Bongo Fury

I wonder what other cars or vans need manually coolant bleeding like the Bongo does.

If there was a list of cars/vans which required this, and you were struggling to find a Bongo-friendly local garage, if you could give the garage an example of another vehicle it might help them to better understand the Bongo system...

I don't recall anything else needing this song and dance, but someone may know different.

Bob wrote: Mon May 31, 2021 5:49 pm I don't recall anything else needing this song and dance, but someone may know different.

Dang. I was kinda hoping someone would say something like a mid-engined Toyota Previa or an old Hi-Ace or something.

Having spoken to a few mechanics about doing work on the Bongo they all look at you like you're crazy when you mention the bleedin' bleeding technique. I used to be amazed that a car manufacturer would sell a car with a service technique this stupid but then you see the cars that need bumpers removing to change a headlight bulb and it begins to make sense.

On the large dia coolant pipe that runs from the drivers feet to the rad on diesels is a nipple/ rubber stop end with a clip on it, my theory is that when the bongos were newer and less crusty in the coolant system it would be possible to totally fill the system from underneath in a pit etc, this point is just about the lowest point in the system so should be suitable, no seasaw, funnel or getting up to temp etc, I've been waiting for ten years for someone to come on here to say they tried it but nothing yet.
I just stick with what I know works, it takes time, but it works.

A fair amount of cars need manual bleeding, not usually as much as a faf as the bongo to be fair. Peugeot/Citroen vehicles need a header tank fitted to raise the height of the coolant & valves opened to purge the air out. Many vehicles now also need diagnostics to bleed the cooling system too.

Northern Bongolow wrote: Tue Jun 01, 2021 12:10 am On the large dia coolant pipe that runs from the drivers feet to the rad on diesels is a nipple/ rubber stop end with a clip on it, my theory is that when the bongos were newer and less crusty in the coolant system it would be possible to totally fill the system from underneath in a pit etc, this point is just about the lowest point in the system so should be suitable, no seasaw, funnel or getting up to temp etc, I've been waiting for ten years for someone to come on here to say they tried it but nothing yet.
I just stick with what I know works, it takes time, but it works.

A bit like forcing brake fluid through the caliper and then up into the fluid reservoir and, thus, expelling the air upwards?

Interesting to see the post about Citroen and Peugeot cars sometimes needing a manual bleed...

Rooflifter wrote: Mon May 31, 2021 10:39 pm Having spoken to a few mechanics about doing work on the Bongo they all look at you like you're crazy when you mention the bleedin' bleeding technique. I used to be amazed that a car manufacturer would sell a car with a service technique this stupid but then you see the cars that need bumpers removing to change a headlight bulb and it begins to make sense.

Exactly , we used to remove the engine on some Volkswagens to change the spark plugs.

I've always been curious about why there isn't a better procedure for bleeding the Bongo. Just as an example it seems like it would be easy enough to fit a shut off valve on the bleed pipe rather than have to remove a funnel and cap it while the water is scalding hot. This kind of thing fitted to the chassis somewhere maybe or a lever valve that can be locked in place. https://www.carbuilder.com/uk/brass-90- ... ball-valve

My other bright idea was to fit a clear plastic or glass jar level with the header tank with a syphon pipe connecting the two and the max and min markings on the glass jar just as an easy indicator of the level in the tank. I never quite got around to rigging that up but I might have a play with it this time. I cleaned my header tank enough last time that you could see the level if the light was good so I just needed a lamp and a mirror to keep an eye on it. Better than having to employ a seasoned lollipop stick technician anyway.

I've heard of Rusty's bleed kit...that seems to solve a lot of the issues around bleeding and makes the system behave more like a normal system.