leaky Hoses ... Coolant & ATF ? ..........Overheating !

[rhino-wayne]

ok,

as I've spent a lot of time under the Bongo lately, did a bit of looking about & found a few leaks:

1/ Going into/from the AFT sump


I had a mild attempt of tightening that spring type clip but it looked like it could easily snap off.. so stopped


Does that hose contain ATF or coolant how concerned should I be

2/ Under passenger seat..coolant hoses

Photo 2.a


What kind of hose is this one?! seemed to be covered in "sponge" & only clipped on one end


Photo 2.b


only noticed this leak from below U bend hose to ...turbo?

[Simon Jones]

Initially thought the red fluid was ATF, but the second picture seems to show a coolant pipe, so I wonder if you have red coolant? If you have blue/green coolant, then it will be ATF. 3rd photo looks to be one of the pipes to rear heater unit & that is normally covered in black foam.

[widdowson2008]

Photo 2.b


only noticed this leak from below U bend hose to ...turbo?

Heater return. Front and rear heaters join at 'T', then 'U' bend hose goes to the thermostat.
61-214 on diagram.

[rhino-wayne]

OK had to pause for some spaghetti

..............

Part 2.
any comments (along the lines of DIY repair rather that take to a specialist ) would be MUCH appreciated


Went for a drive (about 15 miles/60mph) to day...stopped at destination to high running rad fans...opened bonnet & expansion cap was off & hot coolant everywhere .......
. found the cap, filled expansion tank with about 1.5 ltr red coolant & 2ltr tap water drove home via slow route, keeping eye on temp gauges (original & aftermarket feebay) & turbo timer. got safely home

OK So what now? There is a possibility that I forgot to replace the cap before setting off....as I did check the coolant level (all OK) before starting. ...........or did the cap just remove it's self

Checked hoses on return, no bursts, broken pipes/hoses.... top hoses were hot but lower hoses coming out from radiator & intercooler (?) were cold

not sure if related but a couple of weeks ago noticed that the rad cap was leaking a little bought & fitted a replacement (1.1bar).......have also notice a slight smell of coolant in the cab

just been to pre-occupied with trying to get the old girl thru the MOT lately ......

1995 2.5TD 4x4

[rhino-wayne]

Thx Simon & Steve,

yes RED coolant.
Thx for the diagram & part numbers.......of course when I took the photo, that was before today's disaster!


Time to get the bicycle out

[lazyb5]

If you needed to fill it with 3 1/2 litres of coolant it will need bleeding. Unless you did it after you filled up?

[rhino-wayne]

If you needed to fill it with 3 1/2 litres of coolant it will need bleeding. Unless you did it after you filled up?

yep.. Mentally prepared to do bleeding, but just trying to figure out a cause first...some thoughts are:

1/blockage to radiator....? (re. cold lower hoses)
2/thermostat problem (not sure where that is located)
3/ also small leak in pipe in photo & need to replace pipe & CP Clips.

will need to bit of reading & youtube watching

[Northern Bongolow]

picture 1 seems to show aft leak but check the pipe slightly forward and above (the S shaped one over the starter motor) this maybe the leak and it is from there and running/blowing down.

pictures 2 and 3 and the blown off expansion cap would indicate that either your stat is faulty, or there is a leak in the system somewhere and air has entered and the system is overheating and the pressure has risen, this makes the system blow up like a balloon and the weakest bit pops, in your case the hoses may have been under too much pressure and been forced to leak at the clips until luckily the cap blew off, if this had not happened a hose or rad may have popped.
i would put a gen mazda stat in and pressure test the system and hope you got away with it, bleeding the system will be needed too.
check the top of the expansion tank, when you remove the cap you should push it down and turn, if it just turns its worn the locking tab off.

good luck.

[widdowson2008]

I go along with Ady here. From what you have said, it sounds like you either didn't replace the expansion tank cap properly, or you forgot to put it back after checking coolant level. Done it myself - very embarrassing. Causes system to erupt, but you have probably (hopefully) got away with it.
As has already been said, bleed the system, replace the expansion tank cap properly, and it could be OK.
Another thing I would do is to clean off the coolant spill on the pipes (pic 2b), and check it after a day or two to see if there is still a leak at that point.

[rhino-wayne]

Thanks all,

I checked my expansion bottle / cap and all seems OK, so perhaps I didn't put the cap back on ..? (No bonnet stay could of helped that!)
But still had those leaky hoses & slight coolant smell in the weeks before, so thinking there is still an underlying issue ( weak hoses or faulty thermostat.

I'm sure I can follow the youtube videos on bleeding but a bit in the dark about changing the thermostat (found a locked thread on these forums) anyway, has anyone taken photos of the procedure of changing a thermostat? Or web links.

FYI: after purchase in early 2011 had the coolant system checked, and new hoses, pipes, water pump & coolant fitted.

[Driver+Passengers]

http://mazdabongo.wikispaces.com/Servic ... thermostat

[rhino-wayne]

http://mazdabongo.wikispaces.com/Servic ... thermostat

Aha! Perfect! thanks for that one.....if it was only as easy as that mini-video
will digest the info..........

[rhino-wayne]

Hi all,


OK it's a sunny day my driveway is no longer a swamp time to do some work.
Plan for today..drain coolant at radiator (& if I can find it that place "under that driver seat"), change thermostat, re assemble, bleed, say my prayers & drive off happily into the sunset .

Progress so far:
Bongo is up on stands, Bottom tray removed, thermostat housing located & tied up, bongo parts & missing tools identified

couple of questions (I seem to have lost the answers/links):
1/ how much coolant in a full bongo
2/ that Japanese web site address showing the coolant draining etc

............................
Wish me luck folks...........

[rhino-wayne]

Ok, so 8 litres drained out.........

flushing out with clean water now, photos to follow.

[jaylee]

have also notice a slight smell of coolant in the cab

Hi, i don't like to cloud the waters but check the front heater matrix, or the pipes going in & out aint leaking too...?!!