2.5 TD - not really pulling as well as it should

[Driver+Passengers]

I got to drive a 'courtesy Bongo' today, and it was a heck of a lot more lively than my own.

I had suspicions during the pre-sale test drive of my Bongo that the turbo wasn't giving me what I thought it should. I think I can hear the turbo spinning up ok, but there's no oomph. Fuel/banjo filter are still on my list of things to check. There are no electricuted pig noises.

We lifted the front seats, and prodded the tubing to the turbo which all appears firmly in place (splits TBD). I also tried to loosen the banjo filter allen bolt but broke my allen key!, However, we happened upon a small rubber hose under the driver's seat that had split, perished and disconnected. It appears very top right of the driver's seat cavity and is no longer than a foot long or so. Diameter probably 5mm? It connects to something just under the inlet manifold, and my mate reckoned it was a vacuum advance tube and could be implicated in timing/performance.

I've had a few beers now, but before drinking and having shortened, reconnected and taped/zip-tied this wee pipe, a short blast along the dual carriageway gave me a slightly improved "seat of the pants" feel.

I know it's difficult without a photo, but if the description of this wee tube already makes sense to anyone, what did I just do to my Bongo?

[Driver+Passengers]

Should have said that I've clicked through some of the parts diagrams on lushprojects.com, and searched the forum for vacuum advance, but I hope you'll forgive me for not really knowing what I'm looking for.

[321Away]

Is yours a 4wd? and was the courtesy car a 2wd? the 2wd's are slightly nippier
Julian

[Driver+Passengers]

Is yours a 4wd? and was the courtesy car a 2wd? the 2wd's are slightly nippier

Mine is 4wd. Don't know about the other, but it was converted (heavier?) whereas mine is a straight 8 seater. I think the hose has helped, but I doubt whether I'm finished tinkering yet.

[jaylee]

Can you see the hose on here...?

Not my Bongo..!

[Driver+Passengers]

Can you see the hose on here...?

Aye! Unless I'm mistaken it's the thin tube running fore-aft just above the letter 'B'.

Spurred on and sober, I can now see 93-4104 on http://www.lushprojects.com/bongopartsm ... mgno=.html and http://www.lushprojects.com/bongopartsm ... mgno=.html.

From the diagram and the photo you linked, it also looks like there should be two spring clips. My rubber tube looked too small for the nipples and certainly thinner than the one in the photo, and there were no clips. I'll measure the diameter of the nipple and source new hose and zip ties should prevent it slipping back off the nipples.

Northern Bongolow confirmed in a PM in response to my earlier posts "that is exactly what that little pipe does".

Do you reckon I should see better performance with it reattached?

[munroman]

A couple of things:

1) You seem to be getting very good fuel consumption, could it be that the Bongo is running a bit 'lean', i.e. short on fuelling?

2) You mention breaking an Allen key trying to take off the Banjo filter, it is a 5mm key, worth getting a good one as it does seem very tight, but I think you really have to get the banjo and fuel filter cleaned/changed before chasing any other problems.

[Driver+Passengers]

Hi, munroman.

1) You seem to be getting very good fuel consumption, could it be that the Bongo is running a bit 'lean', i.e. short on fuelling?

I don't know. I was pretty light on the throttle though, as pushing it harder seemed to give lots of noise and not a lot else.

2) You mention breaking an Allen key trying to take off the Banjo filter, it is a 5mm key, worth getting a good one as it does seem very tight, but I think you really have to get the banjo and fuel filter cleaned/changed before chasing any other problems.

That was my good one - due to lack of space, I had to go in behind the fat black hose using the full length of the allen key and use a ring spanner for assistance - this sheared the round end of the allen key at the 'neck'. I'll grind it square and have another go. Not before a quick squirt of WD40, though. Fuel filter was done during pre-sale service (speaking of which, that's the import/service documentation just dropped through the letterbox...)

[jaylee]

They have a habit of splitting along the seam.... I noticed mine was going when i removed it to cut when fitting a turbo gauge.. I replaced it with a new length with the same internal diameter as an unfitted to the nipple cut section.. though the wall to the new section on the pipe was slightly thicker..

Do you reckon I should see better performance with it reattached?

It won't do any harm...! Though there may also be other contributing factors to yer performance lacklustre..?

[Driver+Passengers]

They have a habit of splitting along the seam.... I noticed mine was going when i removed it to cut when fitting a turbo gauge.. I replaced it with a new length with the same internal diameter as an unfitted to the nipple cut section.. though the wall to the new section on the pipe was slightly thicker..

Yeah, mine had split along the seam at the aft end, the fore end connected to the inlet manifold elbow had perished around the nipple rim and opened up a little. I cut the aft end beyond the split, taped to prevent splitting when refitting and finally zip tied it in place - just taped round the perished hole in the fore end. Clearly not a permanent fix and I intend to replace the tube completely, today if I can. Any recollection what diameter you used?

Do you reckon I should see better performance with it reattached?

It won't do any harm...! Though there may also be other contributing factors to yer performance lacklustre..?

I have no doubt!

[jaylee]

Yep, i cut away the split.. & on refitting it split again!! I think the replacement hose was 5mm.. (internal diameter.) I remember asking about it on here at the time!? Also got used a jubilee clip to hold it on the nipple due to a slightly thicker hose wall... Though i was careful not to over tighten..

Found the topic... http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... turbo+hose

This link could help too?? (maybe.) http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... ilit=turbo