How to tell if cyclinder head or gasket has gone?

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 5:01 pm

V pleased to hear you are on the road to recovery BristolBingoBongo. Summers coming - sod the bill and get it sorted

Good luck

Mike

BristolBingoBongo · Post by **BristolBingoBongo** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 7:57 pm

Bingo is still sad. After replacing the hoses, core plugs and spending lots on a cracked cyclinder head, there is still bubbles in the water. The garage now thinks thats its a cracked block (engine). So he is now saying we need a new engine. Can we possibly be that unlucky?
Current bill 2000. Is a bongo really worth it?

francophile1947 · Post by **francophile1947** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 8:09 pm

A cracked cast-iron block is extremely unlikely - is this still with Bell Hill?
Any body know if the Bongo has dry or wet cylinder liners?

BristolBingoBongo · Post by **BristolBingoBongo** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 8:25 pm

Yep it's still with Bell Hill, If you have any ideas I would lov to hear them

francophile1947 · Post by **francophile1947** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 8:37 pm

Bell Hill have a good reputation so they are probably not "trying it on".
I haven't had my Bongo for very long and have had no reason to do anything to the engine yet. The reason I asked if they have wet or dry liners is that the seals can go on wet liners, which could account for the air in the system.

BristolBingoBongo · Post by **BristolBingoBongo** » Thu May 10, 2007 4:55 pm

Quick update - IT'S FIXED!

Last Wednesday we picked the van up from Tom at BellHill. It now has a new engine block, a new cylinder head, new radiator, a new cambelt and a new MOT too.

It was only the second cracked block the garage had ever seen and it was the last thing on the list of causes. They had already replaced the cracked cylinder head but there was still air getting in. So they undid all their hard work checked the engine block and replaced it. Fortunately BellHill were kind enough to cap the price for us so we could afford the repairs.

To say the van runs fine is an understatement. We drove down to Woolacombe for the bank holiday weekend and there were no overheating issues. What's more the engine seemed pokier, idled better and fuel efficiency is up. Its like a different van and we couldn't be happier.

I fully recommend BellHill and will continue to use them for all our Bongo needs.

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Thu May 10, 2007 5:24 pm

Thats really great news. Make sure the plumbing is all blocakge free and hoses solid etc. + I wonder when we may all be able to buy and fit an affordable 'water level low' warning system as discussed on BF recently (Haydn Callow I think was in dialogue with the Aussies about something).

Mike