Bongo Fury

Hello I hope someone can help me. I am at the end of my piece of string. I have followed the 3 sets of instructions on the fact sheet for bleeding the cooling system and I can’t get the bottom hose warm (thermostat open) before the water in the funnel attached to the bleed pipe starts to boil. I have given each version 1-2 hours. I have put on a skimmed and pressure tested head, new water pump and new thermostat. There are no leaks.
Has anyone come across this before?

Oh dear.

Take a look at these three videos:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jRAKOSxgbKo

Did you test the thermostat before fitting ? I seem to recall at least one person who had a new but duff thermostat supplied ?

Are you confident the radiator isnt old and blocked?

BongoBunny wrote: Wed Jun 26, 2019 5:41 pm Hello I hope someone can help me. I am at the end of my piece of string. I have followed the 3 sets of instructions on the fact sheet for bleeding the cooling system and I can’t get the bottom hose warm (thermostat open) before the water in the funnel attached to the bleed pipe starts to boil. I have given each version 1-2 hours. I have put on a skimmed and pressure tested head, new water pump and new thermostat. There are no leaks.
Has anyone come across this before?

As a wee bit more information.....

What was wrong that you had to have the head skimmed,
Is this the original head or a replacement.?

Hi Bob, Geoff, Mike and Teenmal.
Thanks for your responses, I have had a new radiator in the last 6 months so I hope it’s not that. Following the tip about the ‘stat I have done a very bad thing and taken it out, replacing just the rubber seal. I forgot to mention I’m about 300 miles from home so my options are limited, I will test the ‘stat when I get home and mention to the supplier when I send my old head back (exchange £255 quid so you probably know who they are). Anyway I bled the system without thermostat following the videos and i no longer have to stop every 4 miles. Thanks for your help and I know running without a thermostat is bad but is there anything I should look out for? I will def test any thermostat I replace. Thanks again to you all.

Did it bleed ok once the stat was removed?

Please don't drive it if you haven't bled it.

Sorry Teenmal, I missed your question, it was a cracked cylinder head (probably) which was pressurising the cooling system after a history of cooling problems going back a few years.

Drove about 60 miles yesterday with no overheating problems and dipped the coolant level and it was exactly on full this morning.

I have no way of expressing the relief I feel.

Bob - yes definitely bled and it worked as per the videos recommended.
Just a quick final note to readers to say that while thermostat removal has worked as a ‘get you home’ or in this case ‘get you to finish your North Wales tour holiday’ even in the middle of June the van runs a bit cold which probably affects engine wear and fuel economy and I’m sure if it was in the colder months would render the heater useless.
Thanks again Bongo folk.

Well done.

You've pretty much summed up why the 'stat is there.

Check EGR cooler is not leaking internally (exhaust gas feeding into coolant)