Bongo Fury

hi all
i have recently bought a bongo with the intention of driving to Bulgaria in it in a few weeks, so i took it to my local garage for a service and explained that the heater didnt work and would he have a look at it.
when i collected it he said the thermostat wasnt conected and he had now conected it.
i drove about 4 mile and it overheated, i took it back and he said, "i guess it was disconected for a reason." after bleeding the system and trying again unsuccesfully he has come to the conclusion that the radiator could be blocked with gunk because its cold at the bottom and hot at the top (having searched for info already this appears to be the norm) the car will idle with the gauge at 11 oclock but as soon as i go anywhere the temp rises.
the car was running perfectly well before the thermostat was conected
so it is now disconected again, but obviously needs to be addressed as i will need a heater.

have any of you come across this, or have any suggestions that i can pass on to my mechanic. as i am not mechanically minded. (clueless actually)

thanks in advance

wynnie wrote:hi all
i have recently bought a bongo with the intention of driving to Bulgaria in it in a few weeks, so i took it to my local garage for a service and explained that the heater didnt work and would he have a look at it.
when i collected it he said the thermostat wasnt conected and he had now conected it.
i drove about 4 mile and it overheated, i took it back and he said, "i guess it was disconected for a reason." after bleeding the system and trying again unsuccesfully he has come to the conclusion that the radiator could be blocked with gunk because its cold at the bottom and hot at the top (having searched for info already this appears to be the norm) the car will idle with the gauge at 11 oclock but as soon as i go anywhere the temp rises.
the car was running perfectly well before the thermostat was conected
so it is now disconected again, but obviously needs to be addressed as i will need a heater.

have any of you come across this, or have any suggestions that i can pass on to my mechanic. as i am not mechanically minded. (clueless actually)

thanks in advance

Well I reckon it will want sorting before Bulgaria. New radiator needed? Good luck & keep us posted

if you go on youtube and type in --how to bleed a mazda bongo---, there are 3 videos that may help your mechanic. part 1,2,3.

the cooling system sounds like it has air in it.

wynnie wrote:hi all
i have recently bought a bongo with the intention of driving to Bulgaria in it in a few weeks, so i took it to my local garage for a service and explained that the heater didnt work and would he have a look at it.
when i collected it he said the thermostat wasnt conected and he had now conected it.
i drove about 4 mile and it overheated, i took it back and he said, "i guess it was disconected for a reason." after bleeding the system and trying again unsuccesfully he has come to the conclusion that the radiator could be blocked with gunk because its cold at the bottom and hot at the top (having searched for info already this appears to be the norm) the car will idle with the gauge at 11 oclock but as soon as i go anywhere the temp rises.
the car was running perfectly well before the thermostat was conected
so it is now disconected again, but obviously needs to be addressed as i will need a heater.

have any of you come across this, or have any suggestions that i can pass on to my mechanic. as i am not mechanically minded. (clueless actually)

thanks in advance

The Great Pretender wrote:You can't connect or disconnect the thermostat, it isn't like plugin it in.

Could the mechanic have meant the engine temp sender..??? (Have heard this unit referred/referenced to at the thermostat...)

Do you have one of these fitted? http://www.townace.plus.com/ie/ietemga2.htm

What was the temp gauge doing before the "thermostat was connected"??

Manual or push button heater controls...?

The Great Pretender wrote:You can't connect or disconnect the thermostat, it isn't like plugin it in. Forget your "mechanic" as it seems he is clueless as to how the system works.

There is a Bongo friendly garage near you, Mike hopefully will see this, he should be able to help pointing you in the right direction.
Good luck.

thank you for your replies

are you not allowed to tell me the name of my local bongo friendly garage? coz i'll take it there if you can tell me.

The Great Pretender wrote:You can't connect or disconnect the thermostat, it isn't like plugin it in. Forget your "mechanic" as it seems he is clueless as to how the system works.

There is a Bongo friendly garage near you, Mike hopefully will see this, he should be able to help pointing you in the right direction.
Good luck.

thank you for your replies

are you not allowed to tell me the name of my local bongo friendly garage? coz i'll take it there if you can tell me.

Try Wheelkwick..? That's up nearest to you... I think?? They take a pride in the work & know a Bongo when they see one!

I think this is the guy folk are talking about. Apparently a Bongo specialist
http://www.wheelquick.co.uk/

You're too bloody quick jaylee

wynnie wrote:hi all
i have recently bought a bongo with the intention of driving to Bulgaria in it in a few weeks, so i took it to my local garage for a service and explained that the heater didnt work and would he have a look at it.
when i collected it he said the thermostat wasnt conected and he had now conected it.
i drove about 4 mile and it overheated, i took it back and he said, "i guess it was disconected for a reason." after bleeding the system and trying again unsuccesfully he has come to the conclusion that the radiator could be blocked with gunk because its cold at the bottom and hot at the top (having searched for info already this appears to be the norm) the car will idle with the gauge at 11 oclock but as soon as i go anywhere the temp rises.
the car was running perfectly well before the thermostat was conected
so it is now disconected again, but obviously needs to be addressed as i will need a heater.

have any of you come across this, or have any suggestions that i can pass on to my mechanic. as i am not mechanically minded. (clueless actually)

thanks in advance

Hi,
I think your Mechanic is probably spot on.Are you getting mixed up with fitted and connected etc.

Best of luck.

wynnie wrote:

The Great Pretender wrote:You can't connect or disconnect the thermostat, it isn't like plugin it in. Forget your "mechanic" as it seems he is clueless as to how the system works.

