Bongo Fury

Hi everyone,

Just wondered - do you guys turn off your bongos when waiting in traffic? I know it's more fuel efficient for the newer cars to do this, is there any reason why it wouldn't be the same for Bongos? Mine is 20 years old so I don't want to be damaging it by starting and stopping all the time, but it does seem silly to be sitting in traffic with the engine running.

Personally I would not do it in a diesel at traffic lights in urban/semi urban area, especially so when it is not fully warmed up as you want that oil where it needs to be all over your valves/crank/camshaft etc. and not draining back down to the sump.

I always make a call on it in heavy traffic conditions. In a M-Way standstill I turn it off. Obviously not for creeping along but sometimes I do when it is stop/start every few minutes, just have to make a judgement I guess.

the modern start stop tech motors are very different to old bongos.
the bongo is a large engine the newer ones are generally smaller sized. the alternator and starter and batteries are up spec from the norm, usually charging up to 17 volts at the alternator, the batteries have improved cranking amps too.

I never turn it off, but I quite often want either heating or aircon on when sat still in traffic - which I wouldn't get.

How do the start stop cars work with aircon etc?

I can just imagine getting annoyed if I pull up to a queue of traffic on a hot day and the air con cuts out ???

I never turn the engine off when stopped in traffic ... but I always put the box in neutral ..

sotal wrote:I never turn it off, but I quite often want either heating or aircon on when sat still in traffic - which I wouldn't get.

How do the start stop cars work with aircon etc?

I can just imagine getting annoyed if I pull up to a queue of traffic on a hot day and the air con cuts out ???

I can't talk for every ones but on the OH's Golf, the engine doesn't stop if you are putting a demand on the air-con/heating. As soon as the climate detects you are above or below temperature it turns the engine back on.

I also think confidence in your battery is a factor and your journey types. Long journeys at speed will charge the battery well, whereas stop start urban cycles will unlikely do the job as well. I have a 1 year old Exide starter so tend to assume it should be fine. If you have a 5 y.o. aging battery you might think twice about stopping and starting.

mikeWalsall wrote:I never turn the engine off when stopped in traffic ... but I always put the box in neutral ..

Me too. I've got no figures to back it up but it feels like it helps (slightly) with fuel consumption.

They theory of stop/start on modern cars is starting the car uses the same amount of fuel as 3 seconds worth of idling so if the engine is stopped for more than 3 seconds it is saving you fuel. As already said though the kit on the car is designed for doing this, stop/start cars almost exclusively use AGM type batteries & normally have battery monitoring systems, Some don't even have starter motors instead using reversible alternators to start the engine. The car has to meet certain criteria for the stop/start to activate & will monitor things such as engine temperature, battery temperature, state of charge of the battery & how much electrical load is on the electrical system.
Personally if im going to be stationary for more than 5 seconds or so I put the box in N, nothing to do with saving fuel, just to put less load on the box.

Personally, I only stop the engine if it's clear I'll be there for a few minutes, like a motorway hold-up.

The solenoid contacts on the Bongo are prone to wearing out, and if they give up whilst away from home you are stranded (assuming auto box).

I certainly wouldn't impose the additional wear on them stopping the engine at 'normal' traffic lights etc.