Bongo Fury

Hello

Long story but after 3 months loving the Bongo experience in our M reg 2.5l diesel camper we are now realising that we may have been sold a dud (let's just say that I am embarking on a campaign ). The head gasket has gone but the garage that is fixing that has discovered that the automatic gearbox is also not shifting into the higher gear. We knew no difference of course not being used to Bongos - the 'Hold' light is not coming on as might be expected. The garage has tried a few things but it is clear that we need the help of a specialist. The garage are going to try someone they know but we have a horrible feeling that that specialist may have gone out of business Simple question: can you reccomend an automatic gearbox specialist in or near South East Wales?

Geraint

gerandsam wrote:Hello

Long story but after 3 months loving the Bongo experience in our M reg 2.5l diesel camper we are now realising that we may have been sold a dud (let's just say that I am embarking on a campaign ). The head gasket has gone but the garage that is fixing that has discovered that the automatic gearbox is also not shifting into the higher gear. We knew no difference of course not being used to Bongos - the 'Hold' light is not coming on as might be expected. The garage has tried a few things but it is clear that we need the help of a specialist. The garage are going to try someone they know but we have a horrible feeling that that specialist may have gone out of business Simple question: can you reccomend an automatic gearbox specialist in or near South East Wales?

Geraint

The hold light should only come on if the hold button is pressed - it shouldn't come on in normal use.

What revs has the engine been doing at - say - 60mph - if it hasn't been changing into top by that speed you really should have noticed as you would be deaf by now.

Is the garage Bongo savvy? What makes them think the gasket has gone? Many non-experts have mis-diagnosed head gasket failure and cost owners lots of money.

Hi Geraint and welcome to the madhouse. There`s a gearbox specialist in Caerphilly on Pant Glas Ind. Estate in Bedwas, bottom of the estate turn left and left again at the end of the road,(havent got the no. available as am on hols at moment) but they`re in the yellow pages. There`s 2 garages in Caerphilly that may be able to help with your bongo problems, A&S Garages ask for Andrew and ST Ilan Car Imports ask for Steve, both on Pontygwindy road, both good with bongo`s.
Good luck

Izzy

Brilliant, thanks Izzy. You don't have a name for the gearbox specialist?

scanner - yes the current garage is Bongo savy and there were plenty of symptoms (part of the long story). Don't worry once bitten twice shy!

gerandsam wrote:Brilliant, thanks Izzy. You don't have a name for the gearbox specialist?

A quick Google found this.

http://www.southwalestransmissions.co.uk/

mister munkey wrote:

gerandsam wrote:Brilliant, thanks Izzy. You don't have a name for the gearbox specialist?

A quick Google found this.

http://www.southwalestransmissions.co.uk/

Fantastic. I wasn't quite sure from Yellow Pages.

I am assuming that you and your mechanic are aware that the Bongo will not get into the high gear( lock up) until the gearbox has warmed up. It will not attain lockup when it is cold. Maybe I am preaching to the converted but this hasnt been mentioned in this thread.

carlioll wrote:I am assuming that you and your mechanic are aware that the Bongo will not get into the high gear( lock up) until the gearbox has warmed up. It will not attain lockup when it is cold. Maybe I am preaching to the converted but this hasnt been mentioned in this thread.

Certainly it has been warm when we have used it. I will talk it through with the garage but sounded like they had taken it for a fair run.

gerandsam wrote:

carlioll wrote:I am assuming that you and your mechanic are aware that the Bongo will not get into the high gear( lock up) until the gearbox has warmed up. It will not attain lockup when it is cold. Maybe I am preaching to the converted but this hasnt been mentioned in this thread.

Certainly it has been warm when we have used it. I will talk it through with the garage but sounded like they had taken it for a fair run.

What revs was it doing at 60mph?
If it wasn't in top at that speed you would certainly be well aware of the fact.

I have one here in my transmission shop at the moment with exactly that problem. So far we have not been able to get to the bottom of the problem.

mister munkey wrote:

gerandsam wrote:Brilliant, thanks Izzy. You don't have a name for the gearbox specialist?

A quick Google found this.

http://www.southwalestransmissions.co.uk/

Yip thats the one Your a clever monkey Mr. M

Izzy

Alacrity wrote:I have one here in my transmission shop at the moment with exactly that problem. So far we have not been able to get to the bottom of the problem.

Let me know if you solve it The garage we are with has tried everything 'outside the box' so now we are hoping the specialist he knows will find something 'in the box'. The specialist is back from leave on Tuesday. The dealer told us that we might think it needed a higher gear but "that was normal" It was normal for a petrol engine (3000rpm for 60mph) but not for a large diesel engine. There is no doubt that straining the engine in that way would have increased the chance of the head gasket going. We will be in touch with the dealer......

Hi,

yeah, 3000rpm @ 60mph = 3rd gear .
Just tried it. D with hold pressed.
Having a short "Italian tune up"

Think the dealer has some explaining to do.

You've probably checked already but is the HOLD signal
somehow stuck on but not showing?

Good luck

Latest from our mystery gearbox problem. Picked the Bongo up today from the garage as they had run out of options . The transmission expert had had a look but didn't fancy it much having failed to solve a similar problem before despite spending several weeks on it For the techies out there the garage tried replacing the following parts to solve the problem: coolant temp sender, TPS, Speedometer unit and speed sensor with no luck. We will try the transmission expert in Caerphilly next but not feeling confident...

Have sent an appropriate letter to the dealer

Did anyone track down where/what the "ATF thermostat sensor" is that supplies the signal for the ATF oil temp to the ecu, pin 2J? Just thinking a 15 year old temp sender immersed in ATF, may have given up the ghost as a lot of water temp senders seem to?
Just looking in the manual, seems there's three different autoboxes, the J5-DE, the WL-T (2WD) & the WL-T(4WD), any idea which one it is that has this problem? Can't find anything that points at the temp sensor (if there is one?)