V6 Overheating problems . . again . .!

[casrockbongo]

Hi all
For any of you fortunate enough to read my previous posts you will know we have had our fair share of hard work with our V6.

We have had a ESTC Haydn alarm fitted for peace of mind following an expensive replacement of heads job.

Anyway the engine is still running too hot. Our garage have fully tested the coolant system and are satisified that all is working as it should be (considering we have had new pipes, new rad, new front heater matrix and new water pump . .I am glad to hear it! ) But still after 40 - 60 mins on the motorway, the temp guage moves up to 12 - 12.30 and only comes down to 11 when the heaters are on full blast.

So what is causing this? Well the garage think that the timing is out, prob since we had the heads done in Jan, and this is causing the rough sounding engine and the hotness . .

Any of you expert Bongo guys and gals out there have a view on this? If not the timing, then what else??

Answers on the back of a postcard!

[Northern Bongolow]

try this its a cheap fix if it works!!
remove your thermostate from the housing, look up inside the housing towards the engine,you will see a circle/port, using emery cloth make sure its really clean!!! this is the top seal on the stat that shuts the flow from the head and diverts full flow into the engine to maximize cooling,refit new gen stat and bleed.
this may not be the answer,but it worked on one i did and costs little.
good luck

[haydn callow]

What is your ESTC telling you....If you set the dial to the midway point....that will alarm at approx 100C....is it doing this at normal driving ??? dial all the way round is 120C ?? what position does yours alarm at ??

Just edited this as I think you ESTC is one of our early ones

[missfixit70]

try this its a cheap fix if it works!!
remove your thermostate from the housing, look up inside the housing towards the engine,you will see a circle/port, using emery cloth make sure its really clean!!! this is the top seal on the stat that shuts the flow from the head and diverts full flow into the engine to maximize cooling,refit new gen stat and bleed.
this may not be the answer,but it worked on one i did and costs little.
good luck

Not sure if the V6 works in the same way with the recirc or not, be worth knowing.
Looks like it's similar in that it's got a recirc/bypass, but a slightly different set up http://www.lushprojects.com/bongopartsm ... o=.html#17
From what I can see of it, it looks like it's relying on that top disc seal in the stat, the same as the diesel, to divert full flow to the rad, so it may well be worth checking.

[rita]

Hi all
For any of you fortunate enough to read my previous posts you will know we have had our fair share of hard work with our V6.

We have had a ESTC Haydn alarm fitted for peace of mind following an expensive replacement of heads job.

Anyway the engine is still running too hot. Our garage have fully tested the coolant system and are satisified that all is working as it should be (considering we have had new pipes, new rad, new front heater matrix and new water pump . .I am glad to hear it! ) But still after 40 - 60 mins on the motorway, the temp guage moves up to 12 - 12.30 and only comes down to 11 when the heaters are on full blast.

So what is causing this? Well the garage think that the timing is out, prob since we had the heads done in Jan, and this is causing the rough sounding engine and the hotness . .

Any of you expert Bongo guys and gals out there have a view on this? If not the timing, then what else??

Answers on the back of a postcard!

Hi,it sounds like your garage could be correct.If the ignition timing is too far retarded this could cause it to overheat.
It will also run like a donkey.Best to get your ign and valve timing checked,you could end up burning your exhaust valves.

[apole]

Hi there,

Is there a garage round your parts that has a compatible diagnostics computer? On my V6 I've had the computer hooked up and one of the options was to display coolant temperature. This may give you a better understanding of how hot the coolant really is. It could just be that your gauge/sender unit is faulty so if you can it's worth ruling that out.

How does the car run btw, could be ignition timing is out or a duff sensor getting the car to run too hot could be the cause but I would have thought in this cooler weather a good cooling system would still be able to cope?

Andy

[casrockbongo]

thanks for your replies.
The estc is running at above the midway point . . Around 1 or 2 o clock . . . Engine not actually overheating but we are driving around 60 mph and have heaters on full! It's bloody hot in the cab! We just drove about 100 miles up the motorway and the temp gauge was fine . . But like i said heaters on full . . Lots of air flow thru rad.

I think it does drive like a donkey but ignitition is fine . . But sounds tickedy . . Made up word but one that the garage uses and it does describe it. . . I listened to a not knackered v6 on friday and u could really hear the difference!

Interestingly the initial thermostat had holes drilled in it . . . That kept the temp down . . New stat showed up this problem . .

Going back to the garage next week and will let u know what happens . . .

[haydn callow]

Just read your first post.....just typed a load of rubbish

[haydn callow]

Did you buy it from a dealer.......if the stat had holes in it (when sold )then you could expect them to help out a bit.

