Bongo Fury

I was recently in Australia, where a cracked radiator hose in the outback can lead not only to a hole in your pocket, but potentially loss of life. I guess this has created a market for aftermarket coolant loss alarm systems -- a sensor is fitted to the top radiator hose, and an alarm wired into the vehicle, which sounds when coolant loss is detected. See:
http://www.enginesaver.com.au/

These seem like a good idea to me -- and not too pricey either. Or is this too paranoid? Does anybody on this list have any experience with this type of gadget? There are instructions on the Enginesaver site to see whether the coolant alarm can be fitted to your vehicle model, but I have not gone out and measured my bongo top hose yet.

David
Dereham, Norfolk

This sounds like an absolutely +++++ idea to me nfn. Well spotted. I have to admit I could be VERY tempted to spend my £s on one. I couldn't see the prices (just me being thick with t'internet I guess) but whats the likely cost and can it - I wonder - be easily fitted DIY to keep cost to a minimum.

I wonder what the BF experts (Dandy, smartmonkey and others - forgive me if I cant think of all the names) will have to say about it. Anyone an experience of these?

I've a nasty feeling this could be my 2000th post

Mike

Mike,

The cheaper kit is about £60, and the new model £75. I don't know what postage would cost -- the kits don't look particularly big or bulky. They say that the cheaper kit will fit any vehicle. The main DIY problem looks to be bleeding the air out of the cooling system after installation. I'm sorely tempted to buy a Mityvac for bleeding the cooling system (as discussed on this forum), as I want to change my bongo's coolant this summer, and prefer to buy a fancy toy to assist this rather than go through the complicated bleeding procedure for the bongo.

I do not think a fancy toy will help too much, I would be tempted to check hoses and levels on a regular basis and save the money on the sensor, another thing to go wrong, just my opinion

Hi All.
The excavator manufacturer that I work for fits this style of system to it's excavators. It is a very simple system and works on resistance, the coolant sensor circuit is earthed via the cooling water and if the level drops then so does the circuit and on our machines an engine shutdown ensues.
It'a a reliable system and failsafe too and it has prevented catastrophic engine failures. One company has deemed the system to be of no use so bypassed it on their machines and have consequently cooked 5 engines, 2 of which were new replacements for engines they previously cooked.
The first time I'd seen it in use was in the company I work for and think it's a pretty sound idea to be honest. By the time the temp gauge on your motor rises because of coolant loss it will almost certainly be too late and the damage will have been done.

Sounds like a +++++ idea for a Bongo

Lots of cars have a level sender in the header tank - I think all cars should but it's obviously too expensive for Mazda. My solution is to get a float switch from a scrappy and install it in the Bongo header tank. Then all you have to do is run a buzzer or light to the dash from the sender. Low water in the tank and the light or buzzer sounds. If you are particularly nervous or unobservant then connect it to a klaxon and xenon flasher.

I have done this to other cars but not yet to my Bongo. It has worked well in the past.

You will struggle to implement a float level in a Bongo header tank, the tank is comparmentised with 'holey' walls between them to allow the fluid to flow between them and the largest compartment - just below the filler - will only get about 1 cm deep in fluid at max level.

The VW T25 had two stainless steel probes in the header tank and so long as they were in the coolant all was well but if the fluid level dropped below the probes a red light flashed on the dash. This may be possible on a Bongo if anyone can come up with a circuit to wire it into a flashing LED or Buzzer.

A peugeot I had many moons ago had a float system and it was truly crap, it still ended up overheating and blowing it's head!. I think it would be v difficult to implement on a bongo. The probe system should be relatively simple to implement in comparison.

ebay Item number: 140111065884

same idea and will post to uk

Well spotted glogger. Is this the same concept as the device mentioned at the start of this thread anyone?

This ebay item ebay Item number: 140111065884 mentioned by clogger will only tell you your engine is hot just the same as your temperature gauge but it does have a buzzer as well so if you are miles away in your head it may bring you back down to earth, [color=red]it will not warn you [/color]of a low coolant level which would probably happen BEFORE it warns you about a hot engine.

If any thing I would go for a coolant level detector.

Thanks Van - so much you could spend your money on!

I cant see any harm in swapping the header tank for one with a float in. As long as the pressure cap is the same rating and the pipework is similar. You have plenty of space available and it will be the best early warning you can get. The header tank is the first bit to lose its water so if you are warned you will protect the engine.

My boxer van had a radiator fail this winter and it nearly cost me the cylinder head. There was no float so the first I knew about it was the heating going cold. If the heater wasn't on I would have had no warning.

I think this is worth some serious debate and a factsheet if anyone does decide to go ahead and do it. If I had had coolant worries, I'd be on the casenow . I'm going to put it on my long list anyway. Anyone got thoughts on what alternative header tank & pressure cap + that includes a float / early warning might be suitable for the Big B?

Big thanks to nfn for getting this thread started (+ clogger for his sharp eye) - for my money this is one of the interesting threads

Mike