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Post by Firefox on Mar 23, 2013 3:57:29 GMT
Anyone else going? The roads are supposed to be clear so I'm just about to set off now!
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Post by billieblue on Mar 23, 2013 11:23:01 GMT
Hi Vern I've abandoned it. Not stopped snowing here and no traffic on roads around me tho may be clear in city centre. Hope you make it ok.
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Post by Mini on Mar 23, 2013 14:24:27 GMT
News reports on the Beeb this morning were horrendous, so I hope you got there safely Firefox. Sounds like they're having fun... good venue too. Photos please!
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Post by Firefox on Mar 23, 2013 15:08:24 GMT
Well I got half way there! Got to Peterborough (Wittering) but plagued by engine cutting out. I think it is water condensed in the diesel due to the cold and low pressure in the common rail. It always starts back up but cuts out within a few seconds at times, such that it is undriveable. I stopped in Stilton for a few hours and gave it another go, but it has started playing up again so decided to call it day and call the AA not that I have any confidence at all that they will be able to fix it, but we'll see. One thing I have learned to do though, is never take any notice of the news on the BBC Radio/TV as regards weather. Driving conditions on the A1 are absolutely fine. OK, it is wet with a bit of sleet but nothing terminal. They love to play up to a weather story when it is a slack news day. They take the very worst conditions they can find and extrapolate that to the whole country, advising people not to drive etc etc. It's really unprofessional behaviour on their part exaggerating conditions in order to whip up a news story. In most cases you'll find once you get out onto the main roads it will be fine. Some areas have been hit harder I agree but South and East is no more than than a miserable March day
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Post by lotusanne on Mar 23, 2013 15:29:06 GMT
Bast**d!!!!!Keep us posted V , I hope ypu are toasty with your new heater on? What an absolute bummer. The weather is bad in West Yorks though, well main roads OK as you say but nowhere esle passable and quite high drifts as snow blew down horizontally. And still snowing has been on and off all day so gritters cant keep up, I dont think I would have risked going to meet if I had been setting off from here. But agree with general news hypeb making it look sooo much worse than it actually is
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Post by Mini on Mar 23, 2013 15:55:44 GMT
Oh bad luck Vern Hope the AA get you underway nice and fast.
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Post by Mini on Mar 23, 2013 16:09:41 GMT
It looks horrendous in your area Lotusanne. It's such a lottery with snow though isn't it? It only takes a difference of 1 degree for it to either settle or melt, so it can be clear in one place and knee-high 20 miles down the road! I know they usually manage to keep the massive arterial roads clear but it can all go pear-shaped once traffic quietens down at night and the snow starts winning. It's been snowing here for most of the day but all it's done is keep the roads and paths wet. Different story the other week though... the day after we got home from Crufts, we woke up to a totally blanketed West Sussex. There were people stuck on the A23 and even the M23 for 10 hours! Our friends just 45 minutes away in Kent didn't believe it until it hit them the next day!
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Post by Firefox on Mar 23, 2013 16:29:30 GMT
AA man is here now, having a fiddle. No diagnostic fault codes stored which was a bummer. I thought there would be low pressure in the common rail. But nothing. Still he is one of those guys who is prepared to have a bit of a fiddle rather than one who dials up for the relay truck! I think he is looking at the EGR valve but I don't reckon it is that myself.
Who knows, if he waves the magic wand I may yet make it!
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Post by lotusanne on Mar 23, 2013 16:39:08 GMT
It looks horrendous in your area Lotusanne. It's such a lottery with snow though isn't it? It only takes a difference of 1 degree for it to either settle or melt, so it can be clear in one place and knee-high 20 miles down the road! I know they usually manage to keep the massive arterial roads clear but it can all go pear-shaped once traffic quietens down at night and the snow starts winning. It's been snowing here for most of the day but all it's done is keep the roads and paths wet. Different story the other week though... the day after we got home from Crufts, we woke up to a totally blanketed West Sussex. There were people stuck on the A23 and even the M23 for 10 hours! Our friends just 45 minutes away in Kent didn't believe it until it hit them the next day! Yeah its a lottery mini! Only 30 miles away from here in Manchester its snow free apparently! But we are a lot higher and in the Pennines and as you say it can make all the difference. I havent had to go out yet luckily but the dog is starting to whine pathetically and theres only me here now so going to have to brave it soon!!
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Post by lotusanne on Mar 23, 2013 16:40:39 GMT
AA man is here now, having a fiddle. No diagnostic fault codes stored which was a bummer. I thought there would be low pressure in the common rail. But nothing. Still he is one of those guys who is prepared to have a bit of a fiddle rather than one who dials up for the relay truck! I think he is looking at the EGR valve but I don't reckon it is that myself. Who knows, if he waves the magic wand I may yet make it! Got my fingers toes and eyes crossed for you Vern. Please let us know how you get on soon as it is very uncomfy!!!
