White smoke and lumpy startup!

[James]

On starting in the morning and at the end of work my Freda is very lumpy and emitts white smoke until it settles. I have had a small amount of coolant loss from the header tank but my local garage put some sealant and this seems to have stopped the water loss. On ocassion the cab window takes a while to clear and I have to put the air con on. It drives well but I am concerned that it might be a cylinder head gasket or stud that has snapped any advice,does it need immediate attention? Advice please!

[Athers]

I was thinking CH before you mentioned it! It is not unheard of on the Bongo!

[Bongobus]

im starting to experience this too however no coolant loss though.

purchased in june this year from imperial - no probs starting until recent week as we are now coming into colder times.

struggles like hell to start after being sat overnigt.

i turn key wait 4 glowplug light to go off, turn off and do again, again and pump pedal. Then turn key pump ped all this about 6-8 times trying to turn over until it fires up and starts

on 4-5th time slight white smoke then when eventually starts and seems to be on about 7 8th time = WEHEY and a cloud of thicker white smoke from exhaust. but goes after few secs

Rest of Day = No problem Whatso ever starting

im presuming glowplugs ?

[Athers]

My Bongo has been laid up for the last few months. Even after a few weeks, it starts first pull..........GP's most likely!!

[dandywarhol]

almost certainly the glow plugs or their relay......plenty bumf about it in the search facility.
As for the cab misting - suspect a leaking heater matrix...........any moisture on your footwell carpets?

[James]

Thanks all,
I hadnt even thought about glow plugs, just started to worry about ch gasket (in fact really worry!) Ill drop it of at Sovereign Garage in Huddersfield next to Wellhouse Leisure and see what they say, Ive been told that they are quite experienced with Bongos. Has anybody any had experience of them, or would recommend them? Jim

[James]

Had the c/head checked and no pressure loss, it was the glow plugs after all. One gone and one on way, much cheaper than a c/head! Thank goodness. And thanks for all the advice Jim

[SimonT]

During the summer my Bongo started reasonably well, but as the temperature dropped below 15 deg C its starting became lumpy with plumes of white smoke poring out of the exhaust. As the temperature recently plummeted to about 4 deg C, it was almost impossible to start. Once started I drove down our road with loads of blue smoke filling the street, extremely embarrassing.

This was all due to the glow plugs.

There is a lot of really helpful information on this site about replacing them.
This is a splendid fact sheet:
http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/member ... wplugs.pdf
I found that you don’t need to remove the top panel, you can get a socket onto the bus bar nuts that hold it in place on top of the glow plugs and the glow plugs them selves, if you use a short extension. It is a bit of a fiddle at first, but as you progress things get easier. The handle and your hand fit into the underside of the top panel, but you do need to pull the bracket that holds some of the EGR equipment, and what looks like a couple of electrical switches, towards the drivers door. You can do this by undoing the top two bolts that hold it in place, and disconnecting any hoses that keep you from pulling it forward in this way.

[SimonT]

I forgot to add, that the engine now springs into life virtually on the first crank. I wait until the orange light goes out on the dash, plus a few more seconds, just before the relay under the battery on the off side switches off, and bingo, a beautifully idling engine and absolutely no smoke !