Bongo Fury

Helen from Bulgaria has installed and tested a Water Injection Kit for here Bongo and you can read all about it here: http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/tales/ ... ection.htm

nice one helen. hope it all works out.

I had a Nissan which had a cylinder head gasket go, what was incredible was how clean everything was in the cylinder which the coolant had been leaking into (this was in the days of carburettors and decokes), it spotless with no deposits, even the back of the valves were shiny!

I wonder if this system will have the side effect of cleaning up the insides of the engine too?

Hi
Yes...It actually does clean the engine....one of the added bonuses!
Cheers
Helen

Hi Ady...
Yes, I still have to fine tune it to use the minimum "juice" without decreasing the effect...That will be done over the months ahead!
Cheers
Helen

Impressive job . Trust Helen to push the Bongo boundaries

Hi
Mike...
Thanks...but it's not pushing the boundaries that much.... ....but I must admit to a "brown underwear" moment the first time the "system active" LED glowed, and the pump started....I had to wonder if a BANG was imminent
Pity my photo didn't look good, either!....
Anyway...as soon as I can get more results, I hope to post some encouragement!....
If I was in the UK, instead of here, I wouldn't have added it....but having experience of Nitrous Oxide systems, I would have done that instead!....especially as I could pick up a spare engine more easily...to be honest, I might still try...
If the current system works well enough around March time, I might see if it's feasible to adapt the fitting instructions, and do a fact sheet, so...in about 10 weeks, I'll see what the results were!
Cheers
Helen

Splendid job, Helen.

Hi
Well...as promised, I've tested the water injection a couple of times in the winter...only a couple of times, mind you, as I'm non too partial to lots of minus degrees!!!!!
Conclusion as to whether water injection might suit the lower temperatures...I think that'll be a big yes!....I must say that I was surprised that at 5 C. or a tad lower, it showed a difference in the damp weather, as my Bongo goes like a dream in the damper air, as I explained earlier...but as expected, it doesn't like the dry, as with most engines, but to see a smoother running motor in 5C. I was surprised. I run a 50/ 50 mix of water and methanol, and the engine is so smooth it's almost too good to be true...in fact, I wouldn't know it was a diesel if I had jumped in the Bongo for the first time....I have it set to start the injector pump at 6 pounds turbo boost, and at 12 , it's still increasing the flow rate, but I shall probably start it at 7 PSI, and stop at 11 to see if I can reduce consumption! I get through around 1/2 a US gallon of mix in 20 Kilometers, and I really think that it needs to come down a bit, because the main use I see is in accelerating....When the engine runs at cruising speed, it doesn't need help, but when accelerating....OOoohhh...It has a certain grin factor!...nothing startling, but it pulls like a loco, smoothly , and non-stop in an almost linear increase in speed (difficult to measure, of course )....
If anyone is interested, I would now recommend doing it, with the proviso that you tell your insurer....who, quite frankly, may have a fit, but in real terms, it isn't tuning, but a device that ensures smoother, safer overtaking.....
Is it worth the outlay?
For me it's definitely worth having, as I've explained, because the summer is between 30-45 Celcius, and the Bongo isn't keen on it, but even in UK temperatures for summer, it should make quite a bonus...if you're sensible!
Will it reduce fuel consumption...well...if you stick to your normal speeds, it possibly will give better running costs, and some firms sell water injection kits on that basis...Depending where you set the injector pump to cut in, will depend on the degree of assistance. My thinking is that for pootling along, you don't want to be injecting the mix, but opening the throttle seems to take less "boot" when the system is active.
Maybe a few more folk might like to try it?....If you want any pointers, ask!
Cheers
Helen

I've found this subject fascinating. Just to check, you do mean methanol and water, not ethanol?
It must be tempting to add a bit of nitromethane in there....as in what top fuel drag racers use.

