A clogged diesel particulate filter
After a few days of peace and quiet at the foot of Peak Lenin, it’s finally time to get our engine checked and, hopefully, fixed. After half a day of driving downhill for almost 2000 m, we reach Osh, the second biggest city in Kyrgyzstan. After spending many weeks eating basic food in the Pamirs, with our meals consisting mostly of potato, carrots, onions, bread and some cheese, we really enjoy the great selection of cafés and restaurants, both Asian and Western.
We also find a car workshop that is willing to help us with our enginge problems. A completely full and clogged diesel particulate filter is soon found to be the source of the reduced engine power. Luckily, the engine itself seems to not have been damaged. After a wild operation, in which occupational safety is given about as little importance as environmental and groundwater protection, the filter is completely cleaned again. Since we can’t find a pet-friendly hotel in Osh, we unfortunately have to spend the night in the worksho; definitely one of the more unusual “camping spots” on this trip…
Bischkek and Issyk-Kul
From Osh, we head towards the Kyrgyz capital Bischkek. Unfortunately, the indicator for the diesel particle filter keeps climbing again really quickly and hitting 100% as we get closer to Bishkek. Weirdly, the engine’s still working fine. When it hits 100%, the value just drops to 0%. Confused and concerned by this, we find another workshop in Bischkek. This one makes a better impression on us than the one in Osh, but we’re still not entirely convinced that they know what they’re doing. In the end, with the help of ChatGPT and contacts in Germany, we basically just tell them what to do, which is just resetting the electronics of the particulate filter.
There’s not much to see in Bischkek, so we leave after two days and head east towards the Lake Issyk-Kul, the second largest mountain lake in the world, after Lake Titicaca. The lake is so big, it really feels more like the sea. We stay here for a week, slowly making our way along its southern shore and heading further east. After the hectic weeks on the Pamir Highway, followed by a series of workshop visits and concerns about the car engine, we’re very happy and relieved to enjoy some peaceful days and nights by the lake, and spending our time sunbathing, walking with Apollo and going skinny-dipping on completely deserted beaches. Another highlight is definitely the Skazka “Fairytale Canyon”, which reminds us somewhat of Kappedokia, except for the awesome view of the lake on one side and the snowy Tien Shan mountains on the other.