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        General >> Problems >> HELP... Sruck in France with a busted Auto Radiatr
        
(Message started by: Baz on Aug 12^th, 2006, 12:11am)

Title: HELP... Sruck in France with a busted Auto Radiatr
Post by Baz on Aug 12^th, 2006, 12:11am

b****r.......

trotting along nicely outside Paris this afternoon when a big bang from front of car. An object had been flipped up and it has passed through the gap under the bumper and smacked the rad for the autotransmission cooler. The pipe has been split where it enters the rad but it doesn't look like it can be ficed. I managed to by pass the rad with a bit of pipe and some jubilee clips but the joint has failed. OK, here's the biggy....Has anyone got a spare auto transmission rad (little slim black one just behind the lower grille).

Second, has anyone got some really decent clips (preferably the correct "lemon" clips and a tool too!) to hold the rubber pipes onto the rad? and third, can these be shipped by DHL or similar to a hotel in Paris!!?

I know it isn't asking much but otherwise I have to have green flag send the car to be fixed by some French guy and I have to then rely on Ford France to supply the parts this millenium, otherwise we have to get a hire car while green flag store my car till the end of the holiday when we have to get back to Paris and come home on a transporter!

I know that is why I have european cover but I would prefer my first Idea! The problem with the quick fix seems to be the clips not being strong enough.

Naturally I would pay all costs by paypal or whatever means, bank transfer etc.

Crazy idea I know, but if someone can help, I will love them forever!! Can someone post this on "unleashed" as well to see if anyone there can help?

My mobile number is 07957 462381 and I am a bit desperate!!

Here's hoping.....Baz

Title: Re: HELP... Sruck in France with a busted Auto Rad
Post by Baz on Aug 12^th, 2006, 12:13am

By the way, please text rather than phoning initially......my phone is always on silent!

Thanks

Baz

Title: Re: HELP... Sruck in France with a busted Auto Rad
Post by howiedintheplace on Aug 12^th, 2006, 6:54am

Baz I can do it mate but I would surgest a temp fix.

Cut the two pipes that go into the rad & get a proper metal connector & jubilee up.
Check auto oil.

As long as your not towing & take it easy you will be fine.

I will text you.

Dave.

Title: Re: HELP... Sruck in France with a busted Auto Rad
Post by Baz on Aug 12^th, 2006, 7:28am

Dave,

thanks for the reply. The guy fixed it last night, but with a piece of brake pipe which may be too small. What would the correct size be? When the joint failed it blew transmission fluid out, onto the exhausts so the car looked like something from a james bond film!!!
I have actually thought of jumping eurostar and getting to london to get one from somewhere. More chances than here me thinks!

Thanks

Baz

Title: Re: HELP... Sruck in France with a busted Auto Rad
Post by howiedintheplace on Aug 12^th, 2006, 7:33am

Where has he cut it then?

It needs to be a join with barbs on as it's under pressure.

Title: Re: HELP... Sruck in France with a busted Auto Rad
Post by howiedintheplace on Aug 12^th, 2006, 7:42am

& yeah STD brake pipe is too small it will just pull apart.

The metal fuel pipe is about the right size, you would have to flare the ends & use some good clamps.
That should hold but to be sure you want a proper connector with barbs on it.
Even a plastic one should be O.K.

Title: Re: HELP... Sruck in France with a busted Auto Rad
Post by bizzay1 on Aug 12^th, 2006, 8:01am

I have copied & pasted this onto unleashed even though howie may have sorted you Baz

Title: Re: HELP... Sruck in France with a busted Auto Rad
Post by mr._floppy on Aug 12^th, 2006, 11:16am

Bad luck

No chance of finding a friendly Gallic welder and fixing a new inlet tube onto the existing rad ?

Title: Re: HELP... Sruck in France with a busted Auto Rad
Post by Tompion on Aug 12^th, 2006, 12:52pm

Baz
Could you cut & join further back onto the metal pipe if you're bypassing the cooler?

With the existing repair could you wire the jubilee clips together, or slip wire or strips of drink can under the clips first to tie the clips together once tightened?

Best of luck
Dave

Title: Re: HELP... Sruck in France with a busted Auto Rad
Post by Snoopy on Aug 12^th, 2006, 1:16pm

hydraulic pipe is OK and should be easily obtainable. Good quaulity jubilee clips should hold it . They have on mine after I replaced the cooler pipes.

Title: Re: HELP... Sruck in France with a busted Auto Rad
Post by pedropedro on Aug 12^th, 2006, 5:29pm

if its any help when it happen to me I found 1/4" copper pipe worked perfectly ...being malleable it was easy to align the ends with the pipes leading to the cooler which i just cut off. I just made a "U" bend so the ends aligned with the postion of the hoses

it was a perfect fit ..just pushed up the pipes 2-3" and used jubilee clips held fine for 6 mths. if the union aligns properly better chance of being leak free

Title: Re: HELP... Sruck in France with a busted Auto Rad
Post by Spannerdemon on Aug 12^th, 2006, 6:07pm

Baz: Devastated to hear of your bad luck. :-[

Suggestion. Have you tried Ebay France? I can't find what the Scorpio is/was called in French, but it's possible that there just MAY be one being broken in or around Paris. Maybe your hotel could help you to contact somebody..........only a thought.

