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Emergency Bypass leaking rear heater matrix

Posted: Mon May 16, 2016 2:17 pm
by cmm303
Safely in Scotland. Gazing at (very) high view of Bute and distracted by river of blue from behind driver. I reckon the matrix is leaking not (my) hose joint.

Back at Dunoon. Garage going to bypass the rear heater. Does it matter if we end up kinking a heater hose? The "only" problem I foresee is trapped air and have thought that might need to move kink around during bleeding to eliminate air. Rather not if its not necessary.

P.S. I'm grateful for learning how to bleed and stowing bleed kit under passy seat.

Re: Emergency Bypass leaking rear heater matrix

Posted: Mon May 16, 2016 2:45 pm
by BongoBongo123
Sorry, not much use other than a bit of moral support... but I hope you sort it and well handy to know the procedure and have the kit with you. Best of wishes.

Re: Emergency Bypass leaking rear heater matrix

Posted: Mon May 16, 2016 3:03 pm
by cmm303
Cancel!! A slightly loose clip - I wasn't going to tighten anything around those plastic spigots when miles from anywhere.
Cost : a Scottish handshake and a tenner in the boys lunch fund! These guys are brilliant.

Re: Emergency Bypass leaking rear heater matrix

Posted: Mon May 16, 2016 10:31 pm
by Northern Bongolow
these clips are just not worth the hassle, glad its sorted, keep yer eye on things as a leak here could let air in as well as water out. it usually leaks the built up pressure out as you drive it but as it drops to zero then does it start to suck in air as the system cools down and the pressure goes negative,

Re: Emergency Bypass leaking rear heater matrix

Posted: Mon May 16, 2016 11:00 pm
by cmm303
I feared that. Having driven 6 hours yesterday mostly on Motorway at 60 I didn't notice any loss. Today stopped to admire the view after 15 miles of higher temp driving on 10-20% gradients (temp into 90s) and it started leaking about 15 mins after stopped. I'm guessing that it was the spigot cooling that caused leak. I touched nothing but No further leak as I returned back to civilisation.

They are worm drive constant pressure clips and I was obviously a bit too gentle on the plastic spigots.

Would I see overheating (modified gauge) if air has crept into the system? Done 100+ miles of hilly roads since and gauge is behaving exactly as I would expect. Mainly in 80s with brief excursion into 90s on sustained inclines. Not approached 100 deg.

Have wondered if I should give it a few bleed see saws to check there isn't any air sitting there but as you can imagine it's not something I really want to do unless it seems justified.

Scotland is awesome!

Re: Emergency Bypass leaking rear heater matrix

Posted: Tue May 17, 2016 12:28 am
by Northern Bongolow
keep a good eye on things and go with your hunches, if its not quite right dont ignore it, it may happen rather quickly.

if you see 4 women on motorbikes up the top of scotland west coast etc, say hello to my wife, tell her im ok. 8) 8) . she is touring with the lady riders.

Re: Emergency Bypass leaking rear heater matrix

Posted: Tue May 17, 2016 9:33 am
by Diplomat
Whilst being glad for cmm303 that a bypass wasn't necessary, I had rather hoped that there were going to be some posts with how best to do it.

As I don't really need a rear heater, this could be a worthwhile pre-emptive project.


Frank

Re: Emergency Bypass leaking rear heater matrix

Posted: Tue May 17, 2016 11:45 am
by cmm303
Northern Bongolow wrote:keep a good eye on things and go with your hunches, if its not quite right dont ignore it, it may happen rather quickly.

if you see 4 women on motorbikes up the top of scotland west coast etc, say hello to my wife, tell her im ok. 8) 8) . she is touring with the lady riders.
Thanks for advice. 1.5 eyes on gauge. 0.25 eyes on scenery and the all important 0.25 eyes on the road!!

Promise not to run off the road a pack of lady bikers.

Stopped at site nr Fort William for tomorrow's Harry Potter train ride. Kindred spirit in reception - used to have a Bongo. Apparently knows a good garage! Plenty of advice about not overheating it. Wonder if he would change his mind if we stand there revving it for an hour with a funnel

Next to search out some of that excellent food team Muz found up here.

Re: Emergency Bypass leaking rear heater matrix

Posted: Tue May 17, 2016 8:43 pm
by Northern Bongolow
thats where my mrs is around, if you see them stop her and she will help you bleed it, shes done it often enough. 8) 8) 8)

Re: Emergency Bypass leaking rear heater matrix

Posted: Wed May 18, 2016 10:31 pm
by cmm303
Northern Bongolow wrote:thats where my mrs is around, if you see them stop her and she will help you bleed it, shes done it often enough. 8) 8) 8)
it's done! Not stopping your wife :lol:
Got a little worried that the temp was slightly higher then normal on a level road, nothing like as high on a proper hill, so going with my hunch, wife and I bled the Bongo these evening in Morrison's car park in Fort William. Bit of air first off when first opened up bleed pipe, then nothing except some really really small bubbles as the thermostat opened. Now I know it is ticketyboo for drive over to Skye, Ardnamurchan, Mull, Islay etc

Re: Emergency Bypass leaking rear heater matrix

Posted: Thu May 19, 2016 2:15 pm
by Northern Bongolow
glad your happy and got some air out, its just peace of mind isnt it. 8) 8) .

ps. shes going on to skye too. :lol: :lol:

Re: Emergency Bypass leaking rear heater matrix

Posted: Wed May 25, 2016 9:47 pm
by cmm303
Very off topic, but no 3G around these parts!!

These Scottish isles are awesome. It is another world. Weather has come good. Bongo has done 1300 miles in 10 days. No further glitches. Feels like a mission with the hours spent on meandering single track. Glencoe, Skye, Ardnamurchan, Mull and Iona, now Islay.

Cooling leak has disappeared in the mists of time and Talisker, Tobermory, Oban malts. Just check level each morning. I will nip up all connectors on plastic spigots when home as I was purposefully gentle with these. I found it difficult to tell when these constant pressure clips, especially the smaller diameter ones, were tight enough but still with room for expansion and contraction.

Re: Emergency Bypass leaking rear heater matrix

Posted: Thu May 26, 2016 8:52 am
by mikeonb4c
Great to get your cheerie update Chris. Got a text update yesterday from someone i guided over buying a (95) Bongo. They're in Germany, heading for Slovenia and Croatia. Travel in hope I say!

Re: Emergency Bypass leaking rear heater matrix

Posted: Thu May 26, 2016 9:10 am
by Muzorewa
Don't forget to take plenty of photos and post them up here :wink:

Re: Emergency Bypass leaking rear heater matrix

Posted: Thu May 26, 2016 9:40 am
by teenmal
cmm303 wrote:Very off topic, but no 3G around these parts!!

These Scottish isles are awesome. It is another world. Weather has come good. Bongo has done 1300 miles in 10 days. No further glitches. Feels like a mission with the hours spent on meandering single track. Glencoe, Skye, Ardnamurchan, Mull and Iona, now Islay.

Cooling leak has disappeared in the mists of time and Talisker, Tobermory, Oban malts. Just check level each morning. I will nip up all connectors on plastic spigots when home as I was purposefully gentle with these. I found it difficult to tell when these constant pressure clips, especially the smaller diameter ones, were tight enough but still with room for expansion and contraction.

The good bit is , its only a local call to God.

Enjoy.

:D