Hi Tony
Yes...methanol...it is, for my purposes, to keep the water from freezing in the pump in the winter over here, as we can get it slightly chilly...(a couple of years back , it was minus 30 Celcius ) What methanol does is to add to the cooling effect, although, in itself it is combustible, , and on it's own fairly hazardous, because if it burns, the flame is almost invisible, and very hard to extinguish...it's also highly toxic. Methanol was used extensively in screenwash concentrate, and the concentrate made a good substitute in water injection setups, but it has been replaced gradually, and I've been wandering round the shelves of anywhere selling the stuff reading labels Methanol is a reasonable thing to add, but looking around at what other people use, it's being experimented with other additives, but Methanol is the most commonly used, and has been for a long time.
Adding nitromethane might not be such an idea, as it's not really the purpose for me to doctor the fuel, and progressively chucking nitromethane in (which is what the water injection pump does), could result in a problem.
From memory, wasn't Methanol and Nitromethane together used as racing fuel in model racing glowplug motors?....I dabbled in racing boats (radio control) many moons ago....
Currently, I am going to try and find data on the Bongo engine as regards strength, and tuneability, and if I can get a spare engine shipped, I might have a go at increasing the power a bit...just for the fun of it....Secondly, I'll have to find out how much the autobox can take....I'm afraid I don't know much at all about gearboxes, leaving that side of things to others to do that job for me...but many moons ago (in the 60s / 70s), there was a firm locally to Uxbridge/ Southall, who rebuilt autos to take more power....
So far, I have gauges to read the exhaust and inlet temperatures, and have just got the inlet temperature gauge working correctly a few weeks back, and during the cool weather it is highly acceptable....BUT, when it warms up, I'll get some figures on how efficiently it (water injection) cools the inlet when the water/ meth is delivering...same for the exhaust!....The one problem with reading the exhaust is the way the temperature rises quickly by the micro-second when the turbo starts boosting....I need data-logging , really, and only a couple of my gauges are wired to accept serial data collection, but had I started all afresh now, I would have bought gauges to include this feature. As it is, I have so far replaced several gauges, due to various circumstances, but now there's a device being supplied by one firm that sends the info from your data collection to your smartphone....VERY kool
Anyway....My aim ,eventually, is not tuning the engine, but giving it a bit of extra go to keep up with some of the 4x4s that grace the road here, and if I can source another engine at some point, I may just add a few bits...
Cheers
Helen

Thanks for the info Helen.
Yes - Nitromethane was used in the little gloplug engines used to power models - you could use up to 40% which would double the power over the usual 5%. I can't remember if the rest was methanol (the dangers and difficulty of getting hold of which I'm aware of as we use it in our camping stoves) or ethanol plus, of course, oil.
Nitromethane carries its own oxygen which is why it adds so much power but my suggestion of its use was a little tongue in cheek - it costs a fortune.
When I first joined the forum, I searched for all sorts of things and filed it on my lap top.
Here's the article on tuning:-

TD Bongo tuning - here we go....

1. EASY Warm the engine up fully. Loosen the lock-nut on the adjuster on the diaphragm on top of the diesel pump. Have the engine ticking over, turn the screw in slowly until the tick-over speed rises slightly then back it off half a turn. This will improve acceleration pick-up.

NOT SO EASY Adjusting the static injection advance. You can loosen the 2 nuts that hold the pump to the block, there is a 3rd nut hidden by the starter motor. Rotate the top of the diesel pump away from the block to advance the injection timing. A little bit of advance can pick up a little power sometimes. Injector timing has a similar effect to ignition timing on a petrol engine. A bit more torque may be able to be picked up. Too much advance and you get "dieseling" or diesel knock, like pinking in a petrol engine. If you get this back off the static advance. There is an auto advance on the pump but I haven't got round to adjusting this (it isn't straight forwards to adjust - DAMN COMPLEX!)

2. FAIRLY EASY For autos, the throttle potentiometer can be adjusted slightly so you can drop into top gear at 40 on only a slight throttle. I will look at mine later as off the top of my head I can't remember which direction to adjust. It only needs adjusting slightly a mm or 2. Suck it and see.

3. A BIT FIDDLY BUT EASYISH For the turbo, if there is any play in the wastegate actuator rod (give it a wiggle along it's length) if there is any play in the rod use thin washers to space the actuator diaphragm away to take the slack out of the rod which helps stop any leak past the wastegate before it opens. This really does help particularly with the bottom end. The actuator can be shimmed more to preload spring to gain more boost but more heat will be created and better intercooling will be needed. An old school adjustable air-bleed fitted to the pressure pipe running to the diaphragm can be used to increase boost as well. MORE ADVANCED

4. ADVANCED STUFF..... The plunger under the diaphragm on the diesel pump has a preload adjuster and also a plastic spacer to limit travel. Reducing the preload will increase fuelling as will removing spacer only needed after serious mods.

5. ADVANCED The ports on the inlet manifold are smaller than the head restricting flow. The inlet manifold is a bit of a bad design as is the bend by the cam cover.

I am thinking of getting some heat shield gaskets made up to reduce heat transfer from the head to the inlet manifold to keep the air cooler going into the engine. EASYISH

6. EASYISH I have made an induction kit using the air inlet pipe to the turbo from a Ford Ranger (same engine) which only has a 90 degree bend, I have added a HKS Mushroom filter to the pipe sited the other side of the chassis rail from the turbo. I eventually hope to extend the pipe work to an airbox situated where the auxiliary batter goes with a cool air feed from the bumper BIT MORE COMPLEX!

