Major Service

rwill19050 · Post by **rwill19050** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 11:37 am

I gave Bongo a major service yesterday.
All filters,oil change and coolant flush and renew.

The fuel filter was a pig to get to.
Easy to see but no room to manoeuvre, so I made it easy... I just undid the two 11mm nuts holding the assembly in place, lifted it up onto the chassis, being careful not to stress the rubber pipes, and whacked a screwdriver into the filter.
Replaced it while it was 'up', bolted down the assembly, refitted the float and there it was. Simple really.
Remember to first loosen the float assembly and allow the filter to drain into a container.
The worst bit of the whole job was replacing the big black plastic 'under cover'
So, now fully serviced, new glow plugs fitted, and a switch in the glow plug relay enable line, we should be OK for the winter, fingers crossed.

Happy Christmas, and a Prosperous and trouble free Bongoing New Year to you all.

Pat and Richard Williams

mazdanut · Post by **mazdanut** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 1:36 pm

Not loitering with "Tin Tent" I hope

rwill19050 · Post by **rwill19050** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 8:17 pm

mazdanut wrote:Not loitering with "Tin Tent" I hope

As soon as we can after Christmas, not us, the fair weather campers

Timnz · Post by **Timnz** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 6:24 am

I have a great way of changing the fuel filter, without removing the cover, you can unplug the electrical connection, unbolt the bracket, then bolt it on again upside down, with the filter sticking up, if you remove the air intake pipe, then you can get enough purchase on the filter with your bare hands to get it off easy, then put the new one on, and bolt it up again...
easy and painless...

cezeta · Post by **cezeta** » Sun Jan 07, 2007 6:20 pm

Timnz wrote:I have a great way of changing the fuel filter, without removing the cover, you can unplug the electrical connection, unbolt the bracket, then bolt it on again upside down, with the filter sticking up, if you remove the air intake pipe, then you can get enough purchase on the filter with your bare hands to get it off easy, then put the new one on, and bolt it up again...
easy and painless...

yep......that works, did it today. thanks tim.

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Sun Jan 07, 2007 9:05 pm

rwill19050 - V interested to hear how you did coolant flush, how bleeding went, and what % antifreeze you put in (gets expensive at 50% but is it necessary in UK climate?). I'm going to fo mine plus change thermostat for good measure. Interested in advice on how to backflush the radiator etc. using standard garden hose type equipment

Peg leg Pete · Post by **Peg leg Pete** » Sun Jan 07, 2007 10:46 pm

Mike to flush the radiator I removed the plug at the base of the radiator and emptied out old very dirty coolant

I then placed hose pipe into the radiator with the radiator cap removed(obviously) and gave a thorough blasting. I also gave it the same treatment through the drain hole at the bottom of the radiator too, due to the poor quality of coolant originally in the system and a big overheat I also ran some holts radflush through also. I refilled with coolant and bled the system good luck

chiefster1976 · Post by **chiefster1976** » Sun Jan 07, 2007 10:57 pm

Timnz wrote:I have a great way of changing the fuel filter, without removing the cover, you can unplug the electrical connection, unbolt the bracket, then bolt it on again upside down, with the filter sticking up, if you remove the air intake pipe, then you can get enough purchase on the filter with your bare hands to get it off easy, then put the new one on, and bolt it up again...
easy and painless...

I guess the fuel filter is self priming then fitting it upside down.....Only personally fitted train filters which must be primmed..hence must be upright...Never done one on a car/van....

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Sun Jan 07, 2007 11:00 pm

Thanks Peter - I'll keep that in a note for when I do the job - a great help

Mike

chiefster1976 · Post by **chiefster1976** » Sun Jan 07, 2007 11:02 pm

anyone got a picture of the fuel filter???much appreciated...had mine done apparently by the garage but when i looked the thing looked old(not been replaced)
I guessed it is the cylinder unit which is upright directly left of the air box filter under drivers side. Is this correct???
If so i have been done....and the garage will be getting a piece of my mind......

Peg leg Pete · Post by **Peg leg Pete** » Sun Jan 07, 2007 11:06 pm

You cannot see from the outside of the fuel filter if it has been changed, so I think you can trust the garage to have changed it, but if in any doubt go back and get assurance

cezeta · Post by **cezeta** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 9:38 pm

chiefster1976 wrote:
Timnz wrote:I have a great way of changing the fuel filter, without removing the cover, you can unplug the electrical connection, unbolt the bracket, then bolt it on again upside down, with the filter sticking up, if you remove the air intake pipe, then you can get enough purchase on the filter with your bare hands to get it off easy, then put the new one on, and bolt it up again...
easy and painless...
I guess the fuel filter is self priming then fitting it upside down.....Only personally fitted train filters which must be primmed..hence must be upright...Never done one on a car/van....

i filled it up with diesel and screwed it back in the right way round.....diesel stinks.....why cant they run vans on lilly of the vally or something

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 10:02 pm

Interesting. I had the Workshop Manual to hand (Oh look at him so oity toity) and it explained how to prime the system by pressing the little pump thing on top of the filter housing. Fine except mine didnt have one. Luckily I recalled on the Forum one of the tribal elders saying they were self priming, so I guess the Manual refers to the 1924 model Bongo. Nothing for it then but to start it and see what happens (and just to make like more exciting I loosened the air bleed screw as mentioned by the Manual in case it liked that). Well she started straight away, then started to die away a bit, so I closed the air bleed screw hastily and she gave a little cough and settled down to a nice purr, which seemed to suggest that opening it was NOT the right thing to do.

Zen and the Art of Bongo Maintenance eh (ask the tribal elders about that you young surfer dudes

)

Thinks- expect lots of indignant replies about patronising old bloke etc.

Post by **francophile1947** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 10:22 pm

Too true Mike
Just who the heck are you calling "young"??? - I'm old enough to be your big brother!!

cezeta · Post by **cezeta** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 10:25 pm

where is the bleeding screw mike, i used the old fashioned way of backing off the injectors and bled them like a domestic radiator. if there is a bleed screw then that would be better.

I had a chevy van and that had what looked like a tyre valve along one of the pipes, i took the cap off and pressed the valve. it wisted and farted then spat petrol on me. started perfectly after an overnight stand after that.