tonnee wrote:I think for the time being I will undampen the temp gauge and get one of these thermometers, I always keep an eye on levels anyway even on my other car so the Bongo will be no different.
and an LED gauge will look cool too
Unfortunately, keeping an eye on levels regularly is a bit like looking out the window for the postman once a day. The time you happen to look out will most often not be the time they arrive.
This might not matter so much on yer average car, with it's relatively (to the Bongo) simple cooling system plumbing, and an engine bay not as likely to bathe the plumbing in perishing hot air as can happen in a Bongo, and more chance of a known service history, and maybe not the 16yrs old many Bongos are, and not having a head known to be sensitive to cracking if overheated, etc. But there is more likelihood of a Bongo springing an (undetected) leak than the average car. And when it does, and it results in expensive damage to the engine, it is not as easy to say 'I'll just scrap it' as it is with an average (cheap) car, as you can't buy a good replacement quite as easily.
LCA is top buy for me, with some kind of temp gauge a v. close second (not actually fitted one of those meself but have alwyas felt my Bongo has a healthy cooling system circulation, so not over fussed).
