Bongo Fury

widdowson2008 wrote:and have a look at this. This happened to me recently. Didn't appear to have a coolant loss, BUT would have done if Ady hadn't spotted it.
The old core plug actually had a pinhole in it that you could see through. Gets me a little concerned when I wonder how many other similar potential leak spots are dotted around the Bongo
http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... =3&t=47878

Nice one Steve! I'll be sure to check that

Not easy to check Ste. Bloody core plugs (on mine anyway) are not that easy to spot. They seem to be tucked behind a myriad of things. There are some at the front and back of the head. How the hell do you check these?

I have 3 x 2nd hand tanks here that have small cracks on the underside....I showed them to Kirsty a couple of weeks ago and she was very surprised.....

Photo to follow

Almost all tanks that have passed through my hands....have had either small cracks or the start of cracks (not right through yet) a couple were actually weeping (as in top photo)

You would have to remove the tank to see these cracks unless the coolant was "spurtin out"

widdowson2008 wrote:Not easy to check Ste. Bloody core plugs (on mine anyway) are not that easy to spot. They seem to be tucked behind a myriad of things. There are some at the front and back of the head. How the hell do you check these?

Well, i'll check the plugs i can see!

haydn callow wrote:




Almost all tanks that have passed through my hands....have had either small cracks or the start of cracks (not right through yet) a couple were actually weeping (as in top photo)

You would have to remove the tank to see these cracks unless the coolant was "spurtin out"

Hmm... I've never seen that before! Nor heard of any tanks splitting/cracking due to age/wear and tear. But i probably don't come into contact with as many tanks as you do Haydn.

Unless those/that tank you have shown in the photo's was leaking and was removed from a bongo because it was leaking from the cracks, then i suspect that crack damage has occured after the tank had been removed. (you know? Dropped, knocked about a bit after removal)

I removed it from a Bongo after searching for 2 days for a leak...Bingo....I now make a point of checking this out and have found another actually leaking and loads with "semi" cracks......they seem to appear with age.

the photos are from 2 tanks with a total of 5 x cracks

That crack near the lug looks like the tank has been stored with some weight on it! Looks "fresh" ( if you know what i mean?).

How are tanks that have been drilled for Coolant alarms going to cope if the tanks seem to crack for no other apparent reason other than mere old age?

I know what you mean though... there are one or two cracks on my face that i'm sure wasn't there 12 months ago! That's old age related i'm quite sure

The tanks came off Bongos and had been sitting there quite happy for years....the cracks were noticed stright away and replacment tanks fitted. They had not suffered any "impact" damage...just normal use.

No problem with the LCA drill/screws.....5000 plus fitted to all ages of tank.....100% o.k. and some in other vehicles that have been fitted for 8 years....

Never seen one of these cracks anywhere other than on the underside.

Delica tanks split for a past time....don't have the Bongo baffels though.

One here for sale....if anyone suspects a leak be worth a call to see if it is damaged underneath

I think they are stress cracks....notice they seem to run across a baffel or close to a thicker part of the tank.......expansion/contraction/heat/coolant ?????

daveblueozzie wrote:Noticed a difference between the water pump i have bought and the one that is being used for discussion on another thread, mine has eight blades and no hole in the centre of the fan blades, but otherwise it looks the same.

Is that a JAS supplied pump Dave?...

mikexgough wrote: Is that a JAS supplied pump Dave?...

yes its a JAS pump £38 plus delivery.

keefysher wrote:

widdowson2008 wrote:Not easy to check Ste. Bloody core plugs (on mine anyway) are not that easy to spot. They seem to be tucked behind a myriad of things. There are some at the front and back of the head. How the hell do you check these?

My local Mercedes dealers trained fitters use dentists mirrors and flexible lights like endescopes. Dentist mirrors are used to flick the Bi Xenon baffles to allow continental driving.

Used to use endescopes on gearboxes to examine races, cages and rollers without the need to dismantle anything.

There are sufficient images on here to determine where the core plugs are, so putting a light/mirror combi or endescope in should be childs play.

Checked my tank with my old classic car toolkit of mirrors.......similar to above, good light too this afternoon with bright sunshine and bright lights on the mirrors....all okay for me....