New Bongo Owner, not the best of starts

[markoos]

Hi All

I am a new Bongo owner, my name is Mark and I live in Weston Super Mare, I have been an avid read and follower of the site since I brought my 1995 2.5d Bongo Freedie. We were looking for a vehicle for moving people, camping, traveling to and from Spain and the occasional van, a Bongo fitted the bill in every way.

So................. not knowing what I know now (found this site after purchase), we set off to see what we could find, we tracked down a suitable candidate in Exeter and after a test drive and brief inspection, usual stuff, oil, water, cam belt, etc cash parted hands and went on our way, happy with our new Bongo.

It drove home fine, taking it stead, however, the temperature gauge never moved, not lifted at all, with my lack of bongo knowledge; I thought it would be a sender or electrical connection. So I ordered and replaced the sender and fitted a new spade connector, with the engine running with the vehicle stationary I found that the gauge lifted not to the normal 11'o clock position, but it did move. After further investigation I concluded that the thermostat was stuck open.

We drove the Bongo around locally for a few days and I noticed the coolant level dropping, so, I investigated again, finding a pin hole leak on the underside of the bleed hose (rub on alternator). I replaced the hose and took the opportunity to replace the thermostat, what I found wasn’t a stuck thermostat, but, a butchered thermostat with only the outer seal fitted the remainder of the stat was hacked off. Not as hacked off as me, as by now I had read enough on here to know there was trouble ahead.

Fitted new stat, new coolant and bleed the system (thanks to the videos guys), within an hour it was apparent with the engine at the correct temperature, the head gasket or head had blown. By the next morning, cylinder 2 had so much coolant in it, the engine had locked!!

Over the last weekend and today I have stripped the head off the engine; again, thanks to Bongobonnie (Dave) for the you tube vids. I have today replaced the water pump, cleaned the face of the block and now I am ready to fit a new head.

Here is where I could do with some help please. The triple connection manifold that the bleed hose fits to on the cylinder head ( what’s the technical name for this) has rusted and the bleed connection has rotted and broken halfway down, can anyone recommend where I can get one from and how does it fit into the cylinder head?

Can anyone recommend the best place to buy a head; I am going to buy a complete head (checking all the valve clearances and tightness of all the rockers etc.)?

The Bongo had a new Radiator fitted not long before we brought it, but, I am going to replace the stat, water pump, all the gaskets, remove the EGR, fit a new lower temp sender, clean out the manifold and the inter cooler and the hoses, slick 50 the engine, replace all the belts, oils and filters. Have I missed anything?

Sorry for such a long post, especially it is my first, first of many probably.

Many thanks in anticipation for any help or advice.

Mark

PS, even after all this, we love our Bongo.

[alan]

sorry to hear you need a new head M8
we had to a couple of years ago to but got some one to fix it
have you looked at the shop on this site there do new replacment heads etc

[Northern Bongolow]

all the parts (or most) are available from mazda, but the fury shop has a well tried and tested stock of parts.
the heads they sell with the bolts/gasket are all well tested and a good price.
there are a lot of inferior parts including heads out there so be careful.
2 things i would recomend regarding your list of new parts would be to fit a gen mazda stat only as there is good reason to believe they are better constructed than most copies. and fit a gen mazda fan switch(offside of the head rear) this is what controls the cold start and glow plugs operation,fit good parts for the controlling parts.

there are lists of prefered suppliers for new and used parts on here,allans at plymouth, bellhill,and others spring to mind.

[Simon Jones]

The pipe you need is available from BongoBits: http://www.bongobits.com/Main.asp?PageN ... roduct=213

[Northern Bongolow]

tell him the tip for fitting it simon

[westonwarrior]

Hi Welcome

As you can see I am in Weston too

I Am not technicaly gifted enough to do as you are and change a head myself

I had a head go on me a few years ago and had it replaced by Bell Hill, cost a bit, but never had any trouble after that.

I woiuld recomend getting a head from the club shop as they come fully built and are the best quality rather than some cheap knock ups.

As far as I can remember they y piece comes fitted but can be got seperatly and they fit by force, the ranger head does not have the bleed connection so if there is a head without one its not a bongo head.

If you want to meet and talk bongos give me a shout

[markoos]

Hi Guys

Many thanks for your replies, much appreciated, i cannot see the cylinder heads in the shop, i know they used to have them, i just looked and they are not there, or is it me?

Do you just bash the bleed tree into the head? Does it need any sealant?

I hope to only have to do this once, so want to buy the best parts possible, noted is the use of genuine Mazda stat and gaskets.

Many thanks again

Mark

[francophile1947]

Hi Guys

Many thanks for your replies, much appreciated, i cannot see the cylinder heads in the shop, i know they used to have them, i just looked and they are not there, or is it me?

Mark

Neither can I Try sending an email to [email protected]

[Ian]

We had a row with the suppliers about tolerances etc, so they are no longer stocked. Ian Taylor will sell you one though for about the same price, see http://www.japcarimport.co.uk/contact.asp

[Simon Jones]

tell him the tip for fitting it simon

Would that be the can of freezer spray trick?

[markoos]

tell him the tip for fitting it simon

Would that be the can of freezer spray trick?

Now that i can do, we have some liquid nitrogen or Co2 kicking around the workshop, would it need any sealer?

Cheers Mark

[markoos]

We had a row with the suppliers about tolerances etc, so they are no longer stocked. Ian Taylor will sell you one though for about the same price, see http://www.japcarimport.co.uk/contact.asp

Thanks Ian, i will give them a call.

Mark

[widdowson2008]

tell him the tip for fitting it simon

Would that be the can of freezer spray trick?

Now that i can do, we have some liquid nitrogen or Co2 kicking around the workshop, would it need any sealer?

Cheers Mark

Or you could just stick it in the freezer overnight Worked for us.
Don't bother with sealer - It is a shrink fit so doesn't need any help.

[Velocette]

I would get a temperature and low coolant alarm, well worth the outlay.

[markoos]

I would get a temperature and low coolant alarm, well worth the outlay.

I competely agree, i was going to mod the heater gauge with the installation of a resistor and fit a Haydn low level alarm.

Cheers Mark