There MUST also be some big breakers around a city that size too. You might be able to get parts to make do until you get home, even a cooling rad from another Ford or BMW or similar maybe. Hope you manage to sort it out.

All the best. What a lousy bit of bad luck.

Title: Re: HELP... Sruck in France with a busted Auto Rad
Post by ChrisB on Aug 12^th, 2006, 7:48pm

I've located a cooler, does he still need one do we know ?? also if he does how do we get it too him , I'm on the Southcoast nr Portsmouth if that helps ??

ChrisB

Title: Re: HELP... Sruck in France with a busted Auto Rad
Post by ChrisB on Aug 12^th, 2006, 8:40pm

Update, have been in contact with Baz and now have the cooler on standby ready for sending out if required.
But it looks like he might have another issue now of a cooked auto box due to lack of an oil cooler , this is not confirmed though .

ChrisB

Title: Re: HELP... Sruck in France with a busted Auto Rad
Post by Baz on Aug 12^th, 2006, 8:52pm

Thanks to Chris and Dave. Looks like the gearbox seal might have gone because under heavy use (over 60kph) the fluid shoots out all over the exhausts and turns into a smokescreen ala James Bond!

Will probably get the car dragged back to blighty and spend a day or so getting it right again. In the mean time I have to slum it in an "S" Class Merc with more gadgets in the glovebox than the Scorp has as a whole!

Will let Chris B know wether Green flag will be towing the car back and wether I need the cooler so thanks to everyone who has replied so far. I will try and post a "Merc in France" picture later in the week!

Baz

Title: Re: HELP... Sruck in France with a busted Auto Rad
Post by howiedintheplace on Aug 12^th, 2006, 8:55pm

No it won't be because of no oil cooler it's the fact he lost most if not all his oil.
A auto won't last long if run with no oil.

I hope not Baz.

Sometimes they need a few miles to sort them selves out after they have spilled their guts ;)

Title: Re: HELP... Sruck in France with a busted Auto Rad
Post by howiedintheplace on Aug 12^th, 2006, 9:02pm

Opps posted just after you.

The old front seal trouble, thats a real shame Baz it's a cheap but alot of work fix as Craig will tell you.

Feel sorry for you slumming it in that Merc

Title: Re: HELP... Sruck in France with a busted Auto Rad
Post by jonnycab on Aug 12^th, 2006, 10:55pm

This post reminds me of a couple of films........'The French Connection' & 'Mission Impossible' ;D

Hope you sort it Baz,....& enjoy the rest of your hols ;)

Title: Re: HELP... Sruck in France with a busted Auto Rad
Post by Simmo on Aug 13^th, 2006, 5:49am

Good luck Baz, Mike.

Title: Re: HELP... Sruck in France with a busted Auto Rad
Post by 24v96wagon on Aug 13^th, 2006, 2:00pm

I live just north of Antwerp (Belgium) and have a complete 24V 96 wagon in the backyard. If you manage to come here, you can take the parts needed.

Title: Re: HELP... Sruck in France with a busted Auto Rad
Post by Baz on Aug 14^th, 2006, 10:25pm

Thanks for the offers chaps. I have spoken to Green Flag and the car is off to a French Ford dealer in the morning (just hope they have more idea than the UK ones!) Not sure what happens if they don't fix it, guess it gets towed back to UK and reaired at home. At least I have the spare car for bits anyway!

Title: Re: HELP... Sruck in France with a busted Auto Rad
Post by sector-9 on Aug 14^th, 2006, 10:36pm

Not sure but at Harewood I had a look under the bonnets of a few cars and the cooler looks very similar to the engine oil cooler on the diesel...

Darren

Title: Re: HELP... Sruck in France with a busted Auto Rad
Post by Spannerdemon on Aug 15^th, 2006, 5:11am

on 08/14/06 at 22:25:45, Baz wrote:

At least I have the spare car for bits anyway!

You mean the Merc? ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Title: Re: HELP... Sruck in France with a busted Auto Rad
Post by Zombie on Aug 15^th, 2006, 10:04am

on 08/14/06 at 22:25:45, Baz wrote:

. I have spoken to Green Flag and the car is off to a French Ford dealer in the morning (just hope they have more idea than the UK ones!)

Not too impressed with French mechanics myself.

I had to get a french mechanic for a Polo that was overheating when I visited Rouen a few years ago, He diagnosed a faulty fan switch. And jerry rigged a manual switch for me.

I drove all the way back to London with the car boiling over regularly. It turned out to be a failed water pump, Apparently I was lucky not to shed the cambelt!

