The Further Adventures of Chaseracer in France

[chaseracer]

It's that time again.  I'm off around France once more with a bunch of nutters in Citroens.  Therefore, I have booked the Mercedes on the Holyhead-Dublin ferry at OMFG o'clock on Wednesday morning.

I shall explain.

[chaseracer]

The original plan was to go in my Irish mate's newly-restored SM, with him collecting me on the way to the Channel Tunnel.  Predictably, the SM keeps finding interesting ways to prevent its restoration being completed, the latest being to eat its own starter motor.  So we're going in the CX DTR Safari he used last time.

But wait!  For reasons that presently escape me, the originally Glasgow-registered CX can't return to the UK mainland, so we're taking the overnight sailing Wednesday evening from Cork to Roscoff.  19 hours!  For the first time in nearly 58 years, I will be spending two consecutive nights afloat.

Life's an adventure though, innit? 😁

[Stinkwheel]

Because Citroen?

[somewhatfoolish]

Safari.

[hairnet]

bring lots of snacks (wallet will hate you otherwise)

[Saabnut]

I am in Sarthe (72) until Friday if you need tools/beer/tea

[chaseracer]

The event starts in Beauvais, so we will be transiting northern France with as much dispatch as a smoky old diseasel CX can muster.  Might the teapot be warm on Thursday?

[chaseracer]

3 hours ago, Stinkwheel said:

Because Citroen?

OGODYES

[Saabnut]

14 minutes ago, chaseracer said:

The event starts in Beauvais, so we will be transiting northern France with as much dispatch as a smoky old diseasel CX can muster.  Might the teapot be warm on Thursday?

Always! PM (about to be) sent

[Frogchod]

2 hours ago, Saabnut said:

I am in Sarthe (72) until Friday if you need tools/beer/tea

Are you going to Mezidon Canon on Sunday? 

[Matty]

1 hour ago, Saabnut said:

Always! PM (about to be) sent

At times like these, I'm always regretful about basically being anti social 😁

[Saabnut]

13 minutes ago, Matty said:

At times like these, I'm always regretful about basically being anti social 😁

Rude gits are also welcome 😀

[DSdriver]

3 hours ago, Saabnut said:

I am in Sarthe (72) until Friday if you need tools/beer/tea

Highly recommended, 5 stars and would visit again

[Saabnut]

11 hours ago, Frogchod said:

Are you going to Mezidon Canon on Sunday? 

Sadly not this year, I am here to attend an auction on Sunday and Monday

[DSdriver]

2 hours ago, Saabnut said:

Sadly not this year, I am here to attend an auction on Sunday and Monday

Ooh, money burning a hole in your pocket?

[chaseracer]

Brief update after all the excitement...

No.

Yes, but...

Merde.

Been to the Med, Citromuseum in Castellane today, Alps tomorrow.

[Stinkwheel]

That doesnt look to have gone to plan somehow

But i love the Safari, CX's are a thing once youve owned one (or 7)

[chaseracer]

13 minutes ago, Stinkwheel said:

That doesnt look to have gone to plan somehow

Diesel pump failure.  2000rpm max.  Scary.

CX is currently with a classic car garage outside Valognes, having been taken there by AXA on Friday morning.  If he can't get a new pump, he'll leave the old one in and AXA will take the car back to the yard in Cherbourg, where we'll collect it and limp it (downhill all the way!) to the Dublin ferry.

My mate's tame mechanic is based minutes from the gate of Dublin Port.

[Talbot]

2 hours ago, chaseracer said:

Diesel pump failure.  2000rpm max.  Scary.

CX is currently with a classic car garage outside Valognes, having been taken there by AXA on Friday morning.  If he can't get a new pump, he'll leave the old one in and AXA will take the car back to the yard in Cherbourg, where we'll collect it and limp it (downhill all the way!) to the Dublin ferry.

My mate's tame mechanic is based minutes from the gate of Dublin Port.

One thing that may help.

The Lucas DPC pump on a CX diesel (assuming it's a non-turbo model) is shared with the Citroen C25 / Talbot Express / Fiat Ducato / Peugeot J5 van with the similar 2.5 non-turbo diesel engine.  If a spare can be sourced from a scrap camper/camionette then that would get you up and running again.

The CX Turbodiesel and the C25/J5/Express Turbo diesel pump are also sufficiently similar to be able to be used.  Just be sure the donor engine is a U25 model and not a SOFIM engine.

In theory, it is also possible to use an XUD injection pump with various modifications and the injector opening pressure adjusted.  But that is more of a project.

[chaseracer]

Cheers, Mr R 😎

It's a DTR.  Cyprian spoke with Henri Fradet, owner of the Citromuseum, who sold him a suitable pump.

[hairnet]

so did you buy the rental cos you love it?

pump a diy job or will there be a french equiv of sucking thru teeth

 

[chaseracer]

34 minutes ago, hairnet said:

a french equiv of sucking thru teeth

There was a great deal of that last Thursday.

[lesapandre]

I find there is no  long trip I take to France without some spectacular break-down usually involving all sorts of shenanigans.

I've had shredded tyres, exploding silencers, exhausts falling off, leaking fuel systems, power steering problems, water leaks and brake failure over the years. All part of the 'fun'. But things always turn out alright in the end and I meet some interesting people on the way. 😂

[Asimo]

On 9/15/2023 at 4:45 PM, chaseracer said:

But wait!  For reasons that presently escape me, the originally Glasgow-registered CX can't return to the UK

[mk2_craig]

I suspect it’s the positive export marker that would be the real issue?

Does that make it basically unregistered? 

[chaseracer]

The Irish version of DVLA seem content.

[chaseracer]

Off to Normandy and Brittany in mid-April, planning to take the Dyane.

[artdjones]

On 28/09/2023 at 22:13, chaseracer said:

The Irish version of DVLA seem content.

I doubt if they would be happy with it being driven around Ireland on UK plates. If it's a permanent export to Ireland it should be reregistered with new plates.

[chaseracer]

Imagine the immensity of the shit I do not give, where that particular piece of Gallic merde is concerned!

This...

...would be too good for it.