Bongo Fury

seen posts on here saying bongos are good for towing so would think lots of torque but mine seems to slow down on long hills (not towing anything) is this normal? does make it embarrassing when i pull out to over take and start going backwards.
paul

What sort is your Bongo...... Diesel or Petrol and if Petrol.....2.0L or 2.5 V6?

Wotcha got Paul?


My diesel is a real flyer downhill but struggles to get past 75 on very long motorway upward inclines.

Has it always performed like this, or is it something new?

its all ways been like it. its a diesel 4wdrive aft with side con so got extra weight in it.
just wonded as only had 5 mouths and had head go just thought may have more hassle coming up!

welcome to the forum soulpaul mine is a 2wd diesel and it flies uphill with my rear conversion or with both bench seats in and I wouldn't think your side conversion weighs more than a rear bench seat??

get it checked for brakes binding as this might have an effect but I wouldn't have thought it would make that much difference.

Mine is a 4WD diesel and when we are loaded up with a fortnight's camping gear and three bikes onthe back I dread to think how much it weighs. It doesn't struggle on hills at all, so I suggest there is something holding yours back.

Mine tows a caravan~~it obviously don't fly up hills but never have a problem passing loads of Lorries & on rare occassions i've hit 70/75 but to be honest theres not a lot left.

Many years ago on the forum, another member described how his Bongo had performed badly on hills since he got it. It went on like that for a couple of years, he thought it was normal. Then he realised that the turbo pipe was disconnected. So that's something worth checking on yours.

Mine wasn't as lively as it is now.....I had a new diesel pump last December.....now I am not saying that is your problem..... BUT when they replaced my pump we agreed to change the cam belt....upon strip down they found the cam belt had been fitted a "notch" out equal to 6 degree in timing.....now a new one and a dialed in diesel pump......equaled a hell of a difference in performance and economy.....for me
Just an idea........ perhaps the timing is maybe slightly out somewhere.?.....and check your air filter too... as well as the turbo pipe....

Our van really struggles up hills too. It's a 2.5 V6, yr 2000 and decent in every other respect. We cruise at 70-85 on a trip no probs but as soon as we hit a hill (if you don't see it coming and 'prepare' for it) she can drop back to 50 or so if you don't use the hold or drop down a cog. I've always though it was normal for the V6 Bongo as we've had it 3 years and it's always been the same. I guessed I was just spoilt as we have 313 Mercedes Sprinters for work (fantastic in every way, driving-wise, if you haven't had the pleasure...).

Maybe we should start a 0-60 and top speed forum for a bit of fun (grown ups only. mind, nobody wrapping it round a bus trying to hit the magic ton!)?

A 2.5 V6 should not struggle on hills at all. My 95 shoots up, even loaded with all the camping gear. Usually plenty to pass lorries and everything else.

It goes up Birdlip as though its level. A very steep hill near Cheltenham, for Northerners. My sat nav always tries to route me through Bristol to avoid it

Definitely something not right,

OK. Any ideas what it might be? It drives fine but has always felt like it is a very low torque engine and needed a bit of revving to move along. My sister used to have a Mazda 1800 V6 (MX-6?) and that needed plenty of revs to go anywhere quick and I assumed this engine was similar...

Any ideas appreciated.....Thanks

I have a 4wd Diesel with a full side conversion, it flys up hills, no bother. Check the turbo pipe, I had one that the internal sleeve had collapsed inside the main pipe, this made it start but not drive.

Have you tried a diesel injector cleaner from any motoring stores.

worth a try.

BongoBonkers wrote:OK. Any ideas what it might be? It drives fine but has always felt like it is a very low torque engine and needed a bit of revving to move along. My sister used to have a Mazda 1800 V6 (MX-6?) and that needed plenty of revs to go anywhere quick and I assumed this engine was similar...

Any ideas appreciated.....Thanks

I would definitely check for binding brakes, as above, although there are obviously lots of other possibilities. In the recent monsoon season, I had to go through a number of deeper than usual fords, in rural Wales, a few times.

Now I find the front nearside is binding, and hill performance has dropped to match. Hoping a good clean up today will do the trick but, if not and it's a rusted up caliper piston, anyone know a good source for a post-'99 front caliper?