Freda went clunk!

[Sar N Ade]

I have a technical query and am happy to do a search but I don't know where to start! We were driving home from our holiday, in the traffic in Taunton, when there was a clunk and a rattle just under where we were sitting (it sounded like something came off then rattled through the engine). We made our way to the nearest car park and Adrian had a look underneath. There was a clean oily liquid dripping out. 3 hours later a very nice man got the van onto the truck and got us home. When it came off the truck it left a trail of this oil-type stuff on the road so a lot will have come out on the journey. Any ideas what this might be? Might it be brake fluid? Once I get some ideas I can do a search to see what we might need to do (and how much it mght cost )

Many thanks

Sarah

PS If you are in the AA make sure you spell 'Freda' as they translated "it's a Ford Freda, like a Mazda Bongo" into "it's a new shape Ford Fiesta" so the chappy nearly drove straight past us.

[missfixit70]

Bugger hard to say without knowing where it's leaking from.
Check the levels on brake fluid reservoir (under bonnet), steering fluid & gear box (under drivers seat) & engine oil under passy seat to see what's dropped.
If it's reddish, it's gearbox or steering, brown-black it's engine oil.

[Sar N Ade]

Thanks Kirsty. Adrian says he will have a look in the morning. It was clean (not black) and didn't seem reddish so we are tending towards the brake fluid. I have checked out the relevent fact sheets.
We just can't work out what the clunk was though...

Not the ideal end to our holiday , although at least we were on the way home, not on the way there.

Sarah

[scanner]

Not the ideal end to our holiday , although at least we were on the way home, not on the way there.

Think of the fuel you saved..................

[jaylee]

Sorry to hear about yer woe folks..

Did the oil light come on?

I wait with baited breath for the outcome... My moneys on the engine oil filter come lose!!

[Sar N Ade]

Cheers Jamie

The oil light didn't come on, but Adrian fitted the oil filter when he changed the oil and he said the oil was dripping from around that area.

So Adrian needs to check the oil filter, and the brake fluid so far... but not during match of the day

Sarah

[aitch]

Hi Sarah

hope you get it fixed without too much trouble or outlay££££

good luck

Aitch

[Sar N Ade]

Cheers Aitch

Well, there has been much scrabbling about under the van this morning, and the gasket on the water pump has sheared off.
The cheapest pump we can find is from Japanese Automotive Solutions (£50), especially as they are out of stock at the Bongo shop.

Do we need to do all the checking of the coolant for air locks etc? We may get our mechanic to do it if it is less straightforward than just replacing the water pump.

Could have been worse - I spent a while in bed last night thinking it was the brake fluid and imagining if it had gone at 60mph on the motorway rather than 10mph in Taunton

Sarah

[steviebongo]

I found a water pump @ £44 from eurocarparts i think theyve just started to do bongo parts?every little helps.

[missfixit70]

You'll have to do a flush & bleed as the water pump is in the coolant system & you've probably lost most of your coolant.
If you're not sure about it, best get your garage do it as long as they are genned up on the bongo.
No coolant alarm fitted then

[waycar8]

the water pump is the same as the ford ranger one, so you will be able to get it through any motor factors

[Sar N Ade]

Thank you StevieBongo - we may well get one from there.

Kirsty - no alarm we have been discussing it for a while ...
I have downloaded the overheating and cooolant fact sheets ready to print off. Adrian may do it himself, but if we decide to go with the mechanic I may well leave the sheets in the van for him. He says he has worked on Bongos before but I'd rather offer the info just in case.

Thank you everyone for your words of advice and sympathy - much appreciated

Sarah

[aitch]

sarah don't know if this will help on ebay

don't know the seler but might be worth a look

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MAZDA-BONGO-2-5-D ... 286.c0.m14

[missfixit70]

QH also do a water pump - Part No. QPC3460, equivalent to MCP3460. I paid under £35 from a trade motor factor.

From the compatible parts list at the top of techie, may be of some help.

[scanner]

He says he has worked on Bongos before............

Now how many times have we heard that before............................



...............things go very, very wrong