Bongo Fury

OK - the mechanic has just told us he is certain that our overheating problem was caused by a worn turbo and not by a head gasket/cylinder head - despite appearances (all the symptoms of cracked cylinder head) . Has this ever happened to anyone else? And are we very lucky in our mechanic? We think we are!

I haven't heard of it before, but hopefully he knows what he's talking about, sounds like he knows his bongos, is he on the recommended list? Glad you got it sorted

Well, my OH has just gone to collect it, and it'a 60 mile drive home. We'll know soon enough! Fingers crossed!

Got my fingers crossed for you curlew.....

, hmmn can someone explain to me how a turbo could make your bongo overheat please, it doesnt make sense, but i hope it solves your problem curlew.

Apparantly the seals were so worn that coolant was leaking into it when he took the engine apart,the turbo was full of water. We're baffled too.


We've done 100 miles this afternoon with the temperature gauge rock solid - so something's fixed somewhere.

curlew wrote:Apparantly the seals were so worn that coolant was leaking into it when he took the engine apart,the turbo was full of water. We're baffled too.


We've done 100 miles this afternoon with the temperature gauge rock solid - so something's fixed somewhere.

great stuff, glad its fixed it maybe this can be incorporated into the overheating fact sheet as a possible cause then.

did your engine overheat then you noticed that the coolant was leaking into the turbo?, or did you just experience loss of coolant?, if it overheated could this have melted the seal somehow?

Story is, in brief. Driving along. Notice temp right up. Stop and call AA. Coolant very low, so AA man tops it up, follows me as I drive a few miles, says it's OK, but to keep an eye on the coolant levels. Drops a bit over the next few days, then 3 days later another massive overheat and coolant loss. Another AA man, who does the sniffer test thing, finds exhaust gasses and diagnoses a probable cylinder head. Relay to the garage - mechanic agrees, but when he's taking the engine apart notices that the turbo is full of water, and the cylinder head looks OK. He replaces the turbo, and the problem appears to be solved. The turbo and the seals were very worn indeed. Mechanic says that he has seen it happen before where coolant but not oil has leaked into the turbo and the symptoms mimic a cracked cylinder head. No one I've mentioned it to has ever heard of it happening before - but it seems to have on this occasion. And if it has, I am very grateful - 300-odd quid instead of 100-odd!

got to admit sounded strange when i read your first post, but i would think it cant be a common fault, but maybe one to remember for future reference.

I really want it to have happened to someone else too - it seems too good to be true, and I would be reassured if it had!

One last desperate bump!

What about asking around on other frums to see if anyone has had it happen on other cars (can't be a Bongo specific problem you'd think)

Makes sense curlew, as both pipes to the radiator drop below the turbo. As coolant leaks into the turbo air bubbles back into the head, air cant bleed out of the head due to the pipework design. Hope your head is fine

Thank you. We've done 300 miles now - and I have ALMOST stopped keeping one and a half eyes on the temperature gauge. Only half an eye now!

Keep going Curlew - good luck