Our first trip and our first breakdown
On the 11th of July we set out for our first real road test for the van, we had done a Paris-Caen but it's only a 2h drive. We left paris around noon to head to Le Puy en Velay to spend time with the family and to start all the heavy work on the van (indoor decoration, solar panels, etc). The trip went well for the first 495km (out of 540km) and then disaster struck. Just as we were getting into the climb to the pass of Fix-St Geneys, we lost power. For the anecdote, Fix is considered to be the border between Auvergne and Velay. The road that goes to le Puy climbs along until Fix and then mostly goes down. So as we were going into the final steps of that climb, I down shift into 3rd to use my engine brakes and when it comes to accelerating, nothing, no boost:
By that time it's around 22h the sun is setting, I start to think we will have to spend the first night in our van that night. But we decide to push through, we're only 40km from home and once we clear the pass of Fix, it's mostly downhill. So we drive the remaining distance at the pace of a slug and taking detours to avoid the climbs. As we are arriving towards our destination, there is a final climb, it's small but steep enough to have me in first, foot on the floor engine at 4,000rpm spewing black smoke like there's no tomorrow. The climb is at a place called Mandaroue, for the anecdote, my Grand Father was born in Marnhac, 500m away from that climb, as we pass that final hurdle, something clicks in the engine, and poof back to normal... we drive the final km or so with the van working perfectly both relieved that it works and a bit pissed that it didn't do that 2h ago. We get home exhausted both mentally and physically and enjoy a well deserved beer and pizza with my parents.
Epilogue
In the end it turns out that my lack of knowledge of modern diesel engine was the cause of much unnecessary panic. Modern diesel engine are fitted with what is called an EGR valve which is there to reduce NOx emissions by recycling exhaust gas into the intake manifold so as to burn whatever wasn't burnt the first time. Those valves are a plague and all the motoring enthusiasts show a visible hatred for them. When an EGR gets stuck open, you experience, lack of power and black smoke. ah. So we set up to dismantle the EGR valve, and get it properly cleaned. It was a pain to dismantle as Renault managed to put it in the least accessible spot (unless you don't remove the whole front grille, radiator, EG intercooler, etc) but we were done in half a day, we bought a xylene based EGR valve cleaner and spent a good hour-ish to get it to soak in that so as to dissolve all the built up gunk, remounted and voila.
- Step 1: Panic,
- Step 2: Remember that panicking never fixed anything.
By that time it's around 22h the sun is setting, I start to think we will have to spend the first night in our van that night. But we decide to push through, we're only 40km from home and once we clear the pass of Fix, it's mostly downhill. So we drive the remaining distance at the pace of a slug and taking detours to avoid the climbs. As we are arriving towards our destination, there is a final climb, it's small but steep enough to have me in first, foot on the floor engine at 4,000rpm spewing black smoke like there's no tomorrow. The climb is at a place called Mandaroue, for the anecdote, my Grand Father was born in Marnhac, 500m away from that climb, as we pass that final hurdle, something clicks in the engine, and poof back to normal... we drive the final km or so with the van working perfectly both relieved that it works and a bit pissed that it didn't do that 2h ago. We get home exhausted both mentally and physically and enjoy a well deserved beer and pizza with my parents.
Epilogue
In the end it turns out that my lack of knowledge of modern diesel engine was the cause of much unnecessary panic. Modern diesel engine are fitted with what is called an EGR valve which is there to reduce NOx emissions by recycling exhaust gas into the intake manifold so as to burn whatever wasn't burnt the first time. Those valves are a plague and all the motoring enthusiasts show a visible hatred for them. When an EGR gets stuck open, you experience, lack of power and black smoke. ah. So we set up to dismantle the EGR valve, and get it properly cleaned. It was a pain to dismantle as Renault managed to put it in the least accessible spot (unless you don't remove the whole front grille, radiator, EG intercooler, etc) but we were done in half a day, we bought a xylene based EGR valve cleaner and spent a good hour-ish to get it to soak in that so as to dissolve all the built up gunk, remounted and voila.
What do we say to the god of diesel ? Not Today.
All cleaned up (Mr. Greedy agrees)
Lack of power, egr valve, got the same issue few months ago #renault ;) glad to see it is fine now, enjoy!
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