Bongo Fury

looks awfully big

I'm having nightmares about mastering the Comfortmatic gear box on the Fiat Ducato. Having had a manual Jeep and other manuals for yonks and an automatic Bongo for six years I could not get my head around the comfortmatic during the test drive and let the mechanic change the gears for me. It seems to be like this, it is basically a manual gear box but if you use it in a certain way it becomes an automatic.

Tony

just a quick post to say that Campers Scotland in Tillicoultry did an ace job on my bongo and managed to sort out a lot of wee things at the same time. recommended. my new bongo doctors.

Rappid what type of repairs did you get ,just for future reference.was it Gary?met him once seemed nice guy?

Tony, that is a serious Beast! Shaped like a bullet, lovely find friend.

You will have to show it at Allithwaite lol.

Jo xx

Hi Jo.

Allithwaite may be a bit of a problem. I received a text message last night that my old college pal in the Middle East informing me that he has just obtained the visas he needs to come and visit me with his wife and youngest daughter, not seen him for over 20 years, his wife for almost 30 years and never seen the daughter. Just have to wait and see how things pan out.

Well I managed to get the motorhome in one piece, just. Got a nice surprise as it came with a few extras that I was not told about when I agreed to buy it. A TV system, a Fiamma privacy room worth £550 and a security system. All this on top of the £10,000 I saved by not buying a new one which would not have come with all these extras.

Tony

i see that someone mentioned a Bongo-friendly garage in leith........anyone with any experience of these guys?
i'm having trouble starting - 3 or 4 attempts every time i get in the van - and stalling. I've taken it to my local garage TWICE and am £150 down on new parts that were obviously not the cause so have totally lost faith.
can anyone recommend a garage who really knows Bongos in either Edinburgh or as close to Peebles as possible. And if you happen to know if they have a 'courtesy' car available that would be really helpful.

thanks

Pm jim the box I'm sure he used a garage in the lothians and gave a good report on them,what was changed ie glow plugs ? Is it diesel?
Thers Gary at campers in Grangemouth but maybe further than you want

Yup - you want Campers Scotland - formerly of Tillicoultry but now at Grangemouth. He'll drop you off/pick you up from Falkirk train station if you need to leave the van with him.

See http://www.campers-scotland.com/

ideally i need somewhere closer than Grangemouth - not least because i really can't do without a vehicle - no other way of getting to work.

so far the second/leisure battery has been replaced and all new glow plugs.

problem starting - every time I start -wet, dry, warm, cold - it takes at least 3 attempts for the engine to 'catch' and very, very sluggish for the first 5 mins of driving and occasionally cuts out. and now it has started stalling when i start to slow down and has cut out twice when i have slowed down at a junction even though i had been driving for at least half an hour each time.

and the local garage appear to be clueless and decidedly uncommitted to getting the problem fixed. when i collected it from the garage after the glow plug replacement the starting problems were still there so they had obviously not even checked it once the installation was complete!!!

Deevdaav have you noticed any signs of diesel dripping under from the drivers side ,this probs you're getting sound like possibly seals are away in the pump so when you start up the pump has emptied a bit start then cuts out start up again then lumpy? Might be worth a look at .lift you're drivers seat and put your hand under the Pump and feel for drips ,be carefull if eng is running !!!

Deevdaav

You have mail. (just sent you a pm )

Once I managed t bypass the office and talk direct to the mechanic t list all the symptoms (rather than just 'she's having trouble starting') we finally got somewhere. By his own admission he doesn't know bongos but he went online to research and we are now back up and running like a dream thanks to an additional pump fitted under the drivers seat. So not binning this garage just yet.

That's great news, glad to hear you got sorted.

Cheers

David.

I realise it's probably a bit late for the OP, but I've just had my fuel pump refurbished by Lawson Diesel in Edinburgh and made use of Bonnington Mill Garage located directly next door for the removal and refit. They claimed to have knowledge of Bongos and I was very pleased with the service I received. The owner told me he's receiving a steady stream of enquiries from Bongo owners via Lawson Diesel..