have i done my head/gasket in?

[bongobenny3]

Firstly I'm sorry for another overheating question , but I'm confused and afraid that something bad might have happend to my 2.5 diesel 1999 (new) 2wd tin top bongo, drove home from mums yesterday 10miles back roads 20 minutes, when i pulled in drive it smelt hot (you know that coolant smell), so checked everything no leaks, header still full, temp gauge pointing to bottom of thermo symbol as usual, and no bubbling sound, oil also fine,and top hose hot bottom hose hot,and idling slightly off normal, but today after 2 20 mile drives car very hot, top hose seeping water and swelled up and engine made two or three loud tinging noises, but gauge normal, top hose v hot, bottom hose warm no fluid loss or bubbling, does anyone think something serious has happened with the head. again sorry for such a familiar post , but other head problem posts include boil ups. hope for an idea and wishing for good news

[westonwarrior]

It could be the top hose has given in causing it to loose pressure and the boiling point will come down with out the pressure its designed to work with.

I had a focus that boiled the coolant when the water pump was iffy so yours may be similar but I am not sure its boiling a tinging sound like a ping was allways normal on my diesel when hot

even if you had blown a gasket the pipe would not swell itwould just blow the coolant out of the expansion cap

[missfixit70]

Don't expect the temp gauge to tell you too much TBH, it is dumbed down fairly seriously (there is a fairly easy/cheap mod you can do to make it a bit more useful), but the fact it hasn't gone up at all is a good thing, check the level in the header when it's cooled a bit, be careful as you take the cap off, if you can't see through the header tank use a lolly stick or something as a dipstick, it should show @20mm with it dipped vertically. If there is no coolant in it, do not just top it up & drive, it will probably need bleeding, DO NOT drive it without bleeding it (check out factsheets in members area & vids on youtube) if the level has dropped, just not worth the risk.
As WW says it may just be an aging hose on it's way, best to get it checked out by someone that knows bongos if you aren't sure.

[Velocette]

Based on my recent experience I would get it checked at a Bongo friendly garage. Missing an early warning, if that is what it is could be very costly.

I am sure you know that "Normal" on a Bongo temp guauge doesn't guaruntee it is completely normal as it has been designed not to show the normal fluctuations that occur in use.

Put more simply, a small rise in running temperature will not show on the guage but a big one will.

Curse your fast fingers Miss F!

Do you have a link to the cheap mod or the name of the poster?

[missfixit70]

The mod was designed by Ben Bruce, but it is hosted on Haydn Callow's Coolant Alarm site (link is on his signature) or I think there's a link to it in the Coolant Alarms factsheet.

[bongobenny3]

thanks for replies everyone, car sat for four hours so now cool, looked in header tank water seems to be where it always is, and is orange in colour, measured on stick at 43mm to be precise, top hose still looks swollen and looks like goose pimples covered in a greeny yellow powder, also noticed a wet pin sized hole on top of the top hose underneath a very thin plastic pipe laying on on top of it from air intake to diesel pump, don't look like any oil in water, or gunk or bubbles on oil dipstick or filler cap i was told to look for, have ordered set of 5 hoses and stat to change, is it likely i've got to it before serious damage?

[westonwarrior]

Hopefully you have however I would think you need at least a full flush and bleed it properly and consider a rad change and maybe water pump

I think you have disturbed something in this episode and all the sediment has now dispersed around the system

[Velocette]

The mod was designed by Ben Bruce, but it is hosted on Haydn Callow's Coolant Alarm site (link is on his signature) or I think there's a link to it in the Coolant Alarms factsheet.

Thanks, I will have a look.

[Northern Bongolow]

my thoughts on what you have said is that the stat is faulty,its letting the system get slightly too hot,this causes the pressure in the cooling system to rise,this forces something to pop.
did you notice the rad fans coming on at all.
change the stat for a genuine mazda one,replace the bulging hose,flush the coolant system out, including the rear heater, and bleed properly.