Low coolant alarm coming on

[Printer]

Hi all

The previous owner had a low coolant alarm fitted after some trouble with overheating. I've driven the bongo about 7k miles since i bought it. The low coolant alarm has started coming On when I turn van on after it's been off for over 6 hours or so. Once I start driving it goes off after about 1 minute.

Can i top up coolant myself? If so, how?

Could this have anything to do with my glow plugs as I know they always need heated up before I drive.

Thanks

[Northern Bongolow]

it takes about 6 hours for the coolant to cool down and the operating pressure to drop in the coolant system, this is spot on for time, and this is when the coolant level is at its lowest, so this says to me that you have no leaks or a very small one.
top the coolant up to the mark when cold through the expansion tank filler, not the radiator, if you dont know what coolant is in there use water.
the low coolant alarm works better when the stainless screw is clean, so it maybe that the screw needs cleaning.
the low coolant alarm needs a good 12 volts to operate, so it may also be telling you that the battery or charging system is faulty, so would advise you get your charging system checked.

it just sounds like it needs a top up to me.

[missfixit70]

Check the level manually in the header with a dipstick marked at 20mm, if you top up above this, it'll just blow out the excess & find it's own level.
Sounds like it could be a voltage issue to me, or coolant strength is wrong, have you recently had the coolant changed? it could be the screw in the header has become coated. If you release any pressure in the sytem by removing the cap, then replacing it tightly, you should be able to remove the screw, clean it up & replace it.

[haydn callow]

I think Ady has it right...you are down below the level of the screw in the tank when cold and as you warm up the coolant expands and touches the screw turning the alarm off......Do as Kirsty says and top up the tank untill you have 20mm showing on a dipstick when cold....if you can see the level through the side of the tank...fill to that level cold.

You may have a very slight leak or perhaps the tank cap is not a very good seal.

If the alarm ever goes off whilst driving ...STOP and find out why.

[missfixit70]

Ignoring all the waffle about bulbs on this thread - http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... =3&t=50891 If your glow plugs are iffy & you're having to give them a few blasts, this would be pointing me towards a possible voltage issue (especially if the level is ok in the header) as they draw a huge amount from the battery.
Get the glow plugs replaced asap, or it won't start as it gets colder.
Get your coolant changed if you don't know when it was last done, it's antifreeze & anti corrosion properties degrade over time & are VERY important. As you don't know what's in there, get it thoroughly flushed & replaced at the correct concentration & make sure it's bled properly, there are factsheets in the members area & videos on youtube.
If you are losing coolant, you need to establish why, as it should not lose any, it's a sealed, pressurised system, if it's leaking to any degree, it's going to cause issues in the long term if not in the short term.

[Printer]

Wow guys, thanks so much for all the info but I am a little bit lost as I am not techy at all!

1. What is "header"? My tank where the coolant goes is quite murky so I cant see the level from the outside. Do I just buy a dipstick, mark 20mm and then insert in the main place where you open the tank where the coolant goes?

2. I think replacing the glow plugs is going to be a good idea. If I buy these online (please recommend a place) and bring them to any old garage will they be able to do that for me?

3. Topping up the coolant: Any ideas which coolant I should use. The van was serviced not too long ago (about 8000 miles ago) and since then has been all over Europe on a monster drive. I think topping up the coolant must be a good idea but I dont want to put the wrong stuff in there. Again, can any old garage do this for me? When you say get it fully flushed and replaced and resealed... how and where can I do this?

4. A leak: If I do have a leak in the coolant system, how can I check this or find out if this is indeed the case?

5. Alarm going off while driving: This does happen but only when I first start the van, after 1 to 2 minutes it goes off completely.

6. What should my plan of action be to fix this - as in, what should I do first and then next if that doesnt work.

Thanks

[haydn callow]

O.K. this is the plan.

Get yourself a wooden stick (lolly stick sort of thing) and mark it 20mm from one end.
Dip this verticaly down the filler hole of your header tank (this is the large "murkey" tank under the bonnet to the right as you look under the bonnet)
If the level of the coolant does not come up to the line (cold) then (for now) add plain water untill it reaches that line.....

