Bongo Fury

hi, While driving to the kings lynn meet our fan packed(as wellas the exhaust falling off) Anyway . A few of you lovely guys got the diagnosis sorted and I took myself up to steve at outback motors who done a new exhaust and put this new fan regulator thingy in. Anyway the fan has gone again and I can't see how it could be the same part which was supposed to be new. Any ideas very welcome. (Still trying to get a dry day to sort bodywork) Never rains but it pours at the moment.



cheers Anna

If the fan itself is seizing (water buildup in fan motor housing due to blocked windscreen drain is the usual culprit) then it's possible, I think, for the rectifier to burn out. Sounds as if it would be worth checking the fan motor to see if it spins freely. Open up the platic housing under the main ventilation air intake & check if fan blades spin freely as the first step. Next step is to remove the motor & check to see if it looks as if it's been standing in water. Try connecting 12V briefly directly across the motor terminals - if the fan spins ok then the motor should be fine, but if the motor struggles to turn then you may need to clean or replace the bearing.

Rhod

Hi Rhod, Thanks for that very detailed instruction. When it went a couple of months ago One of the lads checked the direct thing and the fan was OK, so we assumed it was the Rectifier(Icouldn't remember the name earlier) and we had a new one put in by outback motors. The guys said it looked like new(the one not working, that is). Anyway it all worked after this was renewed. Water in the housing area I havent checked,but one of the lads cleared some tubes out at stouport Bash to prevent water getting in. There was no sign of the fan struggling when it was found that the rectifier had gone last time nor was there water. I will have the other items checked and thanks a lot.

Cheers Anna

Rhod wrote:If the fan itself is seizing (water buildup in fan motor housing due to blocked windscreen drain is the usual culprit) then it's possible, I think, for the rectifier to burn out. Sounds as if it would be worth checking the fan motor to see if it spins freely. Open up the platic housing under the main ventilation air intake & check if fan blades spin freely as the first step. Next step is to remove the motor & check to see if it looks as if it's been standing in water. Try connecting 12V briefly directly across the motor terminals - if the fan spins ok then the motor should be fine, but if the motor struggles to turn then you may need to clean or replace the bearing.

Rhod

Its worth a reminder, but nearly every time I do a conversion, there is a puddle due to the scuttle pipe being blocked (it must always be raining ). As mentioned, this is the prime cause of fans seizing and hence resistors blowing.
It only takes a few months of muck to block this small pipe, so clean it regularly to avoid problems.

thanks madmile,
I remember this little pipe being cleaned out. It was very wet weather last time this thingy broke, so probably whats causing it.
Is there any other way water can get in there?

cheers Anna

madmile wrote:Its worth a reminder, but nearly every time I do a conversion, there is a puddle due to the scuttle pipe being blocked (it must always be raining ). As mentioned, this is the prime cause of fans seizing and hence resistors blowing.
It only takes a few months of muck to block this small pipe, so clean it regularly to avoid problems.

not so old wrote:thanks madmile,
I remember this little pipe being cleaned out. It was very wet weather last time this thingy broke, so probably whats causing it.
Is there any other way water can get in there?

cheers Anna

madmile wrote:Its worth a reminder, but nearly every time I do a conversion, there is a puddle due to the scuttle pipe being blocked (it must always be raining ). As mentioned, this is the prime cause of fans seizing and hence resistors blowing.
It only takes a few months of muck to block this small pipe, so clean it regularly to avoid problems.

I keep a long open zip tie in my leisure battery tray, very handy for cleaning out the drain tube! The drain tube can block in a matter of weeks, especially if you park under a tree overnight.

Does your fan work on ANY of the 4 speed positions?

Sometimes you may get 1&3 working, or 2&4 working, or none at all.

Hi Bigdaddy,
No it's not working at all, hence no heater either and to add salt to the wound the car has failed the MOT on headlights and driveshaft rubber. I have spent a fortune on this car and thought there was nothing else could go wrong. Love it , but I think I will have to count my losses and let it go. Costing tooooooo much. Thank you so much again for your help.

Kind regards Anna

bigdaddycain wrote:

not so old wrote:thanks madmile,
I remember this little pipe being cleaned out. It was very wet weather last time this thingy broke, so probably whats causing it.
Is there any other way water can get in there?

cheers Anna

madmile wrote:Its worth a reminder, but nearly every time I do a conversion, there is a puddle due to the scuttle pipe being blocked (it must always be raining ). As mentioned, this is the prime cause of fans seizing and hence resistors blowing.
It only takes a few months of muck to block this small pipe, so clean it regularly to avoid problems.

I keep a long open zip tie in my leisure battery tray, very handy for cleaning out the drain tube! The drain tube can block in a matter of weeks, especially if you park under a tree overnight.

Does your fan work on ANY of the 4 speed positions?