The standard airbox is not very good at feeding air to such a big engine.

7. COMPLEX There is a step in the mouth of the turbo which can be smoothed out and the whole mouth can be made more trumpet shaped to improve air flow.

8. FIDDLY Don't just blank EGR but remove the whole lot as heat will be transferred to the inlet manifold. A blanking plate can be made to blank off where it fits the inlet manifold. I cut the EGR pipe and had it weld where it comes out of the exhaust manifold. The nut was stuck fast, a blanking plug would be a neater solution. The EGR diaphragm can be removed no problem.

9. BLOODY COMPLEX! The inlet ports in the head have massive ridges where the valve seat meets the port, smooth out and blend into the port. The exhaust valve seats are similar BUT there isn't much metal there so don't port it too far. I have seen a standard head which had cracked by the valve seat and part of the head had broken away revealing a waterway.

As pointed out by someone previously the intercooler isn't big enough, have a look in the tech thread for my teaser pics thread

I am sure there is other stuff I have forgotten to include which I will add.

Disclaimer - this is merely what I have worked out and done to my Bongo. It is at your discretion whether you wish to undertake any of these modifications at your own risk!


The post drew a bit of criticism due to the handling characteristics of the Bongo. However, I've always argued that you can't have too much power, the issue is about how controllable it is.
Good luck with your endeavors.
Tony

Hi Tony
The point of water injection on an engine like the Bongo is really to add the mix progressively where necessary, which is why it's really of value in acceleration, because as speed is increased, it adds more mix , and whilst it's not controlled exactly in proportion to the rate of acceleration, it's good enough.
Regarding tuning a diesel, I'm not too keen on diesels, and my experience is on petrol engines...BUT, for extra acceleration, or adding a little smoothness, I opted for water injection just to even the running out in the dry weather here.
I may take the issue further at some time, but throwing huge chunks of money at an agricultural engine isn't really interesting...I would prefer a petrol engine to replace the diesel, however, there are tricks to improve it when you want. Putting nitromethane in the fuel will only make a decent improvement to an engine that's properly built as a racing motor, where the percentage of improvement by adding it will be better than in a stock engine, as you have to start by strengthening the engine to take the loading, and improving it with uprated breathing, and so on. More advanced tuning will show better improvement when adding components rather than, say, adding induction cooling to a stock motor, as when you add cooling to a tuned engine, you are flowing much larger quantities of air and fuel, and the cooling will show an overall improvement, but putting expensive cooling on a stock engine won't show such a percentage, and it's rather like feeding strawberries to a donkey. Water injection is a good cheapie in comparison to doing a proper job, and is really only plugging a gap in acceleration. It's commonly used on trucks to help out , and started being used in WW2 on aircraft (both sides) , again, to plug a gap in power when maneuvering in combat.
The easiest way to add extra oxygen to a motor cheaply is to add a nitrous system, (I have used nitrous before) but I'm not sure whether the Mazda / Ranger engine is strong enough, or whether the Mazda engine in the Bongo would overheat too quickly.....BUT....depending on funds, I might have a lash!....hence the need for a spare engine, in case one goes pop
Cheers
Helen

Hi
Some more news on testing the water/ methanol setup in the warm weather, which I'd been waiting for!
Today I tried the setup in an ambient temperature of around 24C. average temperature taking the average as that mean between 9.00 A.M. outward journey, and 9.45 homeward.
On the outward journey, I had the system switched off, and the inlet manifold temperature was registering 43C. On the home journey, the setup was switched on, and the inlet temperature was as before...BUT, when the water/meth system turned on at a set 6-7 PSI turbo boost, and I kept a steady throttle opening for some moments, the inlet temperature dropped to 25C. Now that's the improvement I wanted, and it gave steady solid acceleration which increased very well indeed, and it made the engine run much more smoothly than expected. That's the real summertime increase I was looking for.
At those temperatures, it would show up as a good addition for the UK as well as here, and I think it was worth the effort, but it largely depends on individual engines and how dry the air is where you use it!....I haven't checked exhaust temperatures during water/meth usage, and that's on the cards for next weeks run, as the temperatures spool up very quickly when you accelerate, but that's the co-pilot's job....watching gauges!...If I get some good results , I'll post again!
And now to fit a second under-floor tank before starting on project No. 2...upping the horsepower by 20% to 150 BHP....(hopefully)
Cheers
Helen