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leak on drivers side? help

Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 9:47 am
by coolcampers
Hello all,
not very technical I'm afraid. Halfway down the drivers side I have a small leak. Looking underneath there is a connection of a metal hose/pipe? with padding on it. This connects to a housing with a couple of bolts on it. Its leaking a small amount of clear fluid. What would this be and do I need an urgent repair or can it wait a week?

thanks in anticipation
ps any repair ideas much welcomed

Re: leak on drivers side? help

Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 9:59 am
by bongomadness
Sorry to hear this. If you read one of my threads " help identifying water pipe" it has a pic of the one that went on mine. Still waiting for my new hoses and pipes. it could be the same pipe as mine but only you would know by looking at the picture.I would check it out before you use your van in case it is.............you dont want to loose your water and be left with a cracked head
Let us know what your leaky pipe is
Jayne

Re: leak on drivers side? help

Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 10:05 am
by helen&tony
Hi
Is it the pipe that's leaking, or have you had your air-con on, and it's just condensate?
Cheers
Helen

Re: leak on drivers side? help

Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 10:57 am
by haydn callow
If it's clear then as said above it is probably just the Air Con sweating

Re: leak on drivers side? help

Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 11:00 am
by Northern Bongolow
agree with helen thats the rear aircon by the sounds of it.could be a leak or just the normal condensation,either way it is certainly safe to drive,have you had the aircon on?

Re: leak on drivers side? help

Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 11:40 am
by coolcampers
thanks all. yes the aircon has been on recently as its been nice and sunny. it does sit under the rear heating unit but it looks more than condensate. it doesnt evaporate quickly as water would, but it doesnt stain like oil either. I will take it to the garage to get it checked out anyway

thanks for all the advice. i dont think its the brakes or oil anyway
cheers

Re: leak on drivers side? help

Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 11:58 am
by Alison01326
Our air con likes to scare us from time to time too. On the way back from the Bash last week we left quite a puddle after we stopped for our delightful McDonalds and a bit of train spotting.

You say it doesn't evaporate as quickly as water would. Just curious about that - do you mean the patch stays wet longer, or stains? Being utterly non technical, I would have thought that as it's under the Bongo in the shade, it's going to hang around for a bit anyway?

Got me worried now. As long as my Bongo and it's air con survive until next Thursday we'll be OK. A nice big service, a new cambelt and (if I remember to ask nicely) an air con recharge.

Re: leak on drivers side? help

Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 12:13 pm
by Cosmic Bus

Re: leak on drivers side? help

Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 12:17 pm
by dave_aber
I've had the "Oh, what's that dripping?" moments twice recently. Was underneath the Bongo on ramps attaching some, er, 'essential night time drainage piping', and noticed a puddle forming roughly between the 2 front wheels. Got a torch up there, and found a drain in the middle of the heater assembly. Aircon evaporator. Then on the way home from Download, returned to the Bongo at the services and there was the puddle just behind the driver's door. Quick check, and sure enough it's coming from the wee drain hole in the rear heater area. Phew...

Re: leak on drivers side? help

Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 1:23 pm
by missfixit70
Check your coolant levels to make sure it's not losing any, but there's a good chance it's the condensate drain. If it's clear then it shouldn't be coolant, it should feel a bit greasy & have the same hue as the coolant if you dip a white rag or some white paper in it.
Check around the block where the ac pipes mount in http://www.lushprojects.com/bongopartsm ... mgno=.html a couple of people have had ac gas/oil leaks there where the o ring has deteriorated, but again that should be greasy & you'll probably find the ac doesn't get very cold.

Re: leak on drivers side? help

Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 3:32 pm
by jwhitham
I also have a leak on the drivers side just after the door. Mine isn't clear though. Seems to leave a mess for a while.

I was thinking it might be diesel but the pipe diameter of about 28mm seems too big?

I bought my bongo just over a week ago and have had bio-diesel in it for the last few days. So I'm not sure if the leak was there when I bought it or is due to the bio-diesel.

Does anyone recognise the pipe?

Image

Re: leak on drivers side? help

Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 3:56 pm
by Northern Bongolow
that one neads fixing asap,thats the over startermotor pipe from the block to the rear heater circuit,that will suck in air for fun.
seriously, get this fixed soon.

Re: leak on drivers side? help

Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 3:58 pm
by haydn callow
Looks like a coolant pipe to me......best get it fixed and whatever you do ....bleed the system according to the factsheets ....get it wrong and it could cost loads.

Re: leak on drivers side? help

Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 3:59 pm
by haydn callow
beat me to it Ady........

Re: leak on drivers side? help

Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 5:17 pm
by jwhitham
@Northern Bongolow
@haydn callow

Thanks for your rather alarming replies. I'll take a closer look see if I open and rotate the clip it might nip it shut. It's only a very slow drip but does leave a bit of a patch on the road.

As for bleeding the system, is the fact sheet in the members area? If so I only joined today so will have to wait for access.