Bongo Fury

well my oil light came on so i bought a small bottel of oil, I used my dip stick when the engin was cold the next day and it was on the low mark, i tipped the oil in all of it and a few days later i noticed an oil patch on my drive, i checked my oil and it was ok, i checked it again yesterday when the car was cold and i got the low reading again so i put more oil in it and i have another small patch on the ground this time at my work.
I pay a fee to the AA for we will fix it but it needs a service before i can call them problem is i called mazda and asked for a service book and they told me they do not do them for the Bongo so how can i get a stamp to show the AA should this oil problem get nasty i am so confused, i asked a garage for a service and to check were my oil was comeing from and they said they would steam the engin and service for £150 is this good.
Being a woman i lifted the seats and there is no oil on them so it is not spraying from anywere i am so worried as the summer is soon upon us and i am worried about this oil thing and i am worried someone may take advantage of my have not got a clue about the works of my wonderfull bongo and charge me a fortune. had a mg once and spent 10000000 on it head gaskit etc help thanks

MRS WITNEY wrote:well my oil light came on so i bought a small bottel of oil, I used my dip stick when the engin was cold the next day and it was on the low mark, i tipped the oil in all of it and a few days later i noticed an oil patch on my drive, i checked my oil and it was ok, i checked it again yesterday when the car was cold and i got the low reading again so i put more oil in it and i have another small patch on the ground this time at my work.
I pay a fee to the AA for we will fix it but it needs a service before i can call them problem is i called mazda and asked for a service book and they told me they do not do them for the Bongo so how can i get a stamp to show the AA should this oil problem get nasty i am so confused, i asked a garage for a service and to check were my oil was comeing from and they said they would steam the engin and service for £150 is this good.
Being a woman i lifted the seats and there is no oil on them so it is not spraying from anywere i am so worried as the summer is soon upon us and i am worried about this oil thing and i am worried someone may take advantage of my have not got a clue about the works of my wonderfull bongo and charge me a fortune. had a mg once and spent 10000000 on it head gaskit etc help thanks

Welcome MRS WITNEY

The price sounds more or less OK depending on what this service includes. But you are right in wanting to get the right person lookng at it. And personally, I'd get nervous about a stranger steam cleaning my Bongo in case they overdid around the delicate bits. However, lets see what others on here say.

The nearest recommended Bongo mechanics I can think of are South Croydon and Newbury, Berks (Discount Trucks). Both are a trek although Newbury might be a nice drive out. Maybe someone on here knows a good person who is closer - wait and see.

I have a mate in Englefield Green who is 100% quality (he's a qualified gliding inspector too - you have to be good to get that) and took redundancy as a BMW mechanic a while back. I keep trying to persuade him to consider doing the odd Bongo, but with no luck to date

There is Lakeside Garage in Wraysbury. He knows Bongos and is very good and keeps you informed of work and price before he does it. Phone him for a quote on the service and he will check for the leak. Hopefully it is just a rocker cover gasket or something.
ps. He ain't the cheapest around but he is good and close by you too. If you can wait till tomorrow afternoon I may be able to pop round and have a look for you.

i think i will try the wrasebury garage if i get a service how can i get a stamp without a book mazda will not sell me one, i need the stamp as i am in the AA repair plan if you break down a bit of a muddel

Ring the AA & explain that it's a grey import & there is no uk service book for it & ask what evidence they require, but the chances are the guys that do the service will find the leak, it may be something as simple as a loose filter.

hi,
sorry to ask,but i did this when i first got my bongo.........................are you certain that you`re checking the oil dipstick and not the gearbox dipstick?when we first had ours,i filled the oil,checked the(wrong )dipstick,and couldn`t work out why it wasn`t going up consequently i overfilled the engine oil and had a bit of a leak from somewhere until i found out and drained some out.
jamie

A receipt for the service work undertaken from the garage should do it for you with the AA.. But, as stated above the garage should sort the leak, you won't need the AA.. (Unless you have to have service details as some sort of proof of reasonable care for the AA cover???) Could just be a dodgy filter seal..?

I have the original service book and if anyone gets very silly. I can email you photocopies to make one up.

BUT mine is petrol and the blank service sheets are all in Japanese They are totally useless to record a service without translation, but comments could be written on the sheet and the mileage recorded.

