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Terrible draught from the centre area near the driver's seat
Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2011 9:16 pm
by Jayster
I have a terrible draft coming from somewhere to the left of me when I drive as my left leg is almost always freezing when I drive. This probably sounds ridiculous but I can't find it at all and have resorted to placing a big coat next to me when I drive, and even then it seems to be cold. Anyone got any ideas?
Thanks, chaps
Jay
Re: Terrible draft from the centre area near the drivers sea
Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2011 9:42 pm
by widdowson2008
Yep. Sounds like the seat clips are either loose or not correctly fastened. Either way it's a 5 minute job and will cost nowt.
gmaczbongo suggested the engine cover - another likely candidate, and the same cost to fix.
Of course, there is the possibility that you have a severe corrosion problem that has created a hole in the bodywork, but I doubt it.
Re: Terrible draft from the centre area near the drivers sea
Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2011 9:43 pm
by gmaczbongo
Have the heater on in the footwells.
Check the engine cover is properly closed and nothing is trapped.
Re: Terrible draft from the centre area near the drivers sea
Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2011 9:58 pm
by stuc
Hi i have a similar problem but only when i put the heater control onto feet and only when warmed up but the heater is blowing warm but there is a cold draft around left knee area?Thought i was just being paranoid as i have only had Bongo about a month.
Re: Terrible draft from the centre area near the drivers sea
Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2011 10:13 pm
by Jayster
Thanks guys. I'll try those suggestions.
Stuc - That's exactly it. And when I put the heater on my lap to warm me up, the windows steam up in no time. This summer really can't come quick enough!!!!
Re: Terrible draft from the centre area near the drivers sea
Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2011 10:16 pm
by PixieAndTheMoon
I would personally light a ciggie and where the smoke blows!
But that is me lol
Jo
Re: Terrible draft from the centre area near the drivers sea
Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2011 10:36 pm
by stuc
let me know if you fix it.It will save me messing about in the cold if someone else can find. the problem.In the meantime i might just light a small fire on the centre console.
Re: Terrible draft from the centre area near the drivers sea
Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2011 11:20 pm
by jaylee
Check & see if the vent assembly is properly seated to the bulkhead.... Under the dash, passenger side,up behind the glove box...
http://www.lushprojects.com/bongopartsm ... mgno=.html
The grill is for the "recirculation" from the cab through the vent system & could let in a draft if the seal not tight???
You never know!

Re: Terrible draft from the centre area near the drivers sea
Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2011 11:37 pm
by Jayster
Thanks, chaps. Mind you, that link is well complicated. My eyes started to go all fuzzy when I looked at it. But thanks for sending it, and I'll ask my girlfriend to feel for a draft behind the glove-box (now now chaps) when we're driving next.
Stuc, as you're not too far from me, and I'm about move closer to where you are (Chester-le-Street), do you have a Bongo friendly mechanic near you that you have used and can recommend. There is one in Cramlington, Northumberland, although I've not used him before.
Re: Terrible draft from the centre area near the drivers sea
Posted: Thu Jan 13, 2011 5:09 am
by Northern Bongolow
my draft has been traced to around the gearlever area, but mines a manual g/box,may be similar.i removed the consol and packed some sound deadening forward of the gear lever and under the dash bin glory hole.
Re: Terrible draft from the centre area near the drivers sea
Posted: Thu Jan 13, 2011 10:35 am
by triathlondave
here's what I found.
got a draft coming around my knee. Heating ok and all clips ok.
Found it was this for me. Front heater on and warm.
Reached back and felt the air in the back of the van and it was freezing.
MY thoughts. warm air in front rises, so air has to come from somewhere and the bongo pulls the cold air from the back. quite a lot of air to heat for one heater.
So just run the back heater and it 's a lot better.
hope it works for you. It's simple and cheap and quick.
david
Re: Terrible draft from the centre area near the drivers sea
Posted: Thu Jan 13, 2011 10:47 am
by jaylee
triathlondave wrote:here's what I found.
got a draft coming around my knee. Heating ok and all clips ok.
Found it was this for me. Front heater on and warm.
Reached back and felt the air in the back of the van and it was freezing.
MY thoughts. warm air in front rises, so air has to come from somewhere and the bongo pulls the cold air from the back. quite a lot of air to heat for one heater.
So just run the back heater and it 's a lot better.
hope it works for you. It's simple and cheap and quick.
david
Just thought i'd add to David's idea... (Hope you don't mind?)

The rear heater assembly don't take air in from the outside, it just recirculates... Part 6126.
http://www.lushprojects.com/bongopartsm ... mgno=.html But does help on the cold days!

Re: Terrible draft from the centre area near the drivers sea
Posted: Thu Jan 13, 2011 11:57 am
by mikeonb4c
triathlondave wrote:here's what I found.
got a draft coming around my knee. Heating ok and all clips ok.
Found it was this for me. Front heater on and warm.
Reached back and felt the air in the back of the van and it was freezing.
MY thoughts. warm air in front rises, so air has to come from somewhere and the bongo pulls the cold air from the back. quite a lot of air to heat for one heater.
So just run the back heater and it 's a lot better.
hope it works for you. It's simple and cheap and quick.
david
I agree. And on the misting front, my Bongo is/was a bit prone. Turning the aircon on can help hugely as it dehumidifies the air. the other thing that improved mine (and got rid of a mildew smell) was dismantling the front heater gubbins (under the bonnet) and carefully picking a load of mildewed gunk out of the heater matrix (slow, fiddly, need to be gentle so you don't damage the easily bent aluminium finning on the heater rad. matrix) so that I regained a healthy through-flow of air, so that now I can blow air much beter over the windscreen.
You might also need to check that the heater control linkages (under the dash near your left foot I think - sorry if jaylee or others have linked to that topic already) haven't come adrift so that air is not being blown onto the windscreen even though you've set the dash control to do that.
Re: Terrible draft from the centre area near the drivers sea
Posted: Thu Jan 13, 2011 4:10 pm
by bongod
I have Jayster's cold leg problem too -
I had noticed previously that the central of the 2 lower seat clips was loose - although it did engage - but couldnt see an obvious way of adjusting it
or do you just need a big hammer

Re: Terrible draft from the centre area near the drivers sea
Posted: Thu Jan 13, 2011 4:23 pm
by teenmal
bongod wrote:I have Jayster's cold leg problem too -
I had noticed previously that the central of the 2 lower seat clips was loose - although it did engage - but couldnt see an obvious way of adjusting it
or do you just need a big hammer

Hi,just bend them a wee bit,you could also try putting the air control to Recycle until the vehicle heats up.
Cheers.