More Zap

I wrote the other day about visiting Jean-Louis and having the fuel gauge fixed, but while we were there we also took the opportunity to have the distributor cap changed.

All this started three months ago, when I having trouble starting Celestine. We ended up asking the garagiste at Bossay to visit and have a look, which he duly did. Our garage, whilst useful for storing a car out of the weather, is not the ideal workshop, being untidy and dark. After 45 minutes or so we had no luck starting the car, so it was arranged for the mechanic to collect her and take her to his workshop in Bossay.

Alexandre the young mechanic peering into Célestine's engine in our garage.

 Célestine being winched onto the tow truck. It was remarkably 

affecting seeing her disappear down the road on the back of the truck.

After what seemed an age the problem was uncovered: the little graphite anode in the distributor cap was abimé and the lektrickery wasn't getting to the spark plugs properly. Some bricolage was done, and we were up and running, if somewhat nervously. (Bricolage is a slightly disparaging word when applied to car repairs, but how the mechanic himself described his temporary fix)

A dead anode

A phone call and numerous emailed photos to Jean-Louis later the right part was ordered and we're up and running properly again.

Both cars have had little niggles this year, but touch wood, nothing major.  Fingers crossed then