Radiator problems

[marmaduke]

When I bought my Bongo the guy selling it said to always fill the radiator with undiluted anti freeze because for some reason this is what the engine prefers! So I have always done this and I have had no problems....until today. Yesterday, I stupidly left my Bongo in my local garage for the brake pads to be changed and at the same time I asked them to check the van over, topping up fluids etc. Well today I have had steam coming out of the radiator and lots of water around the place. On checking further it looks like the water is coming from around the radiator cap. To make a long story short...!! is this because the mechanic did'nt put undiluted anti-freeze in and put diluted in?

Also can I bleed the radiator and replace the fluid with undiluted anti freeze? and does anyone know where I can get a picture of the Bongo engine etc?

Tried to make this short but it looks like it took some explaining...sorry.

Cheers
Marmaduke

[haydn callow]

First off....you shouldn't be filling the radiator with anything.....you should be filling via the expansion tank under the bonnet.
2nd....he dosn't know what he's talking about......undiluted antifreeze is useless at cooling the engine....it should be 30 to 40% antifreeze mixed with water.....it's the water that does the cooling.

3rd....does your garage know anything about Bongos ???? you don't mess with a Bongo cooling system unless you know how it works.....garages who don't work on them regularly will not understand the cooling system.....


Best get your Bongo to a Bongo garage ...get it checked out..


If you have nearly "pure" antifreeze in there ..it need to come out and be refilled/bled properly

[haydn callow]

whereabouts are you....

[missfixit70]

Undiluted antifreeze? You've been sold a good line in BS, should be @50%. If you're having to top it up at all, you've got a problem, you shouldn't have to, it's a sealed pressurised system. Exactly what did the garage do? Did they change the coolant without bleeding it properly? Could be airlocked, but don't drive it until you've bled it properly, there's a factsheet in the members area & there are videos on youtube showing one of the methods for bleeding.
As for engine schematics - http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... =3&t=34517
Beaten to it by Haydn

[haydn callow]

YESSSSSSSS....got you at last.....

[missfixit70]

YESSSSSSSS....got you at last.....

Had to happen sometime

[mikeonb4c]

You have to wonder if the garage refitted the rad cap properly

I agree with Kirsty and Haydn - the garage seem to be telling a very odd tale

[Diplomat]

...Exactly what did the garage do?

Opened the radiator cap, oops !!!

[mikexgough]

Dunno why a garage would remove the radiator cap if checking levels.....when the header tank cap is "in your face" and the rad cap is under the air scoop that they would have had to remove.. as for the "Top up with neat antifreeze" it is dependent on what is in the system....some folks say that so you don't dilute the coolant mix anymore, not a good way of doing things but it happens.... some are not as savvy to use premixed coolant.... in fact some people don't even know you can get premix...