Bongo Fury

Hi all!

Looking for some help and advice please.

My Bongo was recently popped a hole in a steel water pipe and chucked all the water out. I topped it back up with water and limped it back home. After taking it to a garage, they cut off the rotten piece of pipe with the hole, bled it back up, but diagnosed it with a blown head gasket or cracked head, after it was starting lumpy, vapouring white smoke a lot and temp gauge rising too high.

I've had a reconditioned head fitted, new head gasket, thermostat, water pump (and timing belt whilst it was off).

The fans all get warm/hot, temp gauge runs just below half when stationary - but then starts to rise above half when driving. The fans stay warm but bottom hose goes cold. They're going to check the other coolant hoses for blockages, as some of the pipes are crunchy inside.

Any help is much appreciated, as we're going to Holland in it in 2 weeks time!

Thanks!!!

My first thought is 'Was it bled properly'?

Did you use a garage familiar with Bongos, and is it a diesel?

Certainly worth flushing out the system since it has build up of crud in some hoses, and it will need bleeding again.

Good luck.

Hi Bob

No, wasn't a Bongo specialist. Is at a garage on my industrial estate. They are very good and have know the guys a long time, but that doesn't always mean anything I guess.

It's no longer vapouring, and coolant level doesn't really drop, it's just the temp gauge rising above half.

Sounds like they did a good job to me and it's doing exactly what it should do which is to give the engine cooler water via the stat when it needs it.
The best way to test the system is to park it up and warm the engine up to temp, then increase the revs until the fans come on at the front, if they come on you are over the stat opening temp so all the coolant pipes should be of similar temps, this method takes away the effect of the airflow while driving.

Ah, ok. So should the bottom hose go back to cold after its been hot whilst still running?

The bottom hose should always be cooler, not cold when running normally, or the rad isn't doing it's job

Agree with the above, it might be worth you going on Utube and searching ‘bleeding bongos’ watch the 3 short videos and then ask the garage if they went through that process or vacuum bled. As they were not a Bongo savvy garage they may not be aware how important correct bleeding is when working on a Bongo. You cannot just fill a Bongo cooling system up and treat it like any other car.

Thanks for the replies guy. It certainly looks like it's coming down to the bleeding.

Funny you should mention the 3 part video on YouTube - I watched it on YouTube on Saturday morning! I sent the mechanic the links.

Hi guys. Successful trip to Holland! Come back on Friday. After following the 3 part YouTube videos, I bled it myself. Chuffed to bits. Faith restored!!!

Thanks for the advice everyone. Top forum.

Nice one.