Bongo Fury

Don't want to add to the doom and gloom here but there are also core plugs on the back of the engine block hidden by the gearbox housing. I know because one of mine went a few years ago.

daveblueozzie wrote:

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

yes its a JAS pump £38 plus delivery.

The 8 "blade" pumps are generic for WL-T engines and are produced in China by GW and sold on packaged in suppliers boxes.... Nowt wrong with them at all and used all across the world.

The photo's don't tell fibs !! they are a showing fact, and how many peeps have ever examined the underside of their expansion tank.
Just trying to point out a possible cause of a untraceable loss of coolant. If you see a drop of coolant around the bottom edge of a tank or in that area, it is reasonable to put it down to spillage whilst topping up the mystery loss of coolant.

Hi keefysher
It's not doom and gloom at all. I just made an observation about a leaking core plug on mine. Same goes for the cracks in the expansion tank. FACTUAL observations in both cases .
Looking at the plug on mine, it is a simple corrosion issue and a relatively easy fix. All I was doing is drawing attention to the fact that it CAN happen. (and in my case DID)
In my opinion (and it is mine), there is absolutely nothing wrong with the cooling system. But, if the possibile age related failure points continue to be ignored, then you could (and probably will) have a problem.
The main problem is identifying these weak spots, and there are quite a few.
When the Bongo was new, the pipework core plugs and expansion tank were in pristine condition. You must expect to get corrosion around the system and deal with it accordingly, not ignore it. Can't afford to ignore the facts.

And it is the age related issues which make it necessary to fit some sort of coolant loss device. Don't need one on a new vehicle.

Gloom and doom? NO.
Common sense? YES.

Gotta agree !!

Common sense? YES.

haydn callow wrote: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.

I see, so all the cracks appear on the UNDERSIDE! (it was difficult to tell which part of the tank had been photo'd) I've seen plenty off the bongo, but not yet seen one cracked anywhere i must admit. Seeing as you come into contact with many more tanks than myself i'll take your word for it.

But surely a tank that can crack/leak from the underside is compromised on the whole? The "floor" of the tank isn't made from a different grade of plastic from the tops or the sides... Wouldn;t it be a prudent cautionary check for all of us fitted with a low coolant alarm to whip the tank off and have a quick check there are no cracks underneath? I for one wouldn't be happy to have screws in a compromised tank.

One cause of the drivel may be leaving it up to the average reader to decide on what is and what is not drivel, whilst keeping helpful insights to oneself instead of tactfully introducing them into the discussion.

I'm puzzled as to how the underside of a header tank can become brittle through u/v degradation (heat degradation yes, but u/v?)

Do Halfords sell endoscopes? Are they reasonably priced? I nearly took a job as an endoscope salesman when they first started to take off in the marketplace. I've often wondered how that job might have worked out. Bottoms up, everyone

If we've fitted a nice little LCA, do we even care if/when a header tank cracks, or even if/when a hose starts to leak (bit risqué that last one )

I'll fetch me coat

They don't seem to be brittle underneath...same all over......it's just that all the cracks I have seen are underneath....never seen any anywhere else.....

I think I also see where this is leading !!

Ok, Checked the underside of my tank as best i could with the limited tools i have to hand... I've no spare mirror lens, so i used one of the missus' best highly polished stainless knives (never used till just now!) I carefully wedged the knife under the tank as far as i could, and reflected VERY bright light underneath using my police issue LENSER torch.

The area (maybe 2"'s in?) Around both lugs was thankfully completely crack free! (1995 bongo) Very dirty! But crack free. Taking a photo in such a precarious postition proved impossible as i only have two hands at the moment

Obviously the tank would require complete removal to do a thorough check for cracks. Should i start to leak I'll certainly bear the tank in mind for removal to check for any cracks.

Thanks for pointing out this potential weakspot.

There was quite a few spare tanks at wheelquick the last time i was there... I'll take some good, well lit photo's of the underside of the tanks and post them up here as soon as i can.

mikeonb4c wrote:
If we've fitted a nice little LCA, do we even care if/when a header tank cracks, or even if/when a hose starts to leak (bit risqué that last one )

I'll fetch me coat

Careful Mike! Having an alarm shouldn't mean you don't physically check the coolant level/hoses/connections from time to time mate!

haydn callow wrote:They don't seem to be brittle underneath...same all over......it's just that all the cracks I have seen are underneath....never seen any anywhere else.....

I think I also see where this is leading !!

Ooh... i can't!

Have you got any images of the complete underneath of a cracked tank please Haydn so we can get a better impression of the overall scale of these cracks?

That sounds like a good and helpful plan.........I carn't belive that ..... of the 10 or so tanks I have handled, I would get the only 2 in the world that actually "weeped via a crack" or 3/4 more that had partial cracks (not leaking)

Its only a 10 min job to remove a tank check and replace.....as long as you are careful not to allow air in......I have done 3/4 without problem and "tiny" coolant loss.

You will see 2 cracks on this tank......there is also a small partial crack......one of the 2 (on left) weeps under pressure.......none of these Bongos had LCA's fitted....that why the came to me ... to find a coolant loss and to have one fitted.

This tank was off a P reg and had signes of having overheated in the past....heavy staining

You an see the pink coolant in the crack....this one weeps on the bench....(no pressure/heat)

haydn callow wrote:That sounds like a good and helpful plan.........I carn't belive that ..... of the 10 or so tanks I have handled, I would get the only 2 in the world that actually "weeped via a crack" or 3/4 more that had partial cracks (not leaking)

Apologies Haydn, i thought i'd read MOST of the tanks you handled had cracks in them! That's why i was a bit thrown really... as (though i haven't been checking for cracks) the tanks i've handled down the years didn't have any.

haydn callow wrote:Its only a 10 min job to remove a tank check and replace.....as long as you are careful not to allow air in......I have done 3/4 without problem and "tiny" coolant loss.

It's not a ten minute job to remove my tank to check it mate! Firstly the ballast box to the HID lights would have to be removed, then the leisure battery, and the auxillary fusebox...

haydn callow wrote:

You will see 2 cracks on this tank......there is also a small partial crack......one of the 2 (on left) weeps under pressure.......none of these Bongos had LCA's fitted....that why the came to me ... to find a coolant loss and to have one fitted.

This tank was off a P reg and had signes of having overheated in the past....heavy staining

Ooh... the underneath of my tank doesn't look like that! Perhaps long term overheating bongo's with overly pressurised tanks go that way? The baffles look like they are straining to break through! At this early stage i'd suggest that normal none stained tanks may not suffer from cracks... Not if mine is anything to go by at least! (everybody breath a sigh of releif) AAHHhhh