Bongo Fury

Last week I was driving the bongo when a pipe from the water pump started to steam, so hubby replaced the pipe. He also noticed that the head was leaking a bit of oil, he took it off and had it skimmed and replaced it along with a new head gasket. Everything went back together and engine was running sound. Then he flushed the engine and radiatatar's and beld the system everything seemd fine so he emptied the water out to put in the 50/50 coolent mix. When he emptied the water out to put in the collent the scavenger/main engine fan stopped working (he noticed the coil warning light flashing rapidly before the fan stopped working) also at the same time the internal heating stopped to work. At the same time the fans stopped working the bottom pipe coming from the radiatar became cold. Water seems to be circulating around the radiatar and the water inside seems clear. The radiatar fans kick in as soon as the top pipe from the radiatar gets hot and they do not stop. He changed the thermostat 3 times and the car rermains the same (he watched the stat open in boiling water). We tried removing the thermostatic switch and the radiatar fans and as soon as you put the ignition on the radiatar fans kick in even when the upper radiatar pipe is not yet hot. Do you have any ideas what could be causing this and what our next step should be?
Thanks Rach

Hi Rach

that's quite a lot to take in there but I think you are saying your problems are:

1. The scavenger fan isn't coming on and hence the coil warning light is glowing
2. Internal heating isn't working
3. The bottom pipe is cold when engine is hot
4. The thermostatic switch isn't controlling the radiator fans properly

To answer each I would say that:

1. have you reconnected the coolant temperature sensor? See other thread on this forum for similar symptoms described
2. Probably caused by an airlock
3. The bottom pipe only ever gets warm not hot. An airlock could also account for it appearing cold.
4. Could be a faulty thermostatic switch

A lot appears to have gone wrong at once but I think the main issue here is that the coolant hasn't been added correctly during the last change over. Your hubby sounds like he knows what he's doing, just one of those things. Bongos can be a real swine for introducing air into the coolant. If not already aware of it take a look at the Mazda recommended filling procedure and/or do a search on this forum for member derived variations on refilling. Chase out the airlock and check out the sensor and switch and you should have cracked it.

I've deliberately not replied to your pm. Appreciate your panic but always better to go open forum with a problem like this. A problem shared and all that. I'm sure others will offer more helpful advice when they come on.

Good luck.

The radiator fans will come automatically when you unplug the sensor.....

http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... or#p189451

The scavinger fan only comes on when needed, the sensor is found behind the handbrake......

http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... or#p212281


No hot air from heater, first thing I would check, would be the cable that controls the flap, it's somewhere down by the drivers left foot, and is easily knocked off. One other reason for no heat could be an air lock in the heater matrix?

If your got plenty of time to spare check out these threads......
http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... mit=Search

Best of luck.

Hi folks,

Thanks

Hubby has informed me that he reverse filled the water system, then bled it the usual way, we now have hot pipes and water circulating all around. Heating inside is still not working neither is the scavenger fan, will try to source a new thermostatic switch as well as reading the threads you kindly suggested.

Thanks for all of the advice.

Me again,

not good again the pressure is building up as soon as you bung the end of the bleed pipe you can hear the water bubbling up and the pipes expend to near bursting. Not sure how to bleed the air out of the system this time as we have tried everything we know.

What do you mean "bled it the usual way" do you mean usual for the average car or uasual for a Bongo?
There is a big differance. Also ..you MUST get the bottom hose HOT when bleeding.

ive seen Wheelquick garage do the bleed system ,not sure which way you are doing it but this seems to work.
obviously they first fill the system with water ,then when happy all or most of the air is out they start the engine, turn on all the blowers on, the air con on hot , back and front to full blast, and keep an eye on the level of water in the expansion tank ,topping up as needed, when they are satisfied the water is getting warm and the thermostat is working .they stop the engine .then slowly start to drain the water off through the bleed pipe, whilst someone else fills the expansion tank up with neat coolant, keeping it topped up so no more air can get in. when the coolant starts to appear from the bleed hose, clamp and put the bung back in.
then they restart the engine and let it get hot ,keeping an eye on the coolant tank topping up with coolant as needed.
this works , ive seen it done quite a few times after they change all the hoses. dont know why they turn on all the heaters to hot or full blast but thats what they do. they then tell everyone who has this done to check the levels after a short drive , and check the next morning before they start the engine, topping up with coolant as needed.