recent coolant service

[triathlondave]

Hi All.

For all those that like to look at the coolent system. Pulling it to bits and generally have a poke around.

I have a radiator you might be interested in. (possibly pump and stat available)

Been over to France and Spain April / May. Bongo was great. over 1500 miles and many happy days.

However, when I got to the alp's, bongo not happy, got quite hot.

No overheating
No head gone it's fine. (please don't make this a head topic it's fine,)
had a slight problem, serviced the van, fitted new parts and it's as good as new.

Just running very warm, got the madason alarm fitted. Have it set at 4.5 and in England and Wales, probably goes off once in a while, big hills. Or stuck in traffic. Normally runs just past 12 o'clock, just off the picture, rising slightly on big hills.

But in the alps Running much higher than usual, 1 0'clock on the flat and higher on the hills.

Temp gauge running well past 12 o'clock much higher than usual. On hills heading for the red. Mason alarm on every hill and every time the van slowed down for the toll's, boy if you think fuel is expensive, nothing compared to toll roads.

Used the A/C and the rear heater to bring the temp back into the normal range.

Hottest it got was just below the red for about 5 mins, OOoooh
But even on Motorway's kept running hot. But we don't have hills like they do on the motorway.

So when I got back had the following done at Hillside Derby (bongo savy garage )

New radiator (mazda part)
New thermastat (mazda part)
New belts
New pump (BGA) recomended by Hillside, they fitted dozens of them.
5 year coolent

Bank balance reduced by the same amount.

Any way the bongo is fine now, temp gauge is back down, running below 12, o'clock, certainly seem's to be much better.

Just thought given the above and the changes, one or two of you might like to get your hand and cutting tools on a radiator to see what has been going on. (the other stuff seem's to be fine, Thermastat was a Bongo fury shop one fitted 18 months ago) Was planning to keep them as spares as it was the garages opinion that the rad was the problem. Just for information they did the bleed back in January this year. And as I say they are bongo savy and have bleed dozen and dozen's of bongo's.

Get in touch if you want it, and will sort something out.

David.

[tomsk]

Hi David

I wizz around Europe every year, and Bongo always gets hot on the mountain passes and steep hills.
I found using the gears has reduced this a somewhat, rather than just leaving it in drive all the time? (2.5td)

Just my experience.

Tom

[daveblueozzie]

I suppose the lack of oxygen as you get higher and higher into the mountains and hills will make the engine get hotter, as there is not as much air flowing around the radiators.
Or i might just be talking twaddle.

[jaylee]

Switzerland, altitude driving...! http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... nture+peep



Since got me one of these... To take the guess work out of the paranoia....




Nice one on the rad donation for the interest of science David!!

[widdowson2008]

.........
I have a radiator you might be interested in. (possibly pump and stat available) .........
Get in touch if you want it, and will sort something out......David.

Hi David
Gotta say I was tempted by this offer but I would have to get rid of numerous stats, stat housings, expansion tank, cylinder head, etc - all in various states of dismemberment first to make some room.
If anyone does take your offer up, a word of advice - speak to Northernbongolow (Ady) first cos he can tell you what NOT to do with regard to examining the radiator. (sorry Ady)

[bigdaddycain]

I suppose the lack of oxygen as you get higher and higher into the mountains and hills will make the engine get hotter, as there is not as much air flowing around the radiators.
Or i might just be talking twaddle.

Not at all! It's a very valid point!

[mikeonb4c]

I suppose the lack of oxygen as you get higher and higher into the mountains and hills will make the engine get hotter, as there is not as much air flowing around the radiators.
Or i might just be talking twaddle.

Not at all! It's a very valid point!

ditto (and beat me to it Dave) - I reckon it might be highly relevant. Thinner air might mean less conductive airflow mass etc. Might the turbo also suffer due to lower air density? Time for a google methinks.