There is a Bongo friendly garage near you, Mike hopefully will see this, he should be able to help pointing you in the right direction.
Good luck.

thank you for your replies

are you not allowed to tell me the name of my local bongo friendly garage? coz i'll take it there if you can tell me.

I recommend Adrian in Bury (0161-763-3003) and I take my Bongo to him. He does all Manchester Campers Bongos and really knows his stuff with Bongos. The Mike's (father and son) at Wheelquick in Wigan are also excellent. My personal problem with them is that they are so busy with both fixing Bngos and prepping ones for sale, that I found it hard to get a firm booking made and be confident they were ready for me when I arrived. And so I drifted over to Adrian. But they are great guys and know as much as anybody about Bongos.

I would call one of other ASAP and get the Bongo looked at. You don't want to planning a big trip with a Bongo you re not 100% sure of.

Good luck - keep us posted (incidentally, I always think a good quality replacement rad. on an old Bongo can never be a waste of money, especially with an arduous trip coming up, even if it turned out not to be strictly needed). And ask them to check that fans are coming on when they should (sensors working), does water pump seem quiet running etc. etc. - in other words, a complete cooling system health check.

Mike

widdowson2008 wrote:I think this is the guy folk are talking about. Apparently a Bongo specialist
http://www.wheelquick.co.uk/

Indeed.. Only my guess after googling Wynnie's rough location to where Wheelquick are??? (Yep i got the name spelt wrong on the last post..) But they got a good rep, & should see you right for yer trip to Bulgaria!

teenmal wrote:

wynnie wrote:hi all
i have recently bought a bongo with the intention of driving to Bulgaria in it in a few weeks, so i took it to my local garage for a service and explained that the heater didnt work and would he have a look at it.
when i collected it he said the thermostat wasnt conected and he had now conected it.
i drove about 4 mile and it overheated, i took it back and he said, "i guess it was disconected for a reason." after bleeding the system and trying again unsuccesfully he has come to the conclusion that the radiator could be blocked with gunk because its cold at the bottom and hot at the top (having searched for info already this appears to be the norm) the car will idle with the gauge at 11 oclock but as soon as i go anywhere the temp rises.
the car was running perfectly well before the thermostat was conected
so it is now disconected again, but obviously needs to be addressed as i will need a heater.

have any of you come across this, or have any suggestions that i can pass on to my mechanic. as i am not mechanically minded. (clueless actually)

thanks in advance

Hi,
I think your Mechanic is probably spot on.Are you getting mixed up with fitted and connected etc.

Best of luck.

Absolutely. Incidentally, wth no thermostat fitted I might still expect to find the heater on a typical car (though the Bongo is not typical) producing some heat, dependant on (hot) weather and if stationary in traffic. There have also been one or two tales of blocked heater rads, though I don't think that of itself has ever been linked to overheating, and I don't think it likely this is whats happening in your case.

Out of interest, does your coolant seem clean/clear, and is there any rust staining in your header tank?

jaylee wrote:

wynnie wrote:hi all
i have recently bought a bongo with the intention of driving to Bulgaria in it in a few weeks, so i took it to my local garage for a service and explained that the heater didnt work and would he have a look at it.
when i collected it he said the thermostat wasnt conected and he had now conected it.
i drove about 4 mile and it overheated, i took it back and he said, "i guess it was disconected for a reason." after bleeding the system and trying again unsuccesfully he has come to the conclusion that the radiator could be blocked with gunk because its cold at the bottom and hot at the top (having searched for info already this appears to be the norm) the car will idle with the gauge at 11 oclock but as soon as i go anywhere the temp rises.
the car was running perfectly well before the thermostat was conected
so it is now disconected again, but obviously needs to be addressed as i will need a heater.

have any of you come across this, or have any suggestions that i can pass on to my mechanic. as i am not mechanically minded. (clueless actually)

thanks in advance

The Great Pretender wrote:You can't connect or disconnect the thermostat, it isn't like plugin it in.

Could the mechanic have meant the engine temp sender..??? (Have heard this unit referred/referenced to at the thermostat...)

Do you have one of these fitted? http://www.townace.plus.com/ie/ietemga2.htm

What was the temp gauge doing before the "thermostat was connected"??

Manual or push button heater controls...?

teenmal wrote:

wynnie wrote:hi all
i have recently bought a bongo with the intention of driving to Bulgaria in it in a few weeks, so i took it to my local garage for a service and explained that the heater didnt work and would he have a look at it.
when i collected it he said the thermostat wasnt conected and he had now conected it.
i drove about 4 mile and it overheated, i took it back and he said, "i guess it was disconected for a reason." after bleeding the system and trying again unsuccesfully he has come to the conclusion that the radiator could be blocked with gunk because its cold at the bottom and hot at the top (having searched for info already this appears to be the norm) the car will idle with the gauge at 11 oclock but as soon as i go anywhere the temp rises.
the car was running perfectly well before the thermostat was conected
so it is now disconected again, but obviously needs to be addressed as i will need a heater.

have any of you come across this, or have any suggestions that i can pass on to my mechanic. as i am not mechanically minded. (clueless actually)

thanks in advance

Hi,
I think your Mechanic is probably spot on.Are you getting mixed up with fitted and connected etc.

Best of luck.

I'm thinking; confusion over what was disconnected too....? Whatever it was? Was it was done to cover something up by the seller!!?

jaylee wrote: I'm thinking; confusion over what was disconnected too....? Whatever it was? Was it was done to cover something up by the seller!!?

I'm thinking the same dark thought, unfortunately. Best dragged out into the light before Bulgarian trip though if so.