Match up a Radiator! In need ASAP!!!

[chiefster1976]

Hi guys..not only recently i need to match up my rear brake pads i now am in need of a radiator..The top around the seam is starting to drip slightly...rather than mess around with recons or reconditioning mine ill get a new one..
the question now is What other vehicles do the bongo radiator match up with???
I know its a WL engine(diesel 2.5.1995...) i had a mazda bravo B2500 turbo diesel here in Australia which had the same motor but there was a few differences..
is there a CODE on the radiator and will this code be a good indicator to match up to any other mazda/ford cars?? . Thanks guys..

[mikexgough]

PM sent matey....

[aitch]

good luck hope you get it sorted.

[chiefster1976]

thanks guys.. Any part standard numbers on the radiator that i can use to try and match up??

[chiefster1976]

No luck searching for a radiator for the bongo..tried many Radiator so called specialists in brisbane,
carnt even match one up here.. Hence im going to have to import from the u.k.

I noticed water leaking from near the right hand side of the engine today when i came home whilst the van was stood still(engine not running) there is no signs of big leakage just the leak at the top of the radiator. there is plenty of water in the radiator and the expanstion tank.
The leak seems to be coming from the rear heater pipe above the starter motor...but not entirely sure though..hope its not the head gasket!

There is no signs of water in the engine oil..

Can anyone tell me if you have a slight leak in the radiator would that cause the rear heater pipe to either blow a hole or just come loose???
Not sure whether to order a new one just in case with the new radiator?? Any ideas? thanks guys..

[missfixit70]

If the hose is leaking it needs replacing, best thing to do is inspect it & the rest of the 17 hoses to see where/if it's leaking. Hoses & pipes can let go because they're pressurising or just because of old age, the one over the starter is a common one to go , as is the top hose on that side.
If you've got a rad leaking & hoses/pipes leaking I'd check it's not overpressurising when it's running, it could be sucking in air through weeps/pinholes as it cools or it could be the head gasket. I kept having little weeps & leaks & coolant loss issues, turned out to be pressurising as it got worse, head was gone, nonoe of the "normal" signs, ie no margarine in the filler cap, no white smoke/steam form the exhaust & I doubt it would have picked up the gasses in the coolant as I could just about drive it 100 miles as long as I bled it first & didn't stop until I got to where I was going, the hoses would be like rock when I got there. If I did short stop start runs it'd be airlocking after about the 3rd stop even if I was only doing 5 miles or so.
New head etc & it's all ok now.

[Northern Bongolow]

i agree with all kirsty is saying.
im trying to find a link with pipes going/leaking, and the stat going faulty,not found a dirrect link yet,but.
this is purley a guesstimate, if the stat is faulty and the motor running hotter than it should,then this COULD start putting strain on the rad/hoses,it will usually let go at the weakest point.
just something to think about really.

[chiefster1976]

If the hose is leaking it needs replacing, best thing to do is inspect it & the rest of the 17 hoses to see where/if it's leaking. Hoses & pipes can let go because they're pressurising or just because of old age, the one over the starter is a common one to go , as is the top hose on that side.
If you've got a rad leaking & hoses/pipes leaking I'd check it's not overpressurising when it's running, it could be sucking in air through weeps/pinholes as it cools or it could be the head gasket. I kept having little weeps & leaks & coolant loss issues, turned out to be pressurising as it got worse, head was gone, nonoe of the "normal" signs, ie no margarine in the filler cap, no white smoke/steam form the exhaust & I doubt it would have picked up the gasses in the coolant as I could just about drive it 100 miles as long as I bled it first & didn't stop until I got to where I was going, the hoses would be like rock when I got there. If I did short stop start runs it'd be airlocking after about the 3rd stop even if I was only doing 5 miles or so.
New head etc & it's all ok now.

There are no signs at all of coolant leak from rad or expansion tank temperature gauge NORMAL which is good news im guessing..
the rad is only weeping at the top of the header/meets the core..tried to get a rad place to match up the header, but its not worth the hassle..replacment rad and heater hose is whats need i think new coolant in then check for pressurising then i guess it will determine wether the head has gone??Hope not may even get the top hose as precaution...

[missfixit70]

You say temp is normal, have you modified the gauge at all? or are you measuring it any other way then the unmodified gauge? If you are relying on that it ain't gona tell you anything useful until it's already overheated, it sits at 11 oclock from @55degrees to just over 100 degrees so it doesn't scare people by moving You can modify it to give you a better guide - http://www.enginesaver.com.au/Tempgauge.pdf

[chiefster1976]

Always stays on 11 o clock..alwyas has done..no mode done..no coolant loss just the heater pipe under the drivers seat side near the back of the engine(s shape one) has JUST started to leak now..not sure if its
because of pressure or air in the system or wether its just a coincedence thats started to leak?? any ideas??
Hope the head gasket hasnt gone..

Anyways.. Ebay are selling some rads.. One shows the header width of 628mm wide ... Mine is a 2.5 TD 1995 friendee.AFT ..It shows WL02 on top of the rad.. My rad header measures 640mm wide and 650mm wide at the core width...
DO Bongos have differect core/header widths im guessing?? maybe the 628mm is a V6 one??
Looking at mine im sure it has to be 650mm wide because it looks to me like the rad fans have to mount exactly !!!

100 squid is a good price for a radiator.. dont beleive in paying 250 squid for a genuine one.. if its brand new it should work fine in my opinion. they dont make them to leak do they..lol..may not last as long maybe...
Im in Oz so time is of the essence..Bongo is out of action..

, i cannot find a rad place who sell them or can find one that can match one up either..nothing here that seems to match a bongo rad..

[haydn callow]

Putting a cheap rad on could well be a false economy...A lot of the cheap ones only have about a half of the passagways of a genuine one so much less cooling.

Your gauge may well sit at 11'o'clock...but what Kirsty was saying above.....that could mean :-
1...it's running at 60C (unlikely)
2...it's fine and running at 85C
3...It's running at 105C and about to go into meltdown.

When that gauge moves from 11 o'clock you are in deep doodo

The leak above the starter is a common failur point.

But...from your posts you could have Gasket/Head issues...

Same size rad on all bongos as far as I know