Bongo Fury

Sorry in advance this is a bit vague but i am wondering if some-one can point me in the right direction.I will of course try search but i dont know what i am searching for as yet.

I have a 95 diesel 2.5 4 wheel drive bongo.
She had been stood for a couple of weeks but everything was normal last time we were out.
Yesterday i set off (its downhill main street littered with tourists so lots of braking) and it seemd the brakes were binding a bit initially but then that went off -so i thought maybe a bit of muck on the pad and forgot about it. fuelled up, set off again - Got 4 miles down the road and came to a tight bend -but when i pulled out of it there was a loud squeal (not the pulling away too fast wheel spinning type) -she then drove normally for another ten miles,had a ten minute stop and set off back. - again all seemed normal -until i got half way . From there the road involves hills - and so i am slowing at the bottom and accelerating up the next one the squeal re-occurred, as i went up, and again when i set off after i had stopped at a junction on the flat. this then acompanied me all the way back up the main street without going off.
I have tried running in neutral and revving and it doesnt seem to be connected to the engine , she wasnt overheating either, i could take her out for a run tonight (child free) so i can see if i can be any more acurate in my woolly description - but am worried about doing so if its going to make things worse.

The only other clue is the first time when it sounded really loud the passenger side window was open but not on the way back - so could be something on that side ? or was that the sound of something breaking, if it was and was a belt should i run it at all
(which belts should i check and where are they checkable from)

Also wondering about turbo, maybe it was a bit sluggish but it could also have been the way i was driving by this time 20mph limit up hill,catastrophising mind set, nursing her home in half panic mode because breaking down with kids in the rain in the middle of no-where isnt fun

or if one of the the brakes could be sticking on for a while then releasing -(it didnt affect the driving no judders or anything) but this wasnt happening on the outward journey after the initial sound so got worse over time.- or potentially a similar timescale after setting off both times but worse on the return journey.(heat related ?) ( passed MOT 3 months ago has done little mileage since so shouldnt be wear related)

I,m at a loss to know where to start searching,and nearest mehanic is 20 miles away but again dont want to drive that, if its going to do more damage, so please forgive my not very technical ramblings and any sugestions welcome.

Brakes would be my first suspicion. They get surface rust quickly when standing and rain is about. That often gives a slight squeal or strange feel on tbe first braking or two. But that should polish things so it stops after that. But maybe they're binding a bit (brake piston starting to seize etc). When you roll to a halt in neutral, is there a slight jerk as the car stops, as though you'd still been using the brake pedal lightly. That would indicate binding if so. Also, are any of the wheels feeling hotter than the others to touch (on passenger side for example, and even after a short run) as that might indicate a binding brake (friction = heat). The fact that it sounds fine when revved in neutral suggests it isnt an engine thing (and esp not a critical one). I think, if brakes not binding badly, you should be ok for a 20 mile trip. But, cant guarantee! Hope you get it sorted, and keep us posted.

I might be wrong here but... when you say it makes a squeal when you accelerate out of the corner - could this be one of the drive belts slipping a bit under load - the fan belt sort of squeal?

I will go for a short spin tonight then test the rolling too a halt Mike.The only engine thing i noticed at all was a bit of a judder on start up before i drove anywhere - nothing major just something that doesnt usually happen and didnt happen again when i started it at the petrol station or to come home and so again thought no more about.
It has been chucking some really serious rain down recently and i am parking in a fairly exposed place where it drives it in and also runs donwn the hill a lot, so easilly could be rain related.Thinking about it i had a puddle of rain water sitting in the driver side door way last time i went out before yesterday ( on the step - not the footwell which was dry) and it rolling stones and muck down the hill with the water wont have helped with brakes at the front potentially rusting.

I did think fan belt last night afterwards but it wasnt what sprung to mind at the time i heard it - but then again i have only heard it before from other peoples vehicles and from the outside.

Thanks guys Will let you know what happens when i go back too it after work.

karena wrote: Mon Aug 19, 2019 1:33 pm I will go for a short spin tonight then test the rolling too a halt Mike.The only engine thing i noticed at all was a bit of a judder on start up before i drove anywhere - nothing major just something that doesnt usually happen and didnt happen again when i started it at the petrol station or to come home and so again thought no more about.
It has been chucking some really serious rain down recently and i am parking in a fairly exposed place where it drives it in and also runs donwn the hill a lot, so easilly could be rain related.Thinking about it i had a puddle of rain water sitting in the driver side door way last time i went out before yesterday ( on the step - not the footwell which was dry) and it rolling stones and muck down the hill with the water wont have helped with brakes at the front potentially rusting.

I did think fan belt last night afterwards but it wasnt what sprung to mind at the time i heard it - but then again i have only heard it before from other peoples vehicles and from the outside.

Thanks guys Will let you know what happens when i go back too it after work.

Possible I suppose that a stone/grit has got in somewhere. Be interesting to see if you find a brake (or more) is binding. Keep us posted.

Now its stopped raining and i have managed to get near the bongo (thanks inconsiderate bh weekender for blocking me) i checked belts and oil and they seem fine but there are three dark patches sitting under the front - checked oil again then discovered power steering fluid is down below minimum -switch on and turn the wheel and it groans - not the same squeal but then i,m not driving and not in motion, so i am guessing it is related (or a weird co-incidence) I will go away and search type etc but i am thinking get some in then refill and see how quickly it goes away -but if i drive it to the mechanic is it going to create more damage or would it just be a case of the steering being heavy (non powered).

I reckon you will be OK driving a short distance. It sounds like the seals need replacing.

Thanks Ian.
read through previous related posts yesterday and will send my grandson underneath with a camera to try identify a leaking spot - if it is seals then will try some of the leak fix stuff just to give it a better chance before setting off to mecahnics to put them on -not someting i can do myself i dont think.