I would be taking the offer of parking, with another funster!***UPDATE: THE SAGA CONTINUES***
Good morning FUNsters. Hope you're all well and had a good night.
Posting an update as to how we've got on from last night until now. The skinny is that the problem is not resolved, so if anyone has any further ideas following the below they would again be really appreciated.
1. Decent night's kip in the garage forecourt
2. Got seen by the mechanic at 08:10 - pleasantly surprised
3. Conveyed that perhaps the missing hose was the reniflad de carter - crankcase breather - attaching to "the black box", showing the mechanic pictures of same/similar engines kindly shared by Ninjabob and Just smiffy
4. Van goes up on the ramp - the mechanics re-attach the loose hose to the black box, €87 and some paperwork later - off I merrily go.
When I get to the first 8% incline - of which there are many, I, unfortunately, find the same problem is persisting.
After speaking to RAC European Assistance, they currently expect it will be hard to find a mechanic to reassess the problem due to the holidays, this may take some days. At present we are not sure. The garage that completed the failed repair also cannot fit us in for 15 days to run further diagnostics.
As such, this may have to be a case of find a way to repair myself come hell or high water. Hence this post.
Firstly, to have another go at describing the problem when driving:
- On the flat I can gain speed, moderately less effectively than usual, with my typical gear changes on the nose of 20/30/40 mph to conserve fuel.
- Uphill - I gradually lose speed, ultimately managing 20mph/30kph on an 8% incline in 3rd gear without losing speed.
- Sound - typically when giving the accelerator some welly, a reassuring roar comes out (I think from the turbo). Instead, I the sound is like a gentle hiss.
In relation to a previous comment it definitely does has a turbo. Helpfully I have found one of the same engines that is in the van on ebay -<Broken link removed>.
As a recap, yesterday we got these pictures of similar engines. The crankcase breather needed to reattach to the bottom left of "The Black Box". After looking around and having a good feel, I couldn't find any connection in that location to reattach the hose to.
The garage, seemingly also couldn't as they attached the hose to another piece of hose, and attached that to a separate point on the black box. To clearly describe this, I have sketched out what they did.
View attachment 411425 What they did
The red hose is the loose hose. We think this should've connected to Point B. Point B is really obscured/inaccessible - assuming it in fact does exist! What they noticed (they showed me) was that point C was missing a hose. Explained that a piece was missing, and proceed to make and fit a further piece of hose connecting the first hose, via a new hose, to Point C.
Point C is clearly visible (also missing a hose) on the Engine pic from eBay below.
View attachment 411424 Engine pic from eBay
In Engine pic 2 below, a hose is present - connected to Point C - going somewhere out of shot.
View attachment 411423 Engine pic 2
Now sat here in the shade of an abandoned shop, my best diagnosis is that:
1.The Black Box blew hoses of BOTH Point B and Point C in my diagram when the problem occurred yesterday
2. I now have a hose that should be connected to Point B, incorrectly connected via another hose to Point C
Given this, what I now need to work out (assuming this issue is the full extent of my driveability problem), is:
3. Where Point B is. Perhaps I lost a component on the road, but for love nor now money can I find the place where that hose should attach.
4. Where the hose that should be connected to Point C is - and where it connects to
I'll keep you all abreast of updates as I continue to try to solve the problem - just writing this down has helped actually - but once again any and all suggestions gratefully received.
Thanks FUNsters and all the best,
YoungDave