Then report back to us....( this should cause the alarm to stop sounding except for the short "beep/flash" at start up.
Phone me if you wish....01458 270230

[rhino-wayne]

[quote="Printer"]Wow guys, thanks so much for all the info but I am a little bit lost as I am not techy at all!

1. What is "header"? My tank where the coolant goes is quite murky so I cant see the level from the outside. Do I just buy a dipstick, mark 20mm and then insert in the main place where you open the tank where the coolant goes?

Hi FYI, header tank photos etc
http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... =0#p510440

[Printer]

Ok guys

I did the dipstick test and it failed, it was pretty much bone dry when I took it out - only a small bit of fluid touching the stick, around 2-4mm or so.

I have added water to it and now when I turn on the engine it does what it used to do, as in the low coolant alarm just flickers on for a second and then it goes off after 1-2 seconds.

So what now?

[missfixit70]

You need to find a garage/mechanic capable of understanding the bongo cooling system is a complex beast & needs bleeding properly, then they need to find where the coolant is going, fix the problem, & get it flushed out, refilled with the correct strength coolant, (be it long life OAT or standard 2 year ethylene glycol) & make sure it's watertight & everything working as it should. It probably needs at the very least a new thermostat as well (Mazda original not a copy part preferably).
Get some decent temperature monitoring sorted, whether it be a standard gauge mod, Mason Alarm, TM2 or cheap temp gauge from ebay.
When the cooling system is up to scratch, get the glow plugs changed asap, preferably with the NGK Y-701J ones.
The search function will help find specifics & the factsheets in the members area for coolant/temp alarms & bleeding will be very helpful to your mechanic.

[Printer]

You need to find a garage/mechanic capable of understanding the bongo cooling system is a complex beast & needs bleeding properly, then they need to find where the coolant is going, fix the problem, & get it flushed out, refilled with the correct strength coolant, (be it long life OAT or standard 2 year ethylene glycol) & make sure it's watertight & everything working as it should. It probably needs at the very least a new thermostat as well (Mazda original not a copy part preferably).
Get some decent temperature monitoring sorted, whether it be a standard gauge mod, Mason Alarm, TM2 or cheap temp gauge from ebay.
When the cooling system is up to scratch, get the glow plugs changed asap, preferably with the NGK Y-701J ones.
The search function will help find specifics & the factsheets in the members area for coolant/temp alarms & bleeding will be very helpful to your mechanic.

Ok this sounds like a LOT of money and a LOT of work... Is this all necessary, is it possible that the guy who did the service in May might have put incorrect coolant in it or not drained it properly?

I have looked up the history sheets a bit more clearly from guy I bought it from:

Last major work I can see was April 2011:
"investigate vehicle lacking in power. Check turbo pressure and found there to be none. Trace fault to turbo waste gate having become detached making it stick in the open position. Refix and adjust waste gate replace damaged vacuum hose"

February 2011:
"replace throttle sensor position, customer supplied part"

January 2011:
No major details included. It was a full service and costs £290 in parts and £60 in labour
On the service checklist it says "Antifreeze Content: Fail" but doesnt go into any detail after that.

February 2010:
"Replace cam cover gasket"

January 2010:
"full service"

July 2009:
"Investigate overheating concern, trace fault to leaking coolant hose. Cut back and refit coolant hose, refill and bleed out cooling system. Fit low coolant alarm warning system"

January 2009:
"Investigate coolant loss trace fault to blown radiator and replace with unit supplied by the customer. Bleed out cooling system and check fan operation ok"

November 2008:
Changed the thermostat. Removed cylinder head and sent away for specialist crack testing - all ok. Reassembled with new gasket and the problem was rectified. Therefore the problem was head gasket failure"

So as you can see it has been looked after but not without its problems. We had a service done in May 2011 but Im not sure the guy knew very much about Bongos.

Will I be ok taking it into my local garage in Ireland or should I try and find a Mazda garage or one that has experience with Bongos?

