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Head problems

Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2011 6:18 pm
by chavved_up_bongo
I'm pretty sure i'm getting fobbed off. i'd appreciate you telling me what you think. a fast answer would help :)

Head cracked on the Bongo 2 months ago. had an AMC head fitted. new rad, water pump and thermostat too. 2 weeks ago noticed there was no water in the header. filled it up, temp went right up on a longish journey. bubbling noises. took it to the garage where i'd had the work done. they said it was a cracked pipe and its prob made the head go again. replaced the pipe and they road tested it and no probs after that. last week there was a rad smell and basically the water was boiling and gushing out the header tank with the cap still screwed in place. this happened outside the garage.
they said it couldnt be the head because there was no water coming out the exhaust and cant be a leak as theres no obvious leakage. so at this point in time the car is in the garage still
today they said they'd stripped down the radiator and put it back on. nothing wrong with it. said no point pressure testing the head as it doesnt get it hot enough to give a proper idea.
doesnt sound to me like they know what they're doing or they're trying to get out of warranty work. yet this garage is recommended by many as being reputable for bongos.
Oreston car sales, plymouth.
this is Mrs chavved up bongo speaking hence why i'm not talking too technically :D
we're buying a new car tomoro and are planning on selling the bongo once its fixed. if it ever gets fixed!

Re: Head problems

Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2011 6:23 pm
by missfixit70
In short - fobbed off. You don't necessarily get water out of the exhaust if the heads gone. if it's overheated due to a pipe going, there's every chance the head may have gone again, not necessarily their fault though. Could be they didn't do the head properly in the first place of course. Have you got anything to warn of hight temps or low coolant? is the temperature gauge as standard, (ie sits at @11 oclock on the scale & dumbed down so it doesn't tell you it's overheating until it's already on it's way)
Something is pressurising/overheating the system. My advice, get it to Allans, no BS & proper job.

Re: Head problems

Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2011 6:39 pm
by chavved_up_bongo
no theres no water alarm. we didnt even know one existed until last week. and yes the temp gage is exactly that. the whole job cost us 1300 quid and i'd rather try and get the muppets to do a proper job first under warranty but if they havent figured it out by the end of the week then we'll take it to allans. mr chav is working til then anyway and i dont drive so no more can be done really.
is allan the man to do all jap imports as we've just bought a toyota estima aeras

Re: Head problems

Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2011 6:41 pm
by haydn callow
ask him :wink:

Re: Head problems

Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2011 6:58 pm
by missfixit70
Allan is about the only guy I'd willingly let work on my bongo, he understands the peculiarities of the mid engined imports :wink:

Re: Head problems

Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2011 6:59 pm
by chavved_up_bongo
rightio! cheers for your help