Bongo Fury

Everyone's aware of the consequences of dodgy coolant pipework and therefore inspect the rubber hoses regularly. But don't forget the steel pipework running under the van, especially to the rear heater and also the gearbox steel pipes from the box to the cooler.











I'm not sure Ady (Northern Bongolow) will be volunteering to do this again in a hurry but that was a super effort yesterday persevering until the end - and bleeding the system in the dark. A true star if ever there was one

Good grief!

A great post for newbies to see.

Thanks

your welcome paul, how will i be able to see the whole of Britain from my arm chair if your bongo cannot fly. .

the real reason for accepting this challenge was a little selfish, i wanted to get inside the innards of your bongo and find out the secret of your massive mileage attained, .
not sure of the exact miles, but original waterpump and stat, original coolant and even the original battery (all now just replaced). it shows that regular use, or should that be abnormal use, and regular servicing will keep these very robust and reliable bongo's going for quite some time.

bongo on team muz, and i look for forward to reading about your future trips . .


ps .
anyone want to buy a slightly used gen mazda bongo non leaking waterpump ??

Wow Paul I hope that mine are not like that, probably not as my converter moved the rear heater in my Bongo to a new position. It must have cost you a fortune to get Ady to do these pipes for you. How much did you pay to get him new riser blocks so that he could get under your Bongo? He must have needed your Bongo be a tad higher off the ground than when he did the coolant hoses on my Bongo last year.

Revenge is Sweet.

Tony

Northern Bongolow wrote:....not sure of the exact miles, but original waterpump and stat, original coolant and even the original battery

For sure 240,000km that I know, could be 320,000km if they're the originals. That's if the displayed odometer reading is correct and I have no way of verifying that.

Tremendous performance all round. Where was the replacement piping got from and Dad the conclusion ad yo the cause: could anything have prevented it?

Warrington Mazda (01925 428755), - absolutely excellent service for parts. Just give them the chassis number and they get the bits in from Belgium - all genuine Mazda. They'll email exploded diagrams so you can be sure of part numbers etc. There's no doubt pattern parts available too but you just know they're not going to fit properly.

As for parts price - take the steel pipe from the engine to the radiator as an example.
Secondhand and no guarantee of being much better, £35.00
New pattern part from a well-known Bongo parts retailer £98.00
Genuine Mazda £48.71
Which are you going to buy?

Ours is a northern-spec Bongo so the pipe corrosion is probably inevitable given the age & mileage.

Hi
My problem is how can I get them shipped!...probably easier to have 'em made up in bits of EPDM tubing from the local tractor shop????
Cheers
Helen

helen&tony wrote:Hi
My problem is how can I get them shipped!...probably easier to have 'em made up in bits of EPDM tubing from the local tractor shop????
Cheers
Helen

It came in a big box. Just think of all the haggis & Bury black pudding you could get shipped along for free

helen&tony wrote:Hi
My problem is how can I get them shipped!...probably easier to have 'em made up in bits of EPDM tubing from the local tractor shop????
Cheers
Helen

Try Mazda Dealers in Bulgaria..

MountainGoat wrote:Wow Paul .-------- How much did you pay to get him new riser blocks so that he could get under your Bongo? He must have needed your Bongo be a tad higher off the ground than when he did the coolant hoses on my Bongo last year.

Revenge is Sweet.

Tony

cheers tony, before you say owt i am a bit older and fatter than when i did yours, so needed the extra room . that, and the bloody awkward shape of the one piece pipes that had to be threaded round all manner of obstacles on the inner chassis rail.
i must say it was a real bi*ch of a job on yer back.

Muzorewa wrote:Warrington Mazda (01925 428755), - absolutely excellent service for parts. Just give them the chassis number and they get the bits in from Belgium - all genuine Mazda. They'll email exploded diagrams so you can be sure of part numbers etc. There's no doubt pattern parts available too but you just know they're not going to fit properly.

As for parts price - take the steel pipe from the engine to the radiator as an example.
Secondhand and no guarantee of being much better, £35.00
New pattern part from a well-known Bongo parts retailer £98.00
Genuine Mazda £48.71
Which are you going to buy?

Ours is a northern-spec Bongo so the pipe corrosion is probably inevitable given the age & mileage.

Very useful info Muz and thanks. And well done again Ady - wot a star, in a reasonably priced car, ha ha

Mmmmmmm we have a slight leak from junction near rear heater. Hope it's just one of our silicone hoses weeping and not that pipe work.

Hi Muz..
It's the length of the pipes that will cause problems...I can get parts palletted , no problem, but length rather stumps them....alternatively, I know private shippers....mmmm...haggis...now there's a thought!
Rita...
There is a Mazda dealer locally...BUT....the hyper-inflated prices you pay for car parts makes it cheaper to have them custom -made in platinum...plus the huge mark-up if you're foreign!...believe me, importing is cheaper!
Cheers
Helen