D.I.Y Service

egor110 · Post by **egor110** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 1:03 pm

I'm considering servicing my bongo myself this time, my skills are basic ie. undo plug let liquid drain out then refill or unscrew old filter and screw up new one.
How easy is it to change the oil and all the filters, change brake,gearbox and diff fluids?
I want to do the coolant but to be honest think that's a bit to tricky for me.

MountainGoat · Post by **MountainGoat** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 1:16 pm

You can find the information that you want in the fact sheets in the members section. £10.00 a year to join the club. Most members find it easier to change the oil using a pela pump and with the coolant change this appears to be an exact science with Bigdaddycain's see saw metod being the prefered way. Use the seach facility typing in "Oil AND Change and "Coolant AND Change".

http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... oil+change

http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... ant+change

Veg_Ian · Post by **Veg_Ian** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 1:24 pm

Well that's a difficult one to answer. Personally I can't understand anyone paying for what are reasonably easy to do tasks. But then it may be easy for me but not others and it's about having the will and confidence to have a go. What you don't want to do is be stuck halfway through a procedure so my advice would be to research each task first, be sure you know exactly what it is you have to do and ensure you have the necessary tools and parts to complete it.

If you get stuck there are enough qualified people on here to help you out but it's not as good as having someone there. Any mates who are keen diy mechanics per chance?

egor110 · Post by **egor110** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 1:27 pm

I've just spoken to a garage re changing the gearbox oil and they said it was a sealed unit, is this so? i always thought you replaced the gearbox fluid aswell as the diff fluid?

bigdaddycain · Post by **bigdaddycain** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 1:41 pm

MountainGoat wrote: with Bigdaddycain's see saw metod being the prefered way.

Sorry tony, i can't take credit for the above.... I suppose my "method" would be called the hosepipe method?

Nowt wrong with home servicing Egor... As long as you feel competent enough to tackle a certain task, then i can't see how it would do any harm.

I'd do more "home servicing" myself, were it not for the small fact that i'm a scruffy bugger,and clumsy.....

(oil stains on driveway etc...)

Factor in that i always forget to take the used oil to the recycling centre,then end up with tubs and tubs that have to be poured down the grid in the middle of the night.... (joke!)

I keep the receipts for any parts i buy, then document the receipts to form some kind of service history, i.e. mileages,date etc.

It's a form of "home" service history, that a future prospective buyer can either accept at face value or not.

Though, i'd think a future buyer would accept that if i'd gone to the lengths of documenting receirts, then he/she could take them at face value,and accept them as a log of servicing.

egor110 · Post by **egor110** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 1:41 pm

I agree with what you say Veg_Ian but like i say i think the change oil and filters i could do if it's as easy as undo bolt drain old oil, do up bolt fill with new oil and just unscrew filters and replace, but not sure how hard it would be to do the diff,autobox or brake fluid? If it's just a matter of topping up then i'd give it a go.
Re the coolant change, the more i read about it and airlocks and the problems people have the more i think thats a bit too much for me and i'd rather pay a garage to do it.

bigdaddycain · Post by **bigdaddycain** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 1:48 pm

egor110 wrote:I've just spoken to a garage re changing the gearbox oil and they said it was a sealed unit, is this so? i always thought you replaced the gearbox fluid aswell as the diff fluid?

Depends what the oufit class as a sealed unit.

If they mean that there isn't a sump that can be undone,dropped and emptied of its contents, then they are wrong.

The prefered method of auto box draining is sticking the nozzle of a pela pump down the fill tube, pump out the atf,then remove sump, clean filters, replace filters,replace sump, replace atf through fill tube,check level,check for leaks,check gearbox operation.... Check levels daily for a week or so,check the sump bolts are tight.

Veg_Ian · Post by **Veg_Ian** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 2:10 pm

Well ok to be specific:
Oil change - yes this can be done by simply undoing the sump plug and dropping the oil. You will need an old washing up bowl or similar to hold some 6.5 litres. Filter is fiddly but do-able without removing the undercover.
Gearbox - no drain plug. You need to remove some 20 small bolts and remove the sump but it's impossible not to drop it and spill some of the 4 litres of ATF. You really need a pela pump and a liquid type gasket sealer for replacing and carbo tet type cleaner for the filter inside. Also need tubing and funnel for refilling through the dipstick tube.
Diff - yes theres a filler and drain plug - fairly easy.
Coolant - easy enough, just needs some patience and care and there are factsheets explaining how to ensure you get the air out.

So if you've not had a go at any of these before, I would say all but the gearbox shouldn't be too taxing.

flippa · Post by **flippa** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 7:10 pm

go for it egor ....as veg ian says take your time have the tools available and the necessary oils parts etc......the worse that can happen is you have to get a tow to your nearest garage

.....believe me i was a total novice around a spanner and now manage to do most if not all of the servicing myself.....invest in the pela pump its money well spent ,,,,good luck

egor110 · Post by **egor110** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 7:59 pm

So equipment wise i need a spanner to undo the bolt under engine, a big washing up bowl to catch ol oil, a funnel to pour in new oil anything else?

ronhud · Post by **ronhud** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 8:01 pm

On this servicing topic I asked once and have seen someone else ask also where a list can be found of the work that a garage should do for the main service. There was a post with a useful list of jobs but I got the impression that it was commonsense and not an official list. If any one has a list or even a detailed list from an official service it would be useful both to see what can be diy and also to verify if a garage is doing what it should.
Ron

flippa · Post by **flippa** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 8:17 pm

i'd say you had the makings of a decent toolkit there egor

dont forget plenty of teabags

egor110 · Post by **egor110** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 8:18 pm

And a jetwasher for when the contents of the engine miss the bowl and land on the drive

brorabongo · Post by **brorabongo** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 8:21 pm

egor110 wrote:So equipment wise i need a spanner to undo the bolt under engine, a big washing up bowl to catch ol oil, a funnel to pour in new oil anything else?

Change oil in a garage/under cover if poss, If not drain oil when it's not windy.

mister munkey · Post by **mister munkey** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 8:37 pm

Doing my 1st one next weekend so I like this post!

Bought the filter kit off that fleabay & set of Halfords "Proffesional" spanners. Raring to go!

Does the oil filter simply unscrew or are one of those chain wrench wotsits needed?