[haydn callow]

Send me your email and I will send you a copy of the bleeding instructions....take these to the garage to hand to the mechanic.....also try and get him to watch the YOU TUBE vidio's
(search bleeding bongos)

If there was coolant showing on the stick you were not empty to the extent air would have got in.

I would do as Kirsty says......get them to pressure test the system and find the leak....repair the leak......drain/flush the system and refill...then bleed it properly....according to the instructions/vidio's

It should not cost more than a couple of hours labour plus coolant and any new hoses.

[missfixit70]

Ok this sounds like a LOT of money and a LOT of work... Is this all necessary, is it possible that the guy who did the service in May might have put incorrect coolant in it or not drained it properly?

That listed above is not a lot of work at all, at the end of the day, if you want to keep it going, you need to get it running right, ATM it's got a leak & the glow plugs aren't working properly, both of which need to be sorted.
Incorrect coolant concentration may be an issue & there may be an issue with coolants being mixed if the original Jap stuff wasn't flushed out properly (ie sludged up rad, acidic coolant etc), but if it wasn't BLED properly you wouldn't have made it around Europe, it'd have gone up in a cloud of steam pretty quickly

January 2011:
No major details included. It was a full service and costs £290 in parts and £60 in labour
On the service checklist it says "Antifreeze Content: Fail" but doesnt go into any detail after that.

definitely needs checking out, as already explained

July 2009:
"Investigate overheating concern, trace fault to leaking coolant hose. Cut back and refit coolant hose, refill and bleed out cooling system. Fit low coolant alarm warning system"

If a hose was cut back & refitted, it'll possibly need to be replaced, may be your issue, only 17 to choose from, top suspect would be the one over the starter motor under the drivers seat

January 2009:
"Investigate coolant loss trace fault to blown radiator and replace with unit supplied by the customer. Bleed out cooling system and check fan operation ok"

November 2008:
Changed the thermostat. Removed cylinder head and sent away for specialist crack testing - all ok. Reassembled with new gasket and the problem was rectified. Therefore the problem was head gasket failure"

Could be causing issues, more often than not, the head cracks especially after it's been removed & refitted due to the stresses involved & they are a known weak spot

So as you can see it has been looked after but not without its problems. We had a service done in May 2011 but Im not sure the guy knew very much about Bongos.

Will I be ok taking it into my local garage in Ireland or should I try and find a Mazda garage or one that has experience with Bongos?

Preferably one that knows bongos as you have said yourself you are not a techie, Mazda garages will not be anymore bongo savvy than the next one. It's not quite as simple as the bleeding process being the only "peculiarity" of the bongo, the whole cooling system needs a certain amount of understanding especially if the issue is not as simple as a leaky hose/pipe/waterpump etc.

[Printer]

Hi guys

Once again thanks so much for the detailed help. You are all "bongo angels" in my eyes!!

Ok so could you please give me a list of things I can buy online before I take it to the mechanic. (I live in Ireland so they will have to deliver there) I know one guy who I would trust and I think he will really read up on all the stuff before going at it. I would prefer to go to him with all the parts I need so all he has to do is read all of your posts and watch the youtube videos and then he will know what is going on.

Secondly, I put water in the cooling system as you recommended. Can I now drive it to the mechanic without worrying? He lives about an hour away from me.

[missfixit70]

Don't know what you'll need until he finds whats leaking, we might be good, but we're not bongo psychic
I'd definitely go for a genuine Mazda thermostat though, about 7 litres of coolant (concentrated) to make sure you get 50% mix (or check to see if he's happy to supply) & 4 of the glowplugs listed above along with some form of temperature measurement (as the standard gauge will sit at 11 0clock position from 55 degrees until @110 degrees, which tells you nothing useful & will only start moving as it overheats, too late to do much about it) have a look at the factsheet in the members area to help decide which.
Can't say whether you'll make it to him safely or not, but you've got a low coolant alarm, so it should give you a reasonable chance, just make sure you stop as soon as it sounds (if it does) & take plenty of water with you, good luck.