Coolant question

[RSams]

Hi all, sorry if this has been asked before - I spent a while looking before asking (and learnt a few things as always! ). Is there a specific / recommended coolant to use on Bongos ? Ours was flickering on / off hot the other day, so I thought the first to do would be to top up the coolant. I was going to stick water in then suddenly though "hold on a minute...".
Thanks,
Rich

[Northern Bongolow]

hi and welcome to the forum. 1st question is has your temp gauge been modified or does it usually read 11 0clock.
next is it a petrol or diesel

[missfixit70]

Depends what you've got in there already, most important thing is not to mix incompatible coolants, if in doubt, add water & if it needs topping up question why? There's a factsheet on coolants in the members area I think.
What was flickering on/off hot?

[scanner]

The answer is you top up the coolant with the same sort that is in there.

If you don't know what sort is in there you should change it (ensuring the system is properly bled afterwards) and then continue to use the same type thereafter.

The comment on the temp gauge is important DO NOT rely on an unmodified standard gauge - when it says hot it means it has been hot for too long already.

[RSams]

Hi, it's a '95 TD. I wasn't in the car, but Carmen (other half) was driving. She said the temp gauge was going to the Hot level and back down again. If the C is 10 o'clock and the H 2 o'clock - about 13:55 ! She stopped for a few mins then drove on, it did the same. In the end we put water in (over a litre) and went out in it for about 15 mins. The temp gauge during that time never went past about (say) 11 o'clock. I went out again yesterday for about 20 mins and all seemed fine. We got it 3 weeks ago, went off camping pretty much straight off - so in the first 10 days it must have done about 600 miles.

Thanks for the advice given, I will follow up on that. Also been reading about the coolant alarm, so that looks like a good investment as well.

[missfixit70]

You need to find out where the coolant went & if you had to put a litre of coolant in, it may well have an airlock & need bleeding, check the heaters get hot when it's warmed up. The coolant alarm will tell you the level has dropped but the temp gauge should not move past @11 oclock during normal running unless it's been modified, it stays at that point from @55 degrees to over 100 degrees, as it's dumbed down so people dont' get scared by it moving once it's moving it's already too hot. You can modify the gauge as per these instructions http://www.enginesaver.com.au/Tempgauge.pdf or fit a mason alarm that provides a settable temp alarm too - http://www.townace.plus.com/ie/ietemga2.htm

[haydn callow]

From reading your posts....I personally would not drive that Bongo anywhere untill you get it checked out by a forum recommended BONGO garage.......Sounds as though it may have problems.

[bigdaddycain]

Hi all, sorry if this has been asked before - I spent a while looking before asking (and learnt a few things as always! ). Is there a specific / recommended coolant to use on Bongos ? Ours was flickering on / off hot the other day, so I thought the first to do would be to top up the coolant. I was going to stick water in then suddenly though "hold on a minute...".
Thanks,
Rich

As scanner rightly says, top up with the correct coolant, (the same as is already in there if it's the correct type) But if there is no way of knowing exactly what's in there, then a complete coolant change is required i'm afraid. (plus a bleed). Confusion can occur though, as the correct coolant is a different colour in japan as it is in europe. This is where problems occur as the correct colour coolant can be added, but it has the wrong chemical properties! Thus a mixmatch occurs, in the worst case scenario mix matched coolants can gel (and will almost certainly cancel ouut each others cooling/anti-rusting properties). On a short term basis though, you have done the right thing by adding just water. The underlying issue of why the coolant was below level does need to be looked into though. If you do have to use the bongo (i know not all of us have a multi-car garage) Keep an eye on the levels, and heater output as previously mentioned, and carry a few spare bottles of water just in case...