Bongo Fury

Hello - having the following issue. Bongo started to drop back into second from third whilst just cruising along, would then lift of and it would go back into third.

Then yesterday normal driving it just stopped selecting third. Got first and second, when it starts you select "Drive" it only gives you first when you drop it into first it then jumps into second (this is the only way to get second) and basically no matter what you select/do there aint no third gear. Basically had to go 70 miles yesterday with the engine screaming to get home

Have read the other posts about ATF fluid change etc, checked today and I have a few questions. Stuck it on level ground and check the ATF cold no engine on and it was up to the twirl. Started the engine and put it into all gears as advised and check the level, it got tot he first notch. Is this correct?

1, Dip stick has no letters on it, only two little notches close together about 1cm from the bottom. Then about 3-4cm up it has a twirl in the stick - is the first notches the cold reading and up to the twirl where it should be when hot?

2, The ATF is dirty and smells of "burnt toast". What does the smell mean, other than it just aint clean? Should i be worried. It obviously needs changed but does the smell mean it needs more than a simple flush?

3, If this has to go to a garage for this (not very good on the mechanical side) what is the ball park figure for new fluid and any seals etc you would expect to pay?

Sorry for the long post, thanks for any replies.

Not got the 'H'old button pressed in have you ..??

Maybe a fluid change may help ... BUT ...??

The Fluid should look cherry red .. if it's brownish and smells of burned toast then it definitely needs changing ..

The brown / burnt smell are the brake / drive bands have been overheating ..

Remember you cannot simply drain the torque converter and that holds as much (gungy) fluid as the sump ..

The best way is to flush the box ... and toque converter .. then have completely fresh fluid in the system

There are companies around who will do a though job .. others suck simply out the small amount retained in the sump .. but not the torque converter ..

At an absolute minimum I would suggest removing the boxes sump pan .. clean it .. the magnet .. and filter ..

Cost ... I queried my local auto box specialist and they quoted me £160 for a full sump off service .. nip up the brake bands .. filters .. fill up .. road test etc:

Great thanks - is the job of changing the oil in the torque converter and gearbox a specialist Bongo one? What I mean is the Bongo garage I use is a good distance form me. We use a local garage for my cars but does not specialize in Bongos OR is an auto gearbox oil change just and auto gearbox regardless?

Sad-Ac wrote:Great thanks - is the job of changing the oil in the torque converter and gearbox a specialist Bongo one? What I mean is the Bongo garage I use is a good distance form me. We use a local garage for my cars but does not specialize in Bongos OR is an auto gearbox oil change just and auto gearbox regardless?

Local garage should be fine but a local autobox specialist might be better, if you have one. I think I read the Mazda autobox is the same one (Nissan?) as used on London taxis, but don't take my word for that!

Cool thanks again!

A lot of small garages are now using a 'vacuum' type of flush / fluid change system ..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjxmlrbpjTk

Maybe not having the expertise to fully service the innards of the box ..but still a better job than just draining the sump (IF you have a drain plug as some don't) or sucking the gungy fluid out of the sump via the dip stick hole .. but leaving crappy stuff in the torque converter ..

The DIY method for a ..full .. fluid change is via the fluid (oil) cooler pipes on the bottom of the radiator ..

BUT .. as you don't know what the mechanical condition of the box is ... it is not 100% certain that a simple fluid change will cure your problem..

My understanding is you have to check the level with the engine running having cycled thru the gears a few times. As soon as you get the pump going the level will drop. That means without the engine running the level is artificially high. Factsheet may be of use:

http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/member ... ts/atf.pdf

I had a hell of a job getting the level right. My dipstick has 3 marks on it and it's the hot level that you need to focus on getting correct between the two upper notches.

Greatly over filling the fluid could blow an oil seal .. or 'exit' via one (usually the one where the prop shaft slides in / out of the gear box ..

Usually a very small amount will not be a cause of worry .. or at the worst 'vent out' of the gearbox breather (scenario a bit like over filling a diff )..

And, as another post has just reminded us, a thorough clean up of magnet and filter are an essential part of a good job. But your problem could be more serious and an autobox specialist might better advise on that saving wasted money on a fluid change alone with no good result.

Sad-Ac

unless you have any evidence that your ATF has been been replaced in the laste two years and that the filter has had a good clean I'd highly recommend you put by 2-3 hours one weekend to do the job, it's straight forward enough and you may wele be surprised with the results...especially if this has not been done sonce 1997! Granted from your symptoms there may be other issues going on...one other thing, there gearing your experiencing is this intermittent or can you replicate it all the time? Nothing ventured nothing gained so they say!

Regards,

To prove I'm not nuts here is the dip stick. Nothing else is written on it apart from what you see.

We changed the cam belt and it was 17 years old so I take your point. Will speak to my local garage and see if their happy to do the torque converter also. If not will just get it in to the Bongo guys I use. Don't want to end up with the local garage just doing the sump then the issue does not go away and it has to go to the Bongo place anyways.

Will let you know how it goes.

It's useful if you put your general location in your profile .. there maybe some one close who can give you recommendations ..

Is your 'H'old button working OK .. as that in effect drops you down a gear and changes up shifts RPM road speed ..??

Yeah the hold button does something (although I don't know its actual function) I'm outside Glasgow.

Basically when the 'H'old button is pressed and the 'H' is illuminated .. it 'knocks' you out of top gear or locks you in what ever gear the lever is in ..

Great for the 'boy racers' as they don't expect a camper van to have a 2.5 24 valve quad cam engine and a 'sports mode' box ..