Sometimes you may get 1&3 working, or 2&4 working, or none at all.

Sounds a shame to let it go Anna. All cars can produce a run of bad luck, and bearing in mind you'll have to get the MOT things fixed for it to be sellabel, that returns us to the heater motor problem, which maybe we can get sorted for you.

If it isn't rude to ask, what other things have you had to spend £s getting fixed - this might give us a clue as to whether you are over the worst or not, as Bongos are overall pretty solid vehicles.

Good luck whatever you decide but thought it worth raising these points.

Mike

Hi Mike,
It's very sweet of you to be concerned and we do like the car. It goes great(driving wise) but the expense goes on and on and would you believe it, someone has bent my new aerial while in tesco.I am absolutely steaming about it.
Expense-If I can remember it all. Had some link things done, oil change and all filters, some belts of some sort fitted(I bought one which was,nt needed and its still in car) towbar fitted with electrics, the speedo face, radiowave thing, Anti Roll links ,brushes and brackets, the fan regulator thing fitted, all filters changed, new exhaust, new reversing mirror, long rails for seats(which have'nt arrived yet) and now I have ordered headlights and that Rubber thing to be fitted for Mot. electric Window motor, Wipers, New aerial(to get again,now)All the stuff to treat the rust spots £84 which I haven,t started due to weather. Whole car checked underneath and OK. New Storage pocket things for door tinted windows and lots more I can't remember. A great pile of receipts and I've given up And all the labour costs. The first problem was the squealing roof, which thanks to you guys was easily fixed and it's gone on and on since. Sorry if I sound a bit Irate. It is such a worry wondering What next! that I'm scared to go out.

regards Anna

mikeonb4c wrote:Sounds a shame to let it go Anna. All cars can produce a run of bad luck, and bearing in mind you'll have to get the MOT things fixed for it to be sellabel, that returns us to the heater motor problem, which maybe we can get sorted for you.

If it isn't rude to ask, what other things have you had to spend £s getting fixed - this might give us a clue as to whether you are over the worst or not, as Bongos are overall pretty solid vehicles.

Good luck whatever you decide but thought it worth raising these points.

Mike

not so old wrote: I have spent a fortune on this car and thought there was nothing else could go wrong. Love it , but I think I will have to count my losses and let it go. Costing tooooooo much.

Nooooo - don't sell the van at this point. You seem to have got all the big bits sorted now, so hopefully you're over the worst. Put your location in your profile & I'm sure someone will offer to have a look at it for you.

hi simon,
Thanks for your kind comments and advice. we are very confused right now, as to what to do. We really really like the bongo, but we will see how we feel after the MOT pass and had time to think of what you said"the worst is over", but will this resister thing keep packing up? If so it would drive me potty. Only had the car since April, so monthly cost has been high so far. Thanks again and I will let you know what we decide.

Cheers Anna

With most of the common problems there's a series of events that lead to the failure. Typically:

1) Drain pipe from the channel below windscreen gets blocked
2) Water overflows & goes into the fan
3) The bearing starts to seize up
4) The increased load from the motor causes the resistor pack to heat up & the soldered connections melt & fail

Mainly people will replace the resistor pack as this is the symptom, but they do not address the cause. Within a short period of use it has failed again.

Fixing item 1) is easy, but needs to be checked regularly
Fixing item 3) can be done by striping the motor & lubricating it. If it has totally siezed, then it is probably beyond repair
Fixing item 4) can be done on most cases with a regular soldering iron

Whereabouts are you located? If you are anywhere near me (Wiltshire / Hampshire), then I'd be happy to take a look to see what we can do. If you're not local, there is bound to be someone in your area who can assist.

Very interesting Anna (and I agree with Simon).

Analysing what you've had to spend:-

* Some were improvements so put those to one side.
* Some were servicing, so put those to one side.
* Drop links etc. commonly need replacing on Bongos (and many other cars) so normal wear and tear
* Wiper motor etc. - a bit of wear and tear / bad luck that struck your car but similar probs are striking cars everywhere (especially older ones)
* Heater motor resistor / fan - well known Bongo problem with good advice on how to fix.

My thoughts are:

* Bongos (and other cars) are MUCH cheaper to run if you can do a bit of your own servicing and repairs. Without that you are at the mercy of garage charges. Unlike a lot of modern cars, Bongos are relatively user serviceable esp. in many areas where they are known to need attention

* Bongos (esp. lifting roof ones) have some complex engineering in them. If one of this items goes wrong, anxiety levels rise quickly at £ outlay prospect. On the other hand, the Bongo is unique in its usefulness, functionality, driving experience etc. - I remind myself of this any time I have an urge to 'chicken out' of Bongo ownership

* All car ownership these days is scary, in fiscal terms. Bongos seem to be depreciating less than many cars, and cost to purchase one is very low indeed for what you are getting. It has to be expected that some of that advantage may have to be given up in maintenance and repair

* If you sell, you will probably take a financial hit esp. in the current climate.

