... well, it feels like it.
Having sought advice from you forumeers in May about my proposed new car, I'd decided to go for a petrol Jag XF after our annual 5-week hols in France. However, Fate lobbed me a custard pie. Two days before MoT time and 10 days before travelling I got a rash of messages saying the DPF was blocked, then the car went into limp mode and it was recovered to a specialist in Darlington. I gambled that the car was going to pass the MoT and spent the value of the car on having the DPF cleaned, a forced regen and the Eolys fluid topped up.
550 miles later, in France, towing the caravan, I got the DPF message back. Making a mental note to talk to the Darlington garage when I get back, I took some advice (in French) and concluded that the as the DPF was probably scrap anyway, no harm would come from taking it off and pressure-washing the matrix. I'd had the DPF off before and run some solution from GSF car parts, and tap water through it. Some soot and some pink-coloured water came out. I hadn't pressure-washed it because I'd been advised it would damage the matrix. Under pressure conditions, stuff that looked like tomato soup came out. Now it's all back together and the water blown out of the DPF, the car feels quite unusually brisk. We did a couple of main-road overtakes and I was impressed with the feeling that all 130 mighty horses were actually doing their job. The caravan feels lighter too. Null points to me for failing to notice the deterioration in performance.
Of course my rash expenditure on what amounts to a scrap banger has put my new car purchase back a bit. Will we make it over the Massif Central or will we be coming home early on the back of a recovery truck? I'll keep you posted. Now, pass the vin ordinaire will you?
Who else has DIYed a DPF clean, did it work and how long did it last?
|
|
Pink coloured water, vin ordinaire, is there a connection?
|
|
Where are you staying? Has the temperature reached 40 yet today? Yesterday it made 40 here, and at 07.00 this am it was still 26! I bet a tin shed is a little uncomfortable at those temperatures!
|
>> Where are you staying?
Near Chaource, Aube. Temp 25°C. On Tuesday off to near Condom to be thoroughly warmed through and to take b-i-l to sing at an event in Argmagnac country.
|
|
I assumed from your comment about massif central that you were already in the south! I am going to travel 400km North east next week to close to Bergerac - at least it gives me 6 hrs in the car with the aircon on.
|
Just coming to end of our fortnight in France (with caravan). Journey north to Calais starts on Monday with a night stop at Challons (Marne).
First week was at the gorgeous Domaine de la Grande Cascade (www.camping-grandecascade.com/ ) to which we've been returning on a regular basis since 1990 - before kids. At around 4200' under the Puy de Sancy it's never too hot. Warm sun but cool fresh air. Can get downright parky at night though and mountain fog/rain not unknown.
Now in Jura just over border from Geneva. Too hot to do much, nearly 40 yesterday though we're hoping to ride a bit of the Route de Leman cycleway tomorrow.
Both my cars have DPF but (Wood firmly touched) neither has given a moment's trouble in nearly 100k miles between two vehicles.
Hitch for this trip was a stone that hit the windscreen while between Rouen and Chartres. Left a star shaped ding which I mentally noted for attention when back home. Tuesday afternoon, after car had sat in sun on our pitch for a few hours, I moved off and on reflex operated washer to shift dust from screen. Loud ping and there's a crack 3-4 inches at right edge of screen moving into driver's field of view. Monitored it with spots of marker pen and even when not spreading visibly kept progressing as a S shaped wiggle directly into field of view. Abandoned hope of leaving it until home and decided to try for repair.
Set off on Wednesday for Carglass in Annemasse, nearly an hour way, when I passed local Citroen agency whose signage included 'Pare Brise sans Rendevous'. Turned out to need an appointment as screen had to be ordered in. Dropped car off 08:30 yesterday and cycled back to caravan - uphil glad it was early morning. Call at 15:00 to say it was finished. Looks like a very good job - none of the runs of sealant left when previous Berlingo was in care of Autoglass Northampton. Cost was eyewatering, a whisker short of 600 Euro. Hopefully LV will pay up less excess when I get home.
Last edited by: smokie on Sat 5 Aug 17 at 20:07
|
>>First week was at the gorgeous Domaine de la Grande Cascade (www.camping-grandecascade.com/ )
Looks very pleasant. I enjoy European campsites. Sadly its been a while.
|
>> I'll keep you posted.
Got back home yesterday; so far, so good. 1,800 towing miles since the pressure-washer intervention and the car feels good. I have an app. for my phone called 'FAP lite' which is supposed to talk to the car's ecu. This showed a fault 'Idle speed too high or particle filter overload' after putting everything back together. This message disappeared after a 250 mile day's travelling to Cazaubon in the foothills of the Pyrenees.
Now I have to find out why the auxiliary heater has started weeping diesel ...
|
Citroen C8 MPV - Hawkeye gets a new motor - Hard Cheese
