Bongo Fury

debs bongo is at mine now and a cold pressure test showed no leaks even on the temp repair pipe .a proper full strip and repeated flush to follow. the rad was suspect as the flow was restricted. this was removed and weighed . the old rad weighed nearly ten kilo's more than the new one . so i think we are onto something here. some of this difference may just be in the manufacturing.
there was also a damaged gearbox oil pipe at the rad end and the gearbox oil is old and dark, so in theory the oil maybe overheating, this may be because the bottom of the rad is blocked so adding to the heat build up in the cooling system.

new pipe and rad to fit but it could be that its done the head, time will tell. (where's the fingers crossed smilie ).

Northern Bongolow wrote:debs bongo is at mine now and a cold pressure test showed no leaks even on the temp repair pipe .a proper full strip and repeated flush to follow. the rad was suspect as the flow was restricted. this was removed and weighed . the old rad weighed nearly ten kilo's more than the new one . so i think we are onto something here. some of this difference may just be in the manufacturing.
there was also a damaged gearbox oil pipe at the rad end and the gearbox oil is old and dark, so in theory the oil maybe overheating, this may be because the bottom of the rad is blocked so adding to the heat build up in the cooling system.

new pipe and rad to fit but it could be that its done the head, time will tell. (where's the fingers crossed smilie ).

I think you want the symbol. Bongo Tribe peeps seem to put praying ahad of finger crossing

Really, you can't help but feel that neglected maintenance in Japan as these vehicles got older, may lie behind a lot of the problems that emerge during UK ownership. Given that, I think the engine components, gearbox etc. display amazing tolerance of the poor working conditions they end up being subjected to. Hopefully, Debs Bongo will have been restored to better health after all this and can settle back to giving good service. Well done Ady

its not jap negligence mike, its more when it lands here i think.
peeps tend to read the horror stories on here and think mines running ok so i dont want to mess with it, but sooner or later it will catch up.
lack of engine/gearbox oil changes are one thing, most will stand neglect in this area, but what they dont like is neglect in the antifreeze/stat /radiator areas.

Hello everyone, iv got leaks all over the place under my van. Iv only had it 5weeks and it's all going wrong I'm not giving up, iv owned mini's and MGs so I'm used to niggles. It's just a pain as I didn't think that it would all go so wrong so soon. Oh well on a good note, I can boil a kettle and bleed the van at the same time lol

if you have had the best of british you should be ok with the bongo, you just need a new set of spanners. lol.

read plenty by using the search tab at the top of the screen, and look up how to bleed a mazda bongo on youtube, there are three video's. that may help to get you started.

good luck with it.

I did bleed it last week... Then bingo, we had heat.... Followed by two big puddles under the van. iv had all my pipes and new water pump delivered today , so I know what we will be doing this weekend.

Oh I got free spanners with the van lol iv never been good at taking hints lol

Terri x

Northern Bongolow wrote:debs bongo is at mine now and a cold pressure test showed no leaks even on the temp repair pipe .a proper full strip and repeated flush to follow.

new pipe and rad to fit but it could be that its done the head, time will tell. (where's the fingers crossed smilie ).

well after 7 hours of trying everything including another full coolant system strip in case i overlooked something, i reluctantly have to surrender. after repeated bleeds that all went well, the bongo when hooked up with a pressure gauge in the system consistently showed rising pressure, in fact this pressure continued to rise until stopped before the expansion cap blew. over temperature locally in the head to cause the fans to come on, so it looks like the head has gone.
these marginal or maybe blown ones seem to be the hardest to diagnose, but we have to try eh!.

sorry debs.

bummer, i hate being beat.

Northern Bongolow wrote:

Northern Bongolow wrote:debs bongo is at mine now and a cold pressure test showed no leaks even on the temp repair pipe .a proper full strip and repeated flush to follow.

new pipe and rad to fit but it could be that its done the head, time will tell. (where's the fingers crossed smilie ).

well after 7 hours of trying everything including another full coolant system strip in case i overlooked something, i reluctantly have to surrender. after repeated bleeds that all went well, the bongo when hooked up with a pressure gauge in the system consistently showed rising pressure, in fact this pressure continued to rise until stopped before the expansion cap blew. over temperature locally in the head to cause the fans to come on, so it looks like the head has gone.
these marginal or maybe blown ones seem to be the hardest to diagnose, but we have to try eh!.

sorry debs.

bummer, i hate being beat.

Bummer, but you couldn't have done any more. Hope Debs can get it fixed ok, and my commiserations

Northern Bongolow wrote:

Northern Bongolow wrote:debs bongo is at mine now and a cold pressure test showed no leaks even on the temp repair pipe .a proper full strip and repeated flush to follow.

new pipe and rad to fit but it could be that its done the head, time will tell. (where's the fingers crossed smilie ).

well after 7 hours of trying everything including another full coolant system strip in case i overlooked something, i reluctantly have to surrender. after repeated bleeds that all went well, the bongo when hooked up with a pressure gauge in the system consistently showed rising pressure, in fact this pressure continued to rise until stopped before the expansion cap blew. over temperature locally in the head to cause the fans to come on, so it looks like the head has gone.
these marginal or maybe blown ones seem to be the hardest to diagnose, but we have to try eh!.

sorry debs.

bummer, i hate being beat.

thank you so much for everything you have done Ady and family and to Muz and Ian
bongo peeps are deffo the best
Debs x

couple of days to think through the options with a big glass of something alcoholic me thinks.

We have replaced the water pump and all rubber hoses today.... No leaks... Fingers crossed... Well it's a start.
Terri

I take my hat off, Sir.

An amazing achievement Ady. Just a shame it was not an instantaneous total recovery.

Bob if you was taking your hat off to me.... I'm a lady

New Forest Terrier wrote:An amazing achievement Ady. Just a shame it was not an instantaneous total recovery.

Ady has been fab as have Chell, Muz, Ian and Baz
The bongo is now off to Ian Taylor who was very helpful on the phone
Watch this space....THE BEAST... will be back