[apole]

Hi there,

First thing, use a genuine thermostat for a V6. A while back I had mine replaced and the one I was sent wasn't original. Fred at discount fitted it but wasn't at all happy with the way the car bled afterwards or the way the temp went up so we abandoned it. I then bought one from the bongo shop on here and that was a different kettle of fish entirely. It looked much better quality but it had a hole in it with a loose metal pin in it (just like the one that it replaced). From my experience, only use a genuine mazda stat, it seems to me you have the wrong stat in there and that won't help at all. For under £30 get a part that is known to work. The other parts will fit but they don't work as well.

Next on the ticking side, that is hard to know without being there but some thoughts:
You could have the HT leads mixed up, one of the guys on here found that so it's not unheard of and that will affect alot of things.
You could have a dodgy HT lead or cap, there is a little carbon finger in the top of the disty cap that does wear away with time. I've had this as have others on here.

As the engine has been apart now previously, there is the possibility the ignition timing is out as well.

Personally I think the time is now due to go somewhere that has a proven history with bongo's and the V6. Give discount trucks a ring. Fred knows the cars very well and has done work on mine. He also has my old disty cap and HT leads so that can be used quickly to find out if there is a problem with yours. I'd order up a proper thermostat from the bongo shop in advance. Get a 2nd opinion now but I'd not be driving the car anymore until you are happy it's properly sorted.

Hope this helps and sorry you are having so many problems.

Andy

[casrockbongo]

Hmmm thanks Andy lots of food for thought there.
Have spoken to Discount trucks and Paul and LPG imports and both have given me their time and excellent advice. However both think that I should be trying to get the garage to do the work and get it right as it had been paid for. (In fact 2 garages have worked on it and only one is a Bongo garage) The non Bongo garage has now said they will pay for the timing to be looked at by the Bongo garage and hopefully this will get it right. If not then I am going to Newbury to see Fred!

The stat fitted was a blueprint one, so not the stat you are talking about Andy . . so I will order a new one from the Bongo shop in order and get that swapped when the garage look at the timing.

I have just had the distibutor cap, rotor arm and HT leads replaced, so maybe that is something else that needs checking!

Thanks for the advice! I'll let you know how I get on!

[casrockbongo]

Update:
Have replaced the stat and gasket with the genuine V6 one sold here in the Bongo shop. Have run it this morning for about an hour in good driving conditions - i.e. open road averaging about 60 mph, without the heaters on.

This is what I noted: The temp gauge moves much more quickly - after a couple of minutes it started moving, reached 11 o clock and stayed there for the journey. The gauge did not rise after the hours drive (which it was doing).

The engine temp alarm went off after about 25 mins indicating the engine had reached 100 degrees (I think). From guestimating with the engine alarm, I would think that the engine was running at about 100 - 110 degrees, with 100 being whilst moving and getting hotter when waiting at lights etc. So I would say that on the whole the engine is running cooler with the geniune stat.

So there we have it. Taking it to London and back tomorrow, so that will be a better test I guess. Getting the timing looked at next week so we'll see if that helps too.

[mikeonb4c]

Update:
Have replaced the stat and gasket with the genuine V6 one sold here in the Bongo shop. Have run it this morning for about an hour in good driving conditions - i.e. open road averaging about 60 mph, without the heaters on.

This is what I noted: The temp gauge moves much more quickly - after a couple of minutes it started moving, reached 11 o clock and stayed there for the journey. The gauge did not rise after the hours drive (which it was doing).

The engine temp alarm went off after about 25 mins indicating the engine had reached 100 degrees (I think). From guestimating with the engine alarm, I would think that the engine was running at about 100 - 110 degrees, with 100 being whilst moving and getting hotter when waiting at lights etc. So I would say that on the whole the engine is running cooler with the geniune stat.

So there we have it. Taking it to London and back tomorrow, so that will be a better test I guess. Getting the timing looked at next week so we'll see if that helps too.

Hope all goes OK - keep us posted

[casrockbongo]

Well . . I can't believe I am about to type this . . but it seems like the simple task of replacing the stat with a geniune mazda stat has sorted the flucutating temp gauge problem we had.

Took the Bongo to London and back yesterday and the temp remained consistent the whole way there and back without the heaters on etc.

Still going to get the timing looked at as it still sounds tickedey . . and still running hotter than a usual V6 . . but fingers crossed we're getting there at least!

[missfixit70]

Fingers crossed for you Seems the stat on the V6 is just as critical as on the diesel