Header tanks again

Technical questions and answers about the Mazda Bongo

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haydn callow
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Header tanks again

Post by haydn callow » Tue May 03, 2011 1:15 pm

Just had a Bongo round (not a forum member) who wanted a alarm fitting to try and monitor a annoying slight coolant loss (about a cupful a month).....Had a quick look round the hoses etc and nothing.....looked under the tank and there it was......problem solved......a year ago I would never have looked under there......

I replaced the tank with another that had signs of internal cracks but not actually leaking....

See links below for background to this problem. (with photo's of cracks)

http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... water+pump

http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... 70&t=48249
http://www.coolantalarm.co.uk
Developer of the Mazda Bongo Coolant loss Alarm
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mikeonb4c
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Re: Header tanks again

Post by mikeonb4c » Tue May 03, 2011 1:27 pm

This is beginning to sound interesting.

But my cure-all for all this is to fit an LCA, then I don't have to spend (waste!) time double-guessing what may go and when. I realise that I really ought to extend this logic to fitting a temp alarm of some sort, but I put the LCA as the first/simplest precautionary measure.
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haydn callow
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Re: Header tanks again

Post by haydn callow » Tue May 03, 2011 1:42 pm

Can someone tell me why it is so important to have so many baffels inside the tank.....I have heard about degassing etc but many vehicles do not use baffeled tanks.......why would degassing not take place in a tank with 1 or 2 baffels or indeed none at all???

To knock up a metal tank would be quite simple were it not for the amount af baffels.

Also to have some plastic ones made would be far simpler,
http://www.coolantalarm.co.uk
Developer of the Mazda Bongo Coolant loss Alarm
Also BMW Clocks
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mikeonb4c
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Re: Header tanks again

Post by mikeonb4c » Tue May 03, 2011 1:48 pm

haydn callow wrote:Can someone tell me why it is so important to have so many baffels inside the tank.....I have heard about degassing etc but many vehicles do not use baffeled tanks.......why would degassing not take place in a tank with 1 or 2 baffels or indeed none at all???

To knock up a metal tank would be quite simple were it not for the amount af baffels.

Also to have some plastic ones made would be far simpler,
Didn't we discuss this all a long time ago? For my money, rigidity (static and dynamic - e.g. to reduce flexing under pressure, reduce fatigue problem through minimising vibrations sympathetic with engine etc.) might well figure in there., given what we are now seeing in terms of cracking.
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Re: Header tanks again

Post by haydn callow » Tue May 03, 2011 1:49 pm

I think your approach is probably sensible Mike....I have never seen a tank with more than a very slight weep under pressure........once you know what the problem is then you are half way there and regular monitoring of the level in the tank should suffice......

It would be nice though if we could get tanks (as per Delica club) for £40/50 instead of Mazda's £130 ish'

I know of Delica's who have had after market tanks fitted for 6 years and they seem well up to the job.....perhaps even better than their factory ones...
http://www.coolantalarm.co.uk
Developer of the Mazda Bongo Coolant loss Alarm
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Re: Header tanks again

Post by mikeonb4c » Tue May 03, 2011 1:56 pm

haydn callow wrote:I think your approach is probably sensible Mike....I have never seen a tank with more than a very slight weep under pressure........once you know what the problem is then you are half way there and regular monitoring of the level in the tank should suffice......

It would be nice though if we could get tanks (as per Delica club) for £40/50 instead of Mazda's £130 ish'

I know of Delica's who have had after market tanks fitted for 6 years and they seem well up to the job.....perhaps even better than their factory ones...
I'd like to see a whole network of niche replacement parts for Bongo's get going (actually it does appear to be growing, its just that some of the prices are not as nice as we'd like them to be) rather like the MG Owners club (of which I was an early member - I always remember the founder called himself Bentley Roche, to appeal to MG snobbery?) did in the 1970s. Then we can - with luck - keep these great cars going well into the future.
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Re: Header tanks again

Post by mikexgough » Tue May 03, 2011 4:21 pm

Should anyone feel the need to get a header tank.... £100.09 http://www.japautosolutions.com/acatalog/cooling.html bottom of the page....
Conversant with Bongo Top Pinion Oil Seals

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westonwarrior
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Re: Header tanks again

Post by westonwarrior » Tue May 03, 2011 4:33 pm

good link that Mike thanks
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haydn callow
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Re: Header tanks again

Post by haydn callow » Tue May 03, 2011 4:37 pm

£108.59 delivered.....not bad at all....
http://www.coolantalarm.co.uk
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Re: Header tanks again

Post by widdowson2008 » Tue May 03, 2011 4:52 pm

haydn callow wrote:Can someone tell me why it is so important to have so many baffels inside the tank.....I have heard about degassing etc but many vehicles do not use baffeled tanks.......why would degassing not take place in a tank with 1 or 2 baffels or indeed none at all???........,
Not sure about degassing side. Mikes point about stability/strength seems logical though.
When I looked at it, I initially thought the compartments were to stop the coolant slushing around too much. Similar construction to a milk or petrol tanker which are compatmentalised to prevent the vehicle having problems when hard braking.
http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... 4&start=75
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Re: Header tanks again

Post by mikexgough » Tue May 03, 2011 5:35 pm

A US patent of degas bottle....fairly general but shows the chambers etc.....some light reading ...
here
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Re: Header tanks again

Post by francophile1947 » Tue May 03, 2011 6:00 pm

mikexgough wrote:Should anyone feel the need to get a header tank.... £100.09 http://www.japautosolutions.com/acatalog/cooling.html bottom of the page....
If a British firm is stocking them, I suspect there must actually be a demand for them nowadays :(
mikexgough wrote:A US patent of degas bottle....fairly general but shows the chambers etc.....some light reading ...
here
Link wont work for me Mike :(
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haydn callow
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Re: Header tanks again

Post by haydn callow » Tue May 03, 2011 6:07 pm

Nor me !!
http://www.coolantalarm.co.uk
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Re: Header tanks again

Post by maxheadroom » Tue May 03, 2011 6:10 pm

I would think the baffles are for strength and when you go around a long right hand bend the in / out pipes are still immersed in coolant so stopping air intake :D
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Re: Header tanks again

Post by haydn callow » Tue May 03, 2011 6:46 pm

MAX...I would think 2 or 3 baffels would acheive that
http://www.coolantalarm.co.uk
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