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Cooling conundrum
Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2011 4:25 pm
by mayk19
Wow what a hot weekend.... to be in our Bongo !
Can anyone help settle my worries regarding my Bongo's potential overheating problem.
I have a Mason Alarm fitted (if thats the one that makes temp gauge more accurate). Last September replaced water pump, radiator, thermostat.
Normally the Bongo is fine.. Running on the flat, sitting in traffic, the temp holds at 12 oclock or 1 oclock position. But, when I climb a steep hill. e.g. Winnats pass OR Matlock up to Middleton top, the temp rushes sky high, temp alarm beeps but not low water alarm. The temp only appears to fall back down when I get back up to a decent speed 40 to 50mph as though I need to get air over the engine.
Does it sound like scavanger fan isnt operating correctly ? If I do a fair drive, then stop with ignition on the scavanger does come on while sat stationery, but to be honest, I think it only does that if I switch the engine off, then put the ignition back on without starting the engine.
Re: Cooling conundrum
Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2011 4:49 pm
by haydn callow
Sounds o.k. to me.......
You "could" fit a suplementry digital temp gauge if you are worried but I really think things are o.k. as they are.
Re: Cooling conundrum
Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2011 4:52 pm
by mayk19
so stop worrying then shouldnt I Haydn
Cheers.
Anyone think its worth fitting scavanager fan over ride to drop the temp when running up hill like that ?
Re: Cooling conundrum
Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2011 4:55 pm
by mikeonb4c
mayk19 wrote:Wow what a hot weekend.... to be in our Bongo !
Can anyone help settle my worries regarding my Bongo's potential overheating problem.
I have a Mason Alarm fitted (if thats the one that makes temp gauge more accurate). Last September replaced water pump, radiator, thermostat.
Normally the Bongo is fine.. Running on the flat, sitting in traffic, the temp holds at 12 oclock or 1 oclock position. But, when I climb a steep hill. e.g. Winnats pass OR Matlock up to Middleton top, the temp rushes sky high, temp alarm beeps but not low water alarm. The temp only appears to fall back down when I get back up to a decent speed 40 to 50mph as though I need to get air over the engine.
Does it sound like scavanger fan isnt operating correctly ? If I do a fair drive, then stop with ignition on the scavanger does come on while sat stationery, but to be honest, I think it only does that if I switch the engine off, then put the ignition back on without starting the engine.
Not so much the scavenger fan (which is there really to cool the engine bay rather than the engine block per se), but are you confident the rad. fans are coming on? I'm guessing, but perhaps next time the temp rises like that, you should stop and listen at once for sound of rad. fan(s there are two, and they come in one after the other I believe, as temp rises) working. I've fitted an over-ride switch to my scavenger fan, which works great and has caused no problems (despite some having concerns). I see no reason why you should not consider a similar mod. to the rad. fans if you feel so inclined. But a components check/replacement should be the 1st response if they are not coming on.
Re: Cooling conundrum
Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2011 7:26 pm
by dobby
mayk19 wrote:Wow what a hot weekend.... to be in our Bongo !
Can anyone help settle my worries regarding my Bongo's potential overheating problem.
I have a Mason Alarm fitted (if thats the one that makes temp gauge more accurate). Last September replaced water pump, radiator, thermostat.
Normally the Bongo is fine.. Running on the flat, sitting in traffic, the temp holds at 12 oclock or 1 oclock position set to 4.5. But, when I climb a steep hill. e.g. Winnats pass OR Matlock up to Middleton top, the temp rushes sky high, temp alarm beeps but not low water alarm. The temp only appears to fall back down when I get back up to a decent speed 40 to 50mph as though I need to get air over the engine.
Does it sound like scavanger fan isnt operating correctly ? If I do a fair drive, then stop with ignition on the scavanger does come on while sat stationery, but to be honest, I think it only does that if I switch the engine off, then put the ignition back on without starting the engine.
Sounds like mine (new head though plus everything else). Mason is 12 or 1pm unless on a big long hill (Devon coast villages or over the hills to Wales) doesn't happen often though. TM2 Alarm is set at 96 so will sound occasionally.
Re: Cooling conundrum
Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2011 8:18 pm
by triathlondave
My mason chirps when I get to the top of Middleton top. set at 4.5. soon settles as long as I keep going. if I park up at the top in the car parks not happy and mutters for a good few mins.
that's 30mph to 40 mph up the hill. about 2500 rev's.
david.
Re: Cooling conundrum
Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2011 8:22 pm
by mikexgough
Mason usually reads.....12- then 12:30 in heavy traffic.... rises to 1pm on Telegraph hill, Exeter, 1:30 Hardknott Pass (in the Lakes)then fans kick in...running a Tama made 'Stat, Car Plan Premium red Coolant, new O.E spec Rad 2009, new fan sensor 2010 (old unknown so I changed it for peace of mind
)
Obviously the above readings are slightly lower when Aircon is deployed due to fans running full time
Re: Cooling conundrum
Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2011 9:36 pm
by mayk19
Interesting..... Rad fans is a good point... I've not heard them, but I guess you wouldn't inside the cab. Will take a spin and stop next time at top of Winnats pass.
Dave, Sounds about same as my Bongo then up there (couple of times over weekend) 2500 - 30 to 40mph.. First time heading up to campsite fully loaded - and its converted - full tank of fuel and a full tank of water... so surprised if he didn't complain a little
Re: Cooling conundrum
Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2011 12:38 am
by widdowson2008
Checked mine and rad fans come on at 96C at low (fan) speed.
They will go to high speed if the engine bay sensor gets above a figur somewhere around 113C
They are initiated by the sensor (rear of engine on drivers side) and controlled by the ECU.
Mike
The two fans have low and high speeds but DO come on together as a pair, not one after the other.
Re: Cooling conundrum
Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2011 10:56 am
by mikeonb4c
widdowson2008 wrote:
Mike
The two fans have low and high speeds but DO come on together as a pair, not one after the other.
Thanks Steve - that makes good sense. I suspect someone put that (duff) information on here a while back (as can happen on BF
) and it stuck in my head.
Re: Cooling conundrum
Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2011 12:50 pm
by mikexgough
I know of an owner "down under" that has fitted a warning device in the radiator fan circuit to indicate when they are running....low speed and high speed,the only problem so far is the device also warns when the A/C is running too.. where it is tapped into........okay if you have a warning lamp/led etc but to activate with the A/C it would be tiresome if you should fit a buzzer or beep of some sort unless it was momentary or had a cancel switch