Oil, Oil filter, Air filter & other maintenance

[GowerOsprey]

Hi all

Apologies if these answers are elsewhere on the forum, I've searched until my eyes bled and couldn't find a thread that answered all of my questions!

I bought my Bongo in August last year from an importer here in South Wales and it has been running sweetly since. I even managed to get 30mpg on a trip to NE England, cruising at 70mph all the way!

However, since we're now planning to get some "proper" use out of it over the next couple of months I wanted to get some maintenance and upkeep done first.

The first and most obvious thing I'd like to do is change the oil. I've read in a number of places that the best oil is 10W/30, but the 10W/30 oil sold in Halfords is labelled as motorcycle or four stroke oil. Does this matter? Is there anywhere anybody can recommend that sells good quality oil cheaper than Halfords? I've done an eBay search and the price of the Castrol (motorcycle) oil Halfords sells is comparable with anything on there.

I've also read that I should change the oil filter and copper washer. Where can I get these from?

Could someone also please advise as to when I should be changing my transmission fluid and air filter?

And is there anything else that should be changed/replaced/given a good whack with a hammer regularly?!

Apologies for the essay, my years as a teacher have taught me never to use one word when fifteen can do just as well, if not worse!

Thanks in advance.

[Northern Bongolow]

hi, please help us to help you by saying which bongo you are running. diesel /petrol/2ltr/v6.
most service parts are available from the bongo fury shop,or mazda dealers.

[mikexgough]

Advice from Northern Bonglow is sound...... what Bongo you have for filters is key to what you need.....

Also it depends whether you are putting on the mechanics gloves or getting a.n other to do it for you .....
On the filter front, many now are fitting K&N air filters, which just need periodical cleaning & re-oiling.
As for the other filters and parts , the Club shop have them or you can use Mazda deaers or one of the Japanese parts specialistsLike these folks (many now have O.E parts but not in Mazda boxes so saving £££)

[binky]

Motor Factors who supply trade and public sell oil below prices at Hellfrauds with brands such as Comma. Also look for a 'Scats' Outdoor store near you. They sell 5 litre packs of synth. base Total oil for about £15, anitfreeze at £10 /5 litres.

Otherwise Halfords often have 2 for 1 deals on engine oil, at which point all of the car fora light up and people queue to get it.

Tesco also sell oil, though at £20.00 for 5 litres for the synthetic stuff.

[wonkanoby]

wilkinsons sell oil cheap

[GowerOsprey]

Thanks all for replying so quickly.

I've got a 1997 R reg Bongo.

I've ordered the filter kit from JAS so will look to do the oil change this weekend. Apologies if I'm labouring the point, but will any 10W30 oil do? What exactly is the difference between motorbike and car oil?

Also, since I've ordered the filter kit, should I change the air and fuel filters now? And how often should I then be changing them afterwards?

[dext924]

Hi Osprey

I too have an R reg bongo. I have just done the lot on mine. I got semi syn from Wilkos as it was only £12 for 5 ltrs on special. Got the filter kit off internet and done the lot at the same time. Oil, I have been told every 6-12 months depending on miles done, or 6000 miles. Bike oil as far as I know it much higher quality, costs a lot more and not suitable for diesel engines. Plus they usually only do it in 1 ltr bottles. You need at lest 6, so buy 7! I bought 2x5 ltr bottles so I have spare. Some dont change fuel filters for a few years, but I have done mine as what harm can it do? And air filter, that done as well. I figure for what little it costs, then its worth it in the long run doing it every year at least. Changing the oil is easy, just need a shallow tray holding 7 ltrs of fluid. Shallow, cos it needs to get under the bongo! Took me about an hour to do everything, and had no leaks since

[lazyb5]

Hi osprey i use a synthetic oil but you can use semi as well but i go for the 5w -30
I was a bit confused when you say you can only find bike oil in Halfords http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... RRWidgetID
this would do although you need 2 of them because the bongo uses about 6.5 litres.
The filter you should be able to get from most motorfactors but the copper washer is for the sump plug and is usually changed when you drain the oil out.

Hope that helps.

[mikeonb4c]

Hi osprey i use a synthetic oil but you can use semi as well but i go for the 5w -30
I was a bit confused when you say you can only find bike oil in Halfords http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... RRWidgetID
this would do although you need 2 of them because the bongo uses about 6.5 litres.
The filter you should be able to get from most motorfactors but the copper washer is for the sump plug and is usually changed when you drain the oil out.

Hope that helps.

Yup I use 5W/30 (semi-synthetic, make sure it says its for diesel engines) wherever I can get it at a reasonable price (I'm not in Costco etc. but I gather they do good stuff at good prices).

Change oil filter every other oil change. I change oil at around 5k miles.

A Pela pump is an excellent investment as you can suck old oil (all of it) via the dipstick hole so no messing around with removing the sump plug and the job becomes so clean and simple you could do it in your best suit while working on your laptop.

The Pela will also be invaluable if/when you decide to change the automatic transmission fluid as you can suck out a fair bit of the old ATF before you drop the gearbox sump pan, so you don't spill old stuff everywhere.

[GowerOsprey]

Thanks for your help guys...off to Wilko's it is then!

Lazyb5, I was looking exclusively for 10w30 on the Halfords website. If you search for "10W30" it finds only fork oil(??!!) and if you search for "10W/30" it finds motorcycle oil. But I am going to follow you and mikeonb4c and go for 5W30, and a Pela pump could be on the shopping list too!

Big thanks again to everyone.

[TonyBee]

Just to add to the other recommendations a Pela pump is an essential purchase, worth every single penny. The 6 litre version is an ideal size.

Tony

[bigdaddycain]

I've now made the change from 10/40 semi synth engine oil to 5/30 semi synth oil. £40 for 25 litres at Costco. (chevron branded).

I, like mike, replace the oil filter every other change, interim changes are taken care of with my pela pump. (quick and convenient).

I fitted a K&N filter when they became available for the bongo some years back... All that's needed with the K&N is the re-oiling and cleaning kit (about a tenner) The kit takes care of 3-4 filter "re-charges".

My major servicing schedule is in line with my coolant change schedule, every two years i replace the coolant, and transmission fluid, diff oil etc. Cambelt replaced every 5 years or 20,000 miles.

Interim servicing (engine oil/filters etc) Is twice a year, or every 3000 miles (whichever comes first) The service shedule is my own imposed scheme based on being a veteran bongo owner with an eye to preventative maintenance. (no breakdowns in over 7 years of ownership)

[bigdaddycain]

Just to add to the other recommendations a Pela pump is an essential purchase, worth every single penny. The 6 litre version is an ideal size.

Tony

I couldn't agree more Tony

[GowerOsprey]

I've got one question about the Pela pump:

I was always under the impression that the sump plug was situated where it was to allow any sludge that has built up to drain away more easily; do the Pela pumps remove that as well?

[daveblueozzie]

I've got one question about the Pela pump:

I was always under the impression that the sump plug was situated where it was to allow any sludge that has built up to drain away more easily; do the Pela pumps remove that as well?

The simple answer is no.
What the pela does is take most of the oil out without having to remove the sump plug, and then to replace what you have taken out.
Or the pela takes out most of the oil then you can remove the sump plug and not have to worry about litres of oil all over the place.