OT: Mazda Bongo Overheating - no obvious failures, any advice?

[leicesterboy15]

Hi All, my Dads Mazda Bongo is overheating after a few miles and he doesn't know what is causing the problem. I am 100 miles away from him so I can't check it out myself but I've asked him to check the fan comes on and that there is pressure in the coolant pipes but thats all I can say on the subject. He says it was overheating really quickly for a week then he took it for a run and the temp went up then he heard a strange noise and the temp went right back down to normal but the car bellows white smoke. I haven't seen this myself but it sounded to me like an airlock somewhere which cleared but this doesn't explain the white smoke. Its not loosing coolant and there is no water in the oil. Where can I point him to next? There are no decent garages where he lives so its hard to get someone to have a look.

The car is a 2.5 turbo diesel and if you are wondering what a bongo is look here... http://www.bongofury.co.uk/

[DanQ]

What looks like white smoke is most likely coolant leaking in to one or more cylinders due to a cracked head or blown head gasket. It may not be enough to show that you are losing coolant (at least quickly) but it probably doesn't take much to create the white smoke.

[whiskychaser]

Quick search on the Bongo brought up this though some of the cooling system information may not cheer you up much:
http://www.allansvehicleservices.co.uk/32132.html?*session*id*key*=*session*id*val*
Good article on trouble shooting diesels including 'white smoke':
http://www.uniteddiesel.co.uk/diesel-engine-smoke.php
Does the heater work?

[e34.535i.sport]

:( I'm fearing the worst for your dad here too... Doesn't sound good at all.

Some good info found by the chaser there though... (be worth checking that bleed pipe they speak of). I'd be looking towards checking the thermostat, then radiator, draining/refilling/bleeding the system providing it's still running ok?

Fingers crossed it's survived the overheating.

[leicesterboy15]

Thanks guys, I'll speak to my Dad and find out how its going, I've been snowed under with work so I haven't had a chance to speak to him but I will get on the case now.

[whiskychaser]

Something tells me that buying a car called a Bongo is not a good plan. Hope you manage to sort it anyway

[genphreak]

Thanks guys, I'll speak to my Dad and find out how its going, I've been snowed under with work so I haven't had a chance to speak to him but I will get on the case now.Have you asked Nurse to help? Perhaps you can get her to come and put her stethascope to good use. Maybe then see what causes all that heat to build up. I'm sure she'd at least stop Dad complaining. If that doesn't work, tell him to buy a BMW! I'd prefer to go camping in a touring anyday... LOL!

From http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/fox.htm

The Bongo Clinic
http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/Graphics/nurse.jpg
If your Bongo is feeling a bit under the weather, then the duty nurse at the Bongo Clinic is here to try and find a remedy.

[Tiger]

Do the usual check... fix the overheating problem first. Check thermostat to see if it opens up.

Do you have a cat converter on that van? Plugged cat converter will cause overheating regardless of proper cooling system.

EGR does go... so it can be a simple replacement to clear up the white smoke.

[leicesterboy15]

Have you asked Nurse to help? Perhaps you can get her to come and put her stethascope to good use. Maybe then see what causes all that heat to build up. I'm sure she'd at least stop Dad complaining. If that doesn't work, tell him to buy a BMW! I'd prefer to go camping in a touring anyday... LOL!

From http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/fox.htm

The Bongo Clinic
http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/Graphics/nurse.jpg
If your Bongo is feeling a bit under the weather, then the duty nurse at the Bongo Clinic is here to try and find a remedy.

Forget my dad, that nurse can come and see me instead!

The car is used for going to and from the UK to the south of Spain regularly as they have a place down there, for that reason its ideal, it saves them having 2 cars or paying for hotels, France is very well set up for camping. Its a pretty good car if I'm honest (other than the stupid name). I told him to get a BMW but he says they're too flashy!

Its going in to the garage tomorrow, apparently it was steam and not smoke! Mechanic says its the head gasket, he's going to take the head off and see whats what. He'll replace the cambelt and thermostat while he's there if the head is not fried as you need to drop the engine to do any work on it - the engine is under the front seats.