Bongo Fury

Most of the info that I can find is on overheating, but mine is the opposite in that it runs to cold.
Have had the thermostat changed as it never seemed to move on the temperature guage, but does go up if left idling. Mechanic suggest blocking off part of rad. In the bok there is supposed to be a lever under the bonnet for cold or normal climate, but have yet to locate it to see if this would make any difference

Has the correct thermostat been fitted or even has the stat been left out for some reason.???

Hi,what model of vehicle do you have..and do you still have the standard gauge..

lucky you, i could fry satans B***S on mine!

Brian Austin wrote:Most of the info that I can find is on overheating, but mine is the opposite in that it runs to cold.
Have had the thermostat changed as it never seemed to move on the temperature guage, but does go up if left idling. Mechanic suggest blocking off part of rad. In the bok there is supposed to be a lever under the bonnet for cold or normal climate, but have yet to locate it to see if this would make any difference

Welcome Brian Austin. Are the heaters blowing nice and hot?

Cold or normal climate lever only regulates the temp of the AIR into the vehicle - not all have it.

Brian Austin wrote:Most of the info that I can find is on overheating, but mine is the opposite in that it runs to cold.
Have had the thermostat changed as it never seemed to move on the temperature guage, but does go up if left idling. Mechanic suggest blocking off part of rad. In the bok there is supposed to be a lever under the bonnet for cold or normal climate, but have yet to locate it to see if this would make any difference

This sounds exactly like mine when the thermostat was not fitted. Mechanics suggestion is OK for short trips in the winter. The lever will have minimal effect.

agree it seems either stat is missing, had middle cut out or stuck open
Julian

Brian Austin wrote:Most of the info that I can find is on overheating, but mine is the opposite in that it runs to cold.
Have had the thermostat changed as it never seemed to move on the temperature guage, but does go up if left idling. Mechanic suggest blocking off part of rad. In the bok there is supposed to be a lever under the bonnet for cold or normal climate, but have yet to locate it to see if this would make any difference

The guys who seviced & changed the cam belt are ones I trust & he did fit a new thermostat. He said it is a Ford Ranger engine,2.5 diesel.Can you fit a hotter stat. Just seems strange when everyone seems to complain of over heating. The heater does not get that warm either, but have been told, that is common to diesels. My old Nissan Primera, would be as warm as toast in about 10 minutes with the climate control that had
The temperature was just under half way up the guage, when I picked up where it had been idling, but as soon as I drove off, it started to drop, to register off the bottom of the guage. Thought the sender unit was not working initially but this is not the case.
I had a Toyota Carina of 91 vintage which did the same

321Away wrote:agree it seems either stat is missing, had middle cut out or stuck open
Julian

I agree - you seem to have the classic symptoms of one of the above. And yet the mechanic says he changed the stat. Maybe ask him directly if he put a new, correct type for Bongo, unmodified thermostat in when he did the change.

PS - on a healthy Bongo, the heaters are plenty hot and effective

Something is defo not right....Mine is a decent Bongo with a good cooling system and nothing modified...My heaters are up to "nice" and hot within 5 mins. The gauge goes up to normal and sits there all day. The gauge reaches the normal 11o'clock position at about 55 degrees. If yours is dropping back to cold when driving then that is much too cold....I would be happy to lend you a digital temp gauge so you can check your actual running temps....this may prove that your gauge or sender unit is faulty.
Let me know if I can help.

Off to a garage tomorrow that cannot bleed a bongo....they seem to be doing all the right things but it will not bleed.

The top hose just about gets hot after 15 mins (mine gets hot in 5)
Rad and bottom hose stone cold
Front heater blowing cold...(rear bypassed.)
New head just fitted by this garage last week.
New stat fitted.
Temp gauge goes to hot after about 20 mins (bottom hose still cold)
They have tried jacking the front up and they are bleeding according to all our methods...
when the Gauge sensor is unscrewed air hisses out....
No coolant leaks...pressure tested.

Any thoughts please ??

I did'nt know squat about the system but im learning it inside out now after 3 attemps to get her bled up properly. i'm having trouble getting the last burp of air out. But, i'm getting loads of help and advice from 2 or 3 really fantastic people on here and am working through it. But im sure the temp sensor should have water around it and not air so an airlock is there somewhere up the top of the head. Maybe the same as i have and just a bugger to shift that last bit. Im sure the guys that are helping me will be along shortly and get you sorted. The last big burp when the recirc kicks in is Vital to getting all the air out. Without that there is some air still in her.
Hope that makes sense. But in sure with your experiance you know this already. just passing on what i have learned.

Thanks...I have done about 30 different Bongos with no problems.....I will let you know how this "problem" one goes on Thursday.

please do, i'll be doing mine then may well have the same issue

just thinking out loud here,and please correct me if im wrong. If you take the sensor out and there is air could you top up the header tank and pressurise the system and see it the coolant pushes up to the sensor hole and gets rid of the air you could then replace and do a bleed in the usual way, may get rid of the bugger at the start
Any thoughts?