Title: Re: HELP... Sruck in France with a busted Auto Rad
Post by mazzy_j on Aug 16^th, 2006, 7:12pm

You should have sent out a batman style 'Scorpio in Distress' sign into the air which i could have seen driving up to calais from luxembourg a couple of days ago and come to the rescue. With the channel tunnel its done by car and not how many ppl in it so you could have jumped in. Nevermind, hope it all gets fixed :)

Matt

Title: Re: HELP... Sruck in France with a busted Auto Rad
Post by - Mike - on Aug 17^th, 2006, 5:25pm

Only just seen this post :o :'(

Sorry to hear of your plight hope everything is now on the fast track to recovery and the rest of the holiday can be salvaged.

BW
Mike

Title: Re: HELP... Sruck in France with a busted Auto Rad
Post by bootiful-scorpios on Aug 19^th, 2006, 11:24pm

hows the scorp now baz ,

Title: Re: HELP... Sruck in France with a busted Auto Rad
Post by Baz on Aug 20^th, 2006, 11:14pm

Don't know sally. It is in a dealers in Paris and I am in Biarittz slumming it in the 2006 S Class Merc! Will get a call from green flag on Tuesday probably, cos at the moment, I am unsure as to how I am getting home!

Title: Re: HELP... Sruck in France with a busted Auto Rad
Post by bootiful-scorpios on Aug 21^st, 2006, 4:13pm

well lets hope they sort it for ya soon

a S Class Merc! :o are they as good as the hype or better?

Title: Re: HELP... Sruck in France with a busted Auto Rad
Post by Baz on Aug 22^nd, 2006, 12:12am

Oh they are good......the amount of heads that turn when you drive past is unbelieveable...... I have never been in a smoother diesel car and it has great power for a diesel too considering the size!

This is the side shot

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/Bazunitec/DSCF0184.jpg

and the front...........

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/Bazunitec/DSCF0182.jpg

BBM.... Big Black Merc!

I was gutted when my Scorp failed....but now,? this will be a suitable replacement for the scorp I think. Forget the Lexus and other big cars, this is the daddy of them all. Fully adjustable seats which have inflating side panels which activate as you go round corners to stop you rolling in the seat! massage functions on both front seats which is just.................ooooh!

DVD nav system and dvd player built into the dash, everything is just tailored for better motoring. There are even the hooks in the boot which drop from under the parcel shelf to hang shopping bags on so the stuff doesn't roll about in the boot!

the best thing though was Paris to Messanges on 3/4 tank of diesel (about £50.00 or so!) even mine on LPG would have cost more than that. (did I mention the LPG? Sure I did somewhere!!)

Going to get some serious photos of me in this before I take it back on Saturday!

Baz

Title: Re: HELP... Sruck in France with a busted Auto Rad
Post by PeteB on Aug 22^nd, 2006, 7:46am

Nice motor :)

Pete

Title: Re: HELP... Sruck in France with a busted Auto Rad
Post by cossieguy on Aug 22^nd, 2006, 9:11am

Nah, still prefer the Scorpio! mmm, here comes the green eyed monster again! Will defo complain when i get a KA as a courtesy car, i think i'll ask for an Amg Merc, diesels are so last year,sure Ford wont mind.

Title: Re: HELP... Sruck in France with a busted Auto Rad
Post by Spannerdemon on Aug 22^nd, 2006, 10:49am

Have to admit...that's nice!! :)

Safe trip home, and back to reality ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Title: Re: HELP... Sruck in France with a busted Auto Rad
Post by bootiful-scorpios on Aug 22^nd, 2006, 4:53pm

by the sound of it you are having a nice time still on holiday in your fully adjustable seats which have inflating side panels which activate as you go round corners to stop you rolling in the seat! :o and a massage functions on both front seats :o lol you are being pampered !! lol

you have lpg i cant rember you saying you had lpg at all baz! }{ }{

the pictures are good and it look a right beast of a car bet you wont want to part with it when the time come and will you still feel the same about ya scorp after driving something like that ? ::) (if u dont ill have the scorp with lpg ;))

can you take some inside pics of the big black merc? i bet it have lights every where at night dont it ?

Title: Re: HELP... Sruck in France with a busted Auto Rad
Post by cossie_al on Aug 22^nd, 2006, 8:46pm

I would rather push my scorp than drive that merc ;D ;D ;D
NOT!!!!

Title: Re: HELP... Sruck in France with a busted Auto Rad
Post by Bren_K30 on Aug 24^th, 2006, 10:51am

on 08/22/06 at 00:12:40, Baz wrote:

I was gutted when my Scorp failed....but now,? this will be a suitable replacement for the scorp I think. Forget the Lexus and other big cars, this is the daddy of them all.
Baz

Bet you won't be parking that in Dallam or Longford when you get it Baz !!!

Title: Re: HELP... Sruck in France with a busted Auto Rad
Post by Geoff_W on Aug 24^th, 2006, 3:07pm

Not without a guard with a baseball bat on each corner ;)