Bongo Fury

After 7,000 dream miles I have had to call the RAC out to take Bongo to garage. On A23 after Bolney 70mph coming up to bend put it in hold for traction (was this a mistake?) and within seconds huge tapping noise increasing in volume until making a noise like a football rattle in my ear very audible above the engine. Pulled over and spent 4 hours waiting for various RAC vans and tow trucks.

Any help before I speak to garage tomorrow would be appreciated. Cheffy mentioned a solenoid on the V6 is that a possibility. Is the hold button a red button or did it stress the engine?

I wouldn't use hold at 70mph but mine's a diesel. Did you notice what the rev counter was showing after you selected hold? - it really does sound as if you have over-revved the engine and done some damage, but hopefully not.

Might something like this cause a tired cambelt to let go and break? Putting HOLD on at 70mph wouldn't be the ideal treatment for the engine, but you'd hope it would tolerate it now and again nonetheless. I guess we'll have to wait for the garage report. Very sorry to hear of your bad luck Glenda. I find the HOLD button is badly placed and I've knocked the car into HOLD more than once accidentally when reaching for something in the centre cubby, but so far without any harm done

Thanks Mike and Franco for replies. On my automatic Honda Accord I shifted from 4 to 3 to push the gear down for steep downhills and ditto for accelaration. It gave 7 years loyal service with only a leaky rad till this year and no problems despite not changing the cam belt for the last 7 years. I thought the hold button was a Bongo way of over riding the automation. Is that so?

Also this weekend we drove 400 miles return up to Norfolk Broads and had a great time and the Bongo showed no problems. I happily boasted to our friends in their rental VW classic retro that they should buy a more reliable, more comfortable and better value van (and still would).

Sunday I was climbing steep hill up to top of South Downs put it in hold and there was no response. Put back in 3 and all was fine. Today drove 100 miles return to Windsor till this footbal racket 15 miles from home.

The belt was fitted 6 months ago.

Hi,
Over revved it.Dropped a valve judging by the sound you described.
Hope i am wrong.Best of luck anyway.

To explain as simply as possible, the HOLD button pushes the gear down one step and holds it there, stopping it from changing. So, if you're in 4th (top) gear and you press the HOLD button, it goes down into 3rd gear and stays there. So, basically, if you're going 70MPH downhill in 4th gear and then press the HOLD button, it'll change into 3rd gear and revv your engine until it's valves pop out and dance around on your bonnet, to quote James May (except they would hop out and ricochet around your cabin instead! ). You must have heard a distinct increase in noise if you were doing 70MPH, no?

I would advise that you stay away from the HOLD button unless you are revving relatively low, to avoid over-revving. Unfortunately, it sounds like it may be a bit too late for you, but I most certainly hope that's not the case!

francophile1947 wrote:I wouldn't use hold at 70mph but mine's a diesel. Did you notice what the rev counter was showing after you selected hold? - it really does sound as if you have over-revved the engine and done some damage, but hopefully not.

Hi glenda the solanoid aint that noisy i use my hold to accelerate up long hills sometimes reaching 60ish sure it only about 4500 revs gonna check, i seem to remember havin mine on hold up holden hill when i first got it on the A38 doin about 70 and then realised mine was still in hold, stll not near xplosion but def needed taking off hold i suspect the v6 revs very diff to the diesal maybe i shouldnt use the hold button to over take slow traffic to work anymore but it doesn't seem to push the engine in my v6er that much, but wether it'll melt the transmission is another matter , plus i haven't used it to drop at 70 but accelerated to 70, the sudden rev chenge could do damage but i no mechanic, besides with the current dick turpen prices at the pumps mine don't get pushed at mo

Thanks Cheffy i'm thinking of pump prices today as well and how that wont be a problem for a week or so and the bicycle gets a bit more use for a while.
I'll pass on all ideas to garage and see what happens.

Glenda wrote:Thanks Cheffy i'm thinking of pump prices today as well and how that wont be a problem for a week or so and the bicycle gets a bit more use for a while.
I'll pass on all ideas to garage and see what happens.

You make a good point Glenda. Its amazing to think what 2 weeks saving on fuel may do towards offsetting some other cost item

I hope the news when it comes through isn't too bad. Fingers crossed.

WOAH.............You're underestimating the Bongo's intelligence folks - the autobox WON'T downshift if the revs are too high, so unless there's a previous fault in the autobox "inhibitor" system then the problem is somewhere else.

Oh! I thought it didn't know that... I was wrong... Teaches you a lesson folks - don't listen to me!

I wouldn't have thought 70 in 3rd should be anywhere near over revving a V6.

On the way to the MOT today I held my diesel in "S" & Hold for a while to blow all the cobwebs out the exhaust and saw 70mph @ 4500rpm - surely a V6, even if it is lower geared, shouldn't over rev in 3rd at the same speed.

dandywarhol wrote:WOAH.............You're underestimating the Bongo's intelligence folks - the autobox WON'T downshift if the revs are too high, so unless there's a previous fault in the autobox "inhibitor" system then the problem is somewhere else.

Excellent post there Dandy. I was thinking that if it did not have this protection then it has a serious design fault as it is very easy to hit the HOLD button accidentally when reaching into the centre console. Such as major cosequence from such a simple error would be very harsh justice

cheffy34 wrote:

francophile1947 wrote:I wouldn't use hold at 70mph but mine's a diesel. Did you notice what the rev counter was showing after you selected hold? - it really does sound as if you have over-revved the engine and done some damage, but hopefully not.

Hi glenda the solanoid aint that noisy i use my hold to accelerate up long hills sometimes reaching 60ish sure it only about 4500 revs gonna check, i seem to remember havin mine on hold up holden hill when i first got it on the A38 doin about 70 and then realised mine was still in hold, stll not near xplosion but def needed taking off hold i suspect the v6 revs very diff to the diesal maybe i shouldnt use the hold button to over take slow traffic to work anymore but it doesn't seem to push the engine in my v6er that much, but wether it'll melt the transmission is another matter , plus i haven't used it to drop at 70 but accelerated to 70, the sudden rev chenge could do damage but i no mechanic, besides with the current dick turpen prices at the pumps mine don't get pushed at mo

Checked mine tonight Yip easy does 70 in hold 4500 revs doesn,t red line till 6500 plenty more in that yet like the news about the intelligent gearbox dandy, i would say begs the question if there was a prev fault,

Hope you get good news glenda, keep me informed im gen interested

Darren

This is great of you all. Revving up like mad and testing the theory. I have used my hold button for occasional hills and encountered no problems till now so it may be coincidental.

I am now waiting for outcome and will let the Forum know as soon as I do. I've decided to relax and think thank **** it didn't happen whilst we were in Morocco.

Thanks everyone for your support and I'll spell quiet right next time.