* Bottom line is, can you afford to run the Bongo, both in fuel and maintenance terms. Is the worry of it destroying the dream

* I find it helps to think of my Bongo as a pet. I'm devoted to it so that whilst the potential for big bills is an everpresent worry, it means so much to me compared to just an ordinary car that I accept the possibility and resign myself to it. Having said that, I do have a reserve fund (from my initial budget) with which to tackle a major problem should it arise.

I hope the above may help you decide which way to go. Tough one, but for what it's worth, I think you may (almost) be over the worst. One thing to ask - whats this about rust? This will both have a bearing on long term ownership and on sales price.

Good luck whatever

Hi Simon , Unfortunately, I am not near you, but the offer was really appreciated. I have arranged for it to be checked out tomorrow, so hopefully it will get sorted. I have noted all that you have said and will hang on a little longer, before a final decision. the daft thing is that i hated the idea of a Bongo(Please don't take offence) but, have become very very fond of it.( love it really) it's so comfy,adaptable and plenty of room for my pooch. I like the look too! I thought of trading her in for a newer tintop,but I would soon have the same problems.
Thankyou for your advice. It is really appreciated and I'll let you know the outcome.


Cheers Anna

Simon Jones wrote:With most of the common problems there's a series of events that lead to the failure. Typically:

1) Drain pipe from the channel below windscreen gets blocked
2) Water overflows & goes into the fan
3) The bearing starts to seize up
4) The increased load from the motor causes the resistor pack to heat up & the soldered connections melt & fail

Mainly people will replace the resistor pack as this is the symptom, but they do not address the cause. Within a short period of use it has failed again.

Fixing item 1) is easy, but needs to be checked regularly
Fixing item 3) can be done by striping the motor & lubricating it. If it has totally siezed, then it is probably beyond repair
Fixing item 4) can be done on most cases with a regular soldering iron

Whereabouts are you located? If you are anywhere near me (Wiltshire / Hampshire), then I'd be happy to take a look to see what we can do. If you're not local, there is bound to be someone in your area who can assist.

Hi mike,
that sure gave me a lot to think about. Its a matter of weighing it all up really. We are not mechanically minded at all. Every part of the car, except for the obvious is called "A thingy"
therefore as you said, the bongo is more for someone with a knowledge of cars and their workings, but it is a shame for those of us who also like the bongo, but do not possess the necessary skills to do the constant repairs required and therefore bear hefty labour bills.
It is booked in to have the motor and resistor area checked tomorrow and dependant on the outcome, we will have to decide the next move. Thankyou for all your help and advice. I am very grateful to you guys. I will miss you all as well as the car, if it has to go.


cheers Anna

mikeonb4c wrote:Very interesting Anna (and I agree with Simon).

Analysing what you've had to spend:-

* Some were improvements so put those to one side.
* Some were servicing, so put those to one side.
* Drop links etc. commonly need replacing on Bongos (and many other cars) so normal wear and tear
* Wiper motor etc. - a bit of wear and tear / bad luck that struck your car but similar probs are striking cars everywhere (especially older ones)
* Heater motor resistor / fan - well known Bongo problem with good advice on how to fix.

My thoughts are:

* Bongos (and other cars) are MUCH cheaper to run if you can do a bit of your own servicing and repairs. Without that you are at the mercy of garage charges. Unlike a lot of modern cars, Bongos are relatively user serviceable esp. in many areas where they are known to need attention

* Bongos (esp. lifting roof ones) have some complex engineering in them. If one of this items goes wrong, anxiety levels rise quickly at £ outlay prospect. On the other hand, the Bongo is unique in its usefulness, functionality, driving experience etc. - I remind myself of this any time I have an urge to 'chicken out' of Bongo ownership

* All car ownership these days is scary, in fiscal terms. Bongos seem to be depreciating less than many cars, and cost to purchase one is very low indeed for what you are getting. It has to be expected that some of that advantage may have to be given up in maintenance and repair

* If you sell, you will probably take a financial hit esp. in the current climate.

* Bottom line is, can you afford to run the Bongo, both in fuel and maintenance terms. Is the worry of it destroying the dream

* I find it helps to think of my Bongo as a pet. I'm devoted to it so that whilst the potential for big bills is an everpresent worry, it means so much to me compared to just an ordinary car that I accept the possibility and resign myself to it. Having said that, I do have a reserve fund (from my initial budget) with which to tackle a major problem should it arise.

I hope the above may help you decide which way to go. Tough one, but for what it's worth, I think you may (almost) be over the worst. One thing to ask - whats this about rust? This will both have a bearing on long term ownership and on sales price.

Good luck whatever