Bongo Fury

Hi everyone

I've just got 'simply the best available' my Bongo out of the garage.
After 3 & 1/2 weeks of head scratching and £1400 lighter my overheating/overspending problem is no better.

The Bongo has been seen by three different mechanics and I have been told that as they can do no more for her and it would probably best if I removed the wee darling off the premises.

After a pressure test my old cylinder head was confirmed cracked, a new cylinder head was purchased from Bridge cylinder head specialists along with new gaskets and bolts, the mechanic said the block was true with no undulations.

The new head was fitted but the overheating symptoms still persisted, the mechanics replaced the thermostat, removed and checked the water pump and replaced the radiator fan sensor. Then they bled and bled the system but with no joy.

The radiator is fairly new (18 months) and when the engine is running the heat is generally even over the radiator and top/bottom hoses.

I have been trying a bleed technique where you run a garden hose into the expansion tank and the bleed hose into a filled container similar to bleeding brakes with the revs at 2000 rpm to make the water pump work but the bubbles just keep coming and coming.

If you top the expansion tank up and rev the engine the water just cascades out the expansion tank.

The oil appears to show oil no sign of mulsifying, there is no white smoke and the performance seems ok but it needs a gallon of water for every three or four miles.

Anyone got any ideas ??? How long should it take to bleed the system???

(I dont want to even think about the block being cracked) Yet!!!

You need to get it to a bongo specialist, the specialist may sound more expensive to start with but their expertise can save on wasted time doing not needed work

put your location in your profile or post it so we can advise,

If everything else is checked then the block is the last chance which would mean a lump from a scrappy which may end up cheaper

you are getting combustion gases into the cooling system....it's down to the garage to fix this.

Thanks for tip Westonwarrior, my location is North Ayrshire in Scotland.

How long have you had it, did you buy it from these guys that cannot fix it and was there a problem to start with, you may have a claim under "goods not fit for the described purpose" after paying all that money they should have fixed it, I would definitely seek legal advice on this.

Best see previous thread on this David


So we need a specialist in North Ayrshire wrong end of the country for me but Im sure a local can help with the info

Previous topic here - http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... =1&t=30403

oh dear poor chap

Have you taken legal advice yet. The behavoiur of the vendor sounds quite unacceptable. They should be ashamed of themselves (if they are reading this and have sold a vehicle they know has serious problems).