I can only see input hose 61-211A and cannot see an output hose at all. Will try and have a look tomorrow and see what state they are in.

Well thats a starter for 10..............................

haydn callow · Post by **haydn callow** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 8:46 pm

Shakey... Use a great amount of care !!!or following the manual.. bucket under steering wheel... bleed pipe hanging over bucket etc ,etc,, I would be suprised if most roadside assistants would know how to bleed it properly. Don't get me wrong ..I have the greatest respect for AA & RAC but without either having ..1. experience or 2.a manual relating to the wonders of our Bongos. I'm suprised that it would be done properly and we all know how important that is.. Did the Bongo he fixed with a tempory hose repair travel far after the job was done? if not how do we know air is not lurking waiting to strike. Did he use a bucket or did he see/saw funnel?? If he did not do it right is any mistake going to be repeated when the new hose is fitted?? Food for thought. Having said all that. I hope it all turns out well.

Grahame at work · Post by **Grahame at work** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 12:47 pm

Hi Hayden Callow,

I hope you didn't pick me up wrong on how long it took the RAC man. The 15 mins was from the phone call to him arriving. It took him about 20 mins to get to the bottom of the trouble and the rest of the hour was fitting the temporary hose and bleeding the system.
He had not seen a Bongo before (he seemed impressed) but when I expressed concern as he pulled of the faulty hose and lost the hose full of water he said that he had come across a few cars that needed careful bleeding.
Briefly - the process he used was to top up into the expansion tank while I held the bleed pipe out of the passanger door at slightly above the level of the tank. He got me to lower the pipe until it passed water and then up again. Then there was about 3 rounds of running the engine - topping up - checking flow from the bleed pipe (looking for air mixed in) - checking all pipes for pressure and temperature - checking both heaters for heat.
When there was no air mixed in with the water when the bleed pipe was opened and no air being pumped into the expansion tank and no leaks he replaced the cap and ran it for quite a while. He was running around the Bongo from front to engine to underneath checking pipes all the time.
I found him helpful and very confident and I am satisfied that he did a good job.
However, I drove home afterwards and have come to work in it today - keeping my eye on the gauge and feeling for the temperature of the air from the heaters all the while. I even stopped half way to work and checked the expansion tank and will continue to do so for sometime to come especially after I have fitted the new hose (arrived today from Bongo Bits) tomorrow pm.

I'll let you know how I get on.

Regards Grahame

haydn callow · Post by **haydn callow** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 1:23 pm

Sounds good to me. Give that RAC man positive feedback. One thing you didn't mention. Did he take the Radiator pressure cap off and check that rad was full?? If he did then 100% If he didn't then when new hose is fitted it should be checked. Just in case

Peg leg Pete · Post by **Peg leg Pete** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 8:03 pm

If you fill through the expansion tank it goes into the radiator, sounds like the R.A.C man used the see-saw method, top man

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