Next stop: Mauritania

[Diego]

Hi Diego,
I met you at the ferry port in Tanger Med - hope you got home ok. I sent you a DM.

Regards,
John

Hi John,
.I tried to respond to you via a private message, but apparently I failed to do so. Muy apologies.

 

[Diego]

Finally, we arrived home last Tuesday, but no time to tell you the story till now.

 

[Diego]

We disembarked in Algeria, 8 hours crossing from the Spanish port of Almeria.

We were scorted by the Algeria police to the border of Tindouf. Continuous delays with the different police teams ended Up in 3 complete days to cross Algeria. In that moment we knew we were not able to reach Nema because we could not extend our trip any longer.

 

[Diego]

This is Elephant Rock, an increíble place that marked the most southern point in our travel.

 

[Tom109]

Diego - Photo of the month!!!!

Looking forward to more trip details!

 

[Diego]

Diego - Photo of the month!!!!

Looking forward to more trip details!

Thank you Tom!

 

[Diego]

Just in case you do not know where Elephant Rock name comes from

 

[Diego]

One of the enourmous hamadas in the middle of nowhere

 

[Diego]

Richart formation or the Eye if Africa

 

[Diego]

Taffarit Cape, midway between Nouatchock and Nouadibou

 

[Diego]

This trip has been a great, great adventure and a big test for me personally and for the car.

From the border of Tindouf to the tiny village od Ouadane we drove in the straightess possible line. It took us three complete days without following any existing tracks. No diesel available in the route, no water supply other than what we carried with us .

There were six cars, 12 people in the group. 2 doctors, 2 mechanics, 1 profesional chef, and the rest of us with several years of driving experience in the dessert.

I am 65 and although with several trips to Morocco and Tunisia on my back, It was my first voyage since 2019, and I was not very sure if I was going to perform as expected. I have to say I did pretty well with the help of all the team.

A silly pictured in No Mans Land between Morocco and Mauritania.

 

[Diego]

Unfortunately I can not say the same regarding my Grenadier.

Mine is a diesel in the European version.

That means Adblue.

The second branch of this trip was from Ouadane to Tidjidka, 1,100 kms, 4 days again with our own supply of Diesel, water and food .

Imagine, on the second day engibe warning light on and a message " the engibe will not start in 400 kilometers" and then the countdown begun.

Story wil continúe shortly afterwards.

 

[ECrider]

Amazing trip and photos Diego - congratulations.
Adblu - what a PITA

 

[Diego]

So, we were 4 days away from Nouatchock with that horrible message in the dash and no OBD to clear faults.

I have to say Ineos organisation was great. One of my collegues was travelling with an Star Link anthenna (what a magnificente device). Since an Ineos demonstration 4 years ago, I have the phone number of Sergi Medina, then Comercial Director of IA Spain and now Regional Director for Southern Europe.

It was Sunday evening and Sergi did not hesitate to help me with the problem. He did not all the answers but he was in contact with Ineos engineers. We were in contact with Ineos till 12:00 at night.

I can not thing of any company giving this kind of support. Later on, Alex, Ineos engineer join the group. The Head of the workshop at my dealer's join the conversations.

With no OBD, It was no way to clear the faults. Further more, we saw under the car that one of the temperature sensors in the cathalitic was loosed. Engineers thought the problem was nit that Adblue but this or other sensors .

Next day we started our trip to Nouatchock to try to find a workshop with an OBD terminal. We were 1,000 kms away and the countdown was now in 200 kilometers left before the engibe would not start again. Very, very exciting!!

We were planning how to return to Spain (approx 8 days from where we were) without shopping the engine. Renting a plataform to transporte tha car back to Spain was not feasible in Mauritania.

Alex, the Ineos engineer phone us to teach us a protocole of switching the engine off and on to clear the fault. We were at minus166 kilometers when he phoned us.

What a relief!!!

 

[Diego]

We were heading to Nouatchock when near the village of Tichnit another problem hit my Ineos.

I started to hear a metallic noise from under the car. The front propshaft has collapsed!

 

[Diego]

Fortunately, this was an easy one. I was pretty sure this could happen so I was travelling with one spare propshaft. A quick change and we continúe our trip.

Ineos propshafts are not well designed. CV joint s can not cope with the work.

The angle of the CV joint is too accurate. And in total extension of the shock dampers, the flange can collapse.

 

[Walter]

Fortunately, this was an easy one. I was pretty sure this could happen so I was travelling with one spare propshaft. A quick change and we continúe our trip.

Ineos propshafts are not well designed. CV joint s can not cope with the work.

The angle of the CV joint is too accurate. And in total extension of the shock dampers, the flange can collapse.

You’re fully prepared—glad to hear you managed to solve the issue so easily.
It’s a bit of a shame for Ineos that owners feel the need to carry a spare propshaft in the vehicle. They might as well make it a factory option and mount a spare propshaft right next to the spare tire.

 

[Diego]

With the new propshaft on, we continúe our long trip to Nouatchock stopping from time to time to clear the Adblue fault.

While driving one if my Friends succeeded in finding a workshop with an OBD terminal specialised in re-programming ECU and cancel Adblue systems . In the picture, the failure from the OBD. Failure was cleared

With this message, we thought that perhaps the 2 Adblue injectors were dirty with some crystalized Adblue.

Muy friend Gustavo disassembled both injectors, clean then with brake cleaner and a toothbrush, fit them again. Since then, after 6,000 kilometers, the failure has not appeared again. When back home I have taken the car to the dealer and there are no OBD failures.

So it was a Happy end to the adventure.

 

[Diego]

You’re fully prepared—glad to hear you managed to solve the issue so easily.
It’s a bit of a shame for Ineos that owners feel the need to carry a spare propshaft in the vehicle. They might as well make it a factory option and mount a spare propshaft right next to the spare tire.

Thank you for your comments, Walter.

Perhaps a better solution is Ineos to redesign proper offroad propshafts.

 

[Logsplitter]

We were heading to Nouatchock when near the village of Tichnit another problem hit my Ineos.

I started to hear a metallic noise from under the car. The front propshaft has collapsed!

Hi Diego. Is your vehicle stock or with raised suspension? . This whole front prop shaft thing is way beyond a joke. Come on Ineos. Sort this out.