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Post by Firefox on Mar 23, 2013 17:09:49 GMT
Well he blanked off the EGR valve and followed me up the road, but it cut out twice within a mile. It does drive but I can't really go to far with it like this, so Relay it is. Hope I can get it fixed for next weekend, only got four days!
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Post by lotusanne on Mar 23, 2013 17:16:54 GMT
Aww, so sorry to hear that Vern especially after you made the effort to get there despite the weather. And yes, you haven't got long to get it sorted. Did he agree that is may be due to the cold weather? As apparently its also going to be snowing next weekend!!
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Post by Firefox on Mar 23, 2013 17:39:00 GMT
Aww, so sorry to hear that Vern especially after you made the effort to get there despite the weather. And yes, you haven't got long to get it sorted. Did he agree that is may be due to the cold weather? As apparently its also going to be snowing next weekend!! It could be a few things. Water in the diesel waxing and causing low pressure, high pressure sensor fault, fuel filter, or other electronic fault. But I think it is cold weather related personally, as I have had this before when cold twice, and it usually clears after a few days. This time it is much worse though. Before I have managed to keep it rolling and drive through it, but this time it keeps cutting repeatedly and I am losing momentum on the motorway down to 10-20mph so I will need to get it fixed before Next Friday. I may have to post your tickets on Monday just in case. But don't worry Harefield hall are fairly relaxed. If I phone them and give them your names, they should be able to check you in without tickets even if I can't make it.
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Post by lotusanne on Mar 23, 2013 17:54:28 GMT
Oh Nooo!!! Dont post them then it might make it happen!! But keep us posted, what a bummer
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Post by WindDancer on Mar 23, 2013 18:02:33 GMT
Oh no Vern, hope you get recovered ok and get everything sorted swiftly.
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Post by billieblue on Mar 23, 2013 19:06:45 GMT
Sorry to hear about the van Vernon - hope it's sorted soon. Surely it'll be ok for Friday?? IT HAS TO BE!! What you going to do without your van?
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Post by Firefox on Mar 23, 2013 20:16:47 GMT
Thanks for your good wishes Well, just got it recovered back to North Herts. Hopefully it will drive 10 miles to work on Monday so I can leave it in town to get it looked at. I may be able to hire a van for next weekend if all else fails. Even a Kangoo or something small would be OK, I can sleep in the back on the floor.
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Post by Firefox on Mar 24, 2013 0:10:55 GMT
The snow has reached us now - not much, about an inch. I've made use of it in a bowl outside to cool off a bottle of cheap champagne and a tub of Vanilla and Raspberry choc core ice cream.
Spent the rest of the evening getting sloshed and building up some serious coinage on Lost Bubble.
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Post by billieblue on Mar 24, 2013 11:13:14 GMT
You know how to live!
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Post by Firefox on Mar 24, 2013 14:52:52 GMT
Mobile technician was round today. Reckoned it was an injector. He's coming round tomorrow to test/replace.
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Post by billieblue on Mar 24, 2013 18:25:15 GMT
Mobile technician was round today. Reckoned it was an injector. He's coming round tomorrow to test/replace. Hope it gets sorted Vernon. All being well, what are your plans for Friday?
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Post by Etienne Le Croq on Mar 24, 2013 20:45:38 GMT
Sorry to hear about the van Vern,hope its not too expensive
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Post by Firefox on Mar 24, 2013 22:22:40 GMT
Cheers! Hopefully it will be under £200.
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Post by lotusanne on Mar 25, 2013 8:38:04 GMT
Cheers! Hopefully it will be under £200. Hope it is that Vern, at least its easily sorted. It sounded like one of those owrrying intermittant faults that are so hard to diagnose. Are you hoping to get it replaced before you go into work in it? Good luck anyway, these ar the times when it is very awkward only having one vebicle
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Post by Firefox on Mar 25, 2013 10:50:22 GMT
He'll do it today or tomorrow, hopefully. I've got the train into work, so I've left the van at home for him, but it takes 1 hour on the train rather than 15 mins in the van
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Post by lotusanne on Mar 25, 2013 11:23:23 GMT
What a pain!! Lets hope he does it today then, and that solves the issue. How far will you have to drive before you can tell if its been sorted? Keep us posted anyway and hoping your not feeling too much like you've lost your right arm without your van!!
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Post by Firefox on Mar 25, 2013 12:18:36 GMT
Usually when first started it cuts out within 5 minutes under load, but it will happily sit there idling all day. It then can run for 15 mins or keep cutting out every 30 seconds for a while and then run for another 10/15 mins etc, it's quite random, which is how I managed to get up to Stamford on Sat, till I got fed up of it and it was becoming a safety hazard trying to drive it on the A1 when it did its 30 second stuff.
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