Just in the nick of time....
Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2014 9:03 am
Those of you who know about our Bongo know it’s done a fair few miles. Apart from changing the engine oil & filter at the prescribed intervals, not much else has been done apart from two years ago the waterpump & thermostat were renewed and a few of the coolant hoses & pipes. At that time it was suggested I also renew the radiator, the engine fan-switch (the one in the cylinder-head that controls the radiator fans amongst other things) and the heater hose that exits the block over the starter-motor as it gets very hot. Alas, funds didn’t allow at the time but as we’re shortly to embark on our most ambitious tour ever, Ady (Northern Bongolow) reminded me of those items that hadn’t been renewed.
It was also noted that the automatic transmission fluid hadn’t been changed under our tenure, possibly ever. According to the Fact Sheet, it should be changed every 24,000 miles. Ours has done about ten times that
The fuel filter has also never been changed by us, so that’s about five times overdue
Radiator fan switches old & new
Old radiator. But there were traces of (pink) coolant having leaked from somewhere near the top....
....and closer examination of the outlet stub revealed it had a big crack in it
Radiators old & new. Old one weighed about 2 pounds heavier.
Remember that heater hose above the starter that was recommended to be renewed 2 years ago? See the tell-tale pink leakage on the starter?....
....from a pinhole in the underside of the pipe
Ah – ATF fluid. It’s supposed to look like Tizer, not old engine oil
ATF filter with a fair amount of residue
The ATF sump magnet
ATF sump magnet – this is what it’s supposed to look like
....and this is what the ATF sump is supposed to look like once it’s been cleaned of all the sludge at the bottom
Fuel filters old & new. How the old girl has run so long is anybody’s guess.
Big thanks to Ady for the tips and for fitting all the parts. And to Emma & her friend for expertly cooking breakfast – cooking by the smoke alarm as Mrs Muz frequently does
And to Chell for allowing us to spill coolant, diesel and transmission fluid all over the block paving 
Gearbox runs lovely now. There used to be a noticeable clonk going from reverse into D but that appears to have gone. There also used to be a noticeable jolt going from 1st into 2nd but that also seems to have disappeared. Hopefully the old bus will be good for a while longer yet – just rolled over 350,000km on the way home yesterday
It was also noted that the automatic transmission fluid hadn’t been changed under our tenure, possibly ever. According to the Fact Sheet, it should be changed every 24,000 miles. Ours has done about ten times that
The fuel filter has also never been changed by us, so that’s about five times overdue
Radiator fan switches old & new
Old radiator. But there were traces of (pink) coolant having leaked from somewhere near the top....
....and closer examination of the outlet stub revealed it had a big crack in it
Radiators old & new. Old one weighed about 2 pounds heavier.
Remember that heater hose above the starter that was recommended to be renewed 2 years ago? See the tell-tale pink leakage on the starter?....
....from a pinhole in the underside of the pipe
Ah – ATF fluid. It’s supposed to look like Tizer, not old engine oil
ATF filter with a fair amount of residue
The ATF sump magnet
ATF sump magnet – this is what it’s supposed to look like
....and this is what the ATF sump is supposed to look like once it’s been cleaned of all the sludge at the bottom
Fuel filters old & new. How the old girl has run so long is anybody’s guess.
Big thanks to Ady for the tips and for fitting all the parts. And to Emma & her friend for expertly cooking breakfast – cooking by the smoke alarm as Mrs Muz frequently does
And to Chell for allowing us to spill coolant, diesel and transmission fluid all over the block paving Gearbox runs lovely now. There used to be a noticeable clonk going from reverse into D but that appears to have gone. There also used to be a noticeable jolt going from 1st into 2nd but that also seems to have disappeared. Hopefully the old bus will be good for a while longer yet – just rolled over 350,000km on the way home yesterday
