Help with Over heating and starting

[dblake]

Recently back from a holiday in Cornwall - lovely time etc but had a couple of problems with the Bongo.

Firstly I had an overheat - never had a flicker from the temp needle before but started to rise rapidly when set off on a trip to Post Issac. Pulled over just as it I heard water escaping from the header tank and called Green Flag. Guy turned up, no obvious water loss from anywhere and fans/belts all fine. Topped up the water,whipped out the bleed pipe (something i never even knew existed!) and proceded to do a an improptu bleed. All fine for the rest of the week about 350km)! Day before due to come back same again, needle starting to rise. I read up about bleeding on here and did some of my own. All fine again until i was back home (again about another 350km). Did another bleed and temp was fine again on next run. Not used it this last week but checked radiator level last night and had to top up with 1.5l to to top.

Any ideas whats going on? Again no obvious water loss from anywhere. Does is still sound like the coolant system isnt full and/or has airlocks?

Secondly,while away inbetween all of this i started to have some starting problems. Turn ignition, all lights are on,turn to start and nothing. All lights go off, fans off but engine didnt turn. A few more turns and pedal and eventually it starts. Has become more frequent since it first happened. Though it was battery at first but thats fully charged. Think its related to the overheat? Or is it glowpulgs/starter motor?

Have had a read of varioustopicson here but cant pinpoint what my problems are for certain- any advice would be greatly appriciated.

Dave

[haydn callow]

Suggest you get in contact with Discount Trucks @ Newbury and get it sorted....Afraid it's not sounding good.

[dblake]

thanks Haydn

[wonkanoby]

assuming its a 2.5td without winter pack then there is a kit on ebay

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MAZDA-BONGO-FORD- ... 3a64f071a3

[321Away]

sounds like you need starter rebuilt and from what your saying, i'd park the car somewhere dry overnite and look for a small leak.
Julian

[Northern Bongolow]

hi leaving aside the seperate electrical issue you must have a leak somewhere or worse.
taking it from the start get it pressure tested for leaks,judging by what its doing, and the time its taking i would hazard a guess at the waterpump,this usually leaks when the engine is hot and is not seen,but when it cools it sucks in air,then you have the air lock problem.
do a search on here,there is a recent good thread written by widdowson2008 which covers how and where they leak.
a pressure test is the starting point though,especially for these hard to find leaks.
good luck.

you say that you have bled it, did you use the method shown in the 3 video's on youtube(how to bleed a mazda bongo) or another method.

[mikexgough]

Looking at this logically....... there is a small leak somewhere and the starter has suddenly begun to "play up".
Personally....I think they are linked,,, as I hazard a guess that there is a pin hole leak in the rear heater hose which runs over the [img=http://www.japautosolutions.com/acatalog/info_1451.html]Starter motor[/img] that opens up when the coolant is really hot.
For me, the roads around Port Issac are where the Bongo engine gets a bit of a workout and as the Bongo went ok over 700 km too but for a slow loss of coolant, I would a) pressure test or b) check coolant, drive bongo out to warm up....when back home...lift engine covers and let the engine idle while you take a look around for the leak, as the pressure builds the leak will be apparent if it's a hose...
I also feel the hose I have indicated is the culprit and it has been spraying the starter motor with coolant and accelerated it's demise.
I'd like to know the eventual outcome...