Boiling temp. of water also lowers with decreasing pressure at altitiude to, though not sure what (if any - I doubt it makes any difference) effect that might have on the cooling system.

[bigdaddycain]

Air density being the main issue Mike...

[jaylee]

I suppose the lack of oxygen as you get higher and higher into the mountains and hills will make the engine get hotter, as there is not as much air flowing around the radiators.
Or i might just be talking twaddle.

Not at all! It's a very valid point!

ditto (and beat me to it Dave) - I reckon it might be highly relevant. Thinner air might mean less conductive airflow mass etc. Might the turbo also suffer due to lower air density? Time for a google methinks.

Boiling temp. of water also lowers with decreasing pressure at altitiude to, though not sure what (if any - I doubt it makes any difference) effect that might have on the cooling system.

The engine would be working that bit harder if it was??


Would that also create more or less vacuum??

Mike that got thinking.... Now they knew i was heading off to Switzerland when dong the service... (Regards to the boost/OAT twaddle i brought up on on here ) http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... 5&start=15

[triathlondave]

Thanks for the reply's everyone.

Yes see all your points about thinner air and higher temps.

Must have stirred things up in the coolent system as when I got back the bongo was running much hotter than usual.

Mason alarm went off quite a few times on the way back from portsmouth. When usually it won't on that same road. (go down quite often to ride the south down's way.)

Will keep it if anyone wants to pm me for rad.

again thanks for the reassurance.

DAvid

[technophobe]

Not sure about the altitude thing. Think you may have to be a bit higher than the Alps. Been over - temperature guage didn't move and coolant alarn didn't go off. Also last year went over the Auverne half day up in low gear and half day down. No problems.

Your rad problem reminds me of when I bought a 1948 3ltr Allard years ago. It over heated like crazy. Small rad for large block. Turned out that before I bought it a hose had disintegrated and been sucked into the rad blocking about 50%. Just a thought

[mikeonb4c]

Not sure about the altitude thing. Think you may have to be a bit higher than the Alps. Been over - temperature guage didn't move and coolant alarn didn't go off. Also last year went over the Auverne half day up in low gear and half day down. No problems.

Your rad problem reminds me of when I bought a 1948 3ltr Allard years ago. It over heated like crazy. Small rad for large block. Turned out that before I bought it a hose had disintegrated and been sucked into the rad blocking about 50%. Just a thought

Spot on - I was thinking just the other day that blocking of the airside of the radiator matrix (or other deterioration in its efficiency) is something that doesnt get discussed much on here in the debates about the cooling system.

You could well be right about altitude - it needs some googling. Also, the cooling system ought to (and probably is) designed with sufficient reserve capacity to be able to keep temp within parameters even if at altitude. Mind you, if its efficiency has been compromised.......

[jaylee]

You could well be right about altitude - it needs some googling. Also, the cooling system ought to (and probably is) designed with sufficient reserve capacity to be able to keep temp within parameters even if at altitude. Mind you, if its efficiency has been compromised.......

Mike just Googled the subject... http://www.google.co.uk/#hl=en&xhr=t&q= ... 80&bih=606

[triathlondave]

Hi Jaylee

Not sure I was so high that I stated to trip and imagine that the temp gauge was too hot.

But thanks for the update.

Interesting what you get when you look up "high" on the net.

Will keep the radiator for a week or two. and then down the tip. As it's already getting dirty looks cluttering up the hall. Some people don't understand the importance of a second hand and usesless radiator.

(her is is any good)
Me No that's why I had it changed
(her, well throw it away then)
Me no someone might want it to see why it's not cooling to help others
(her, can't they just buy and new radiator and have it fitted) (and spend the money on the van instead of a week in the sun)
Me no it's of interest to some of us
(her, %&\;; |@~#)
Well it's a family forum so we will leave it their

best wishes

DAvid.

[jaylee]

David, i know what you mean...

At least not to say like these Austrian mad pilots that barrelled out of a "high top" Transit on my first Swiss trip!