The original book is not on offer since it has my Japanese service history in it. This is interpretable as the mileage is added and boxes ticked for the service items. A clear UK receipt written in English should be far more useful.

Discount Trucks has facilities for you to wait while the service is completed and they can certainly sort out your oil leak.They are on a farm in a very small village, so are practical about not having to leave the Bongo all day.

but it needs a service before i can call them... how can i get a stamp to show the AA

The garage will be able to supply a service sheet with the invoice, which is proof that you've had yours serviced.

you have all given me brill advice and i did not know i had a gearbox dip stick, i will look for that in the morning, were is it ? i am going to take it to a garage in the morning thanks i will let you know the outcome

MRS WITNEY wrote:you have all given me brill advice and i did not know i had a gearbox dip stick, i will look for that in the morning, were is it ? i am going to take it to a garage in the morning thanks i will let you know the outcome

You have to remove the centre console and then undo 3 clips to raise the engine cover / passenger seat to get at it. It might be best chatting the garage up into showing you as it can be a bit baffling at first (easy once you've got used to it). Its a good idea to lift the covers and get to know the thing underneath that pushes it along, and where the various dipsticks, reservoirs and cooling system pipes are so you can keep an eye on things. WHile the covers are up, ask the garage if your bleed pipe (passenger side) is secured so it doesn't chafe on the alternator (that'll impress 'em) and there is a hose on the other side that needs watching likewise.

Have you got a low coolant alarm fitted - recommend spending out on one if not so you don't risk a leak causing coolant to drain end end up overheating the engine (which can be expensive).

Good luck

Dipstick Location. Just watch this little video.

Tony

http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=GB&hl=e ... yeHJUCXNVs

mikeonb4c wrote:

MRS WITNEY wrote:you have all given me brill advice and i did not know i had a gearbox dip stick, i will look for that in the morning, were is it ? i am going to take it to a garage in the morning thanks i will let you know the outcome

You have to remove the centre console and then undo 3 clips to raise the engine cover / passenger seat to get at it. It might be best chatting the garage up into showing you as it can be a bit baffling at first (easy once you've got used to it). Its a good idea to lift the covers and get to know the thing underneath that pushes it along, and where the various dipsticks, reservoirs and cooling system pipes are so you can keep an eye on things. WHile the covers are up, ask the garage if your bleed pipe (passenger side) is secured so it doesn't chafe on the alternator (that'll impress 'em) and there is a hose on the other side that needs watching likewise.

Have you got a low coolant alarm fitted - recommend spending out on one if not so you don't risk a leak causing coolant to drain end end up overheating the engine (which can be expensive).

Good luck

Nope dipstick , gearbox dipstick is under the drivers seat towards the rear, angling down towards the rear, only read this level with the engine warmed up & runnning, after ranging through all the gears slowly, hand & footbrake on & dip it with it in D.

missfixit70 wrote:

mikeonb4c wrote:

MRS WITNEY wrote:you have all given me brill advice and i did not know i had a gearbox dip stick, i will look for that in the morning, were is it ? i am going to take it to a garage in the morning thanks i will let you know the outcome

You have to remove the centre console and then undo 3 clips to raise the engine cover / passenger seat to get at it. It might be best chatting the garage up into showing you as it can be a bit baffling at first (easy once you've got used to it). Its a good idea to lift the covers and get to know the thing underneath that pushes it along, and where the various dipsticks, reservoirs and cooling system pipes are so you can keep an eye on things. WHile the covers are up, ask the garage if your bleed pipe (passenger side) is secured so it doesn't chafe on the alternator (that'll impress 'em) and there is a hose on the other side that needs watching likewise.

Have you got a low coolant alarm fitted - recommend spending out on one if not so you don't risk a leak causing coolant to drain end end up overheating the engine (which can be expensive).

Good luck

Nope dipstick , gearbox dipstick is under the drivers seat towards the rear, angling down towards the rear, only read this level with the engine warmed up & runnning, after ranging through all the gears slowly, hand & footbrake on & dip it with it in D.

Apologies - my mind was still on the oil dipstick.

I'd recommend Mrs Witney to let the garage assess her gearbox fluid while she watches as she has indicated she is not practised at auto mechanics, so she can get a feel for what it should be like.

airport motors are going to look at it for me,so fingers crossed.