Depressurising a non-running anti-sink Xantia

Xaccers · Post by **Xaccers** » 08 May 2007, 14:06

Citrojim, TehAgent and I spotted a xantia down the scrappy with some rather new looking sphere's on it, however the system was still pressurised so we left them alone.
The BoL mentions special equipment being needed to depressurise without the engine running.
What would be the safest way to depressurise a wrecked Xantia to get the sphere's off it without special equipment?
How do scrappies do it?
Could you just get some long bolt cutters and nip through the pipes standing out the way of the fountain of LHM?

KP · Post by KP » 08 May 2007, 18:14

Depends on how bad the engine is in it. if it can still be cranked then hook it up to some power and crank it for a little bit until the battery is dead on it with the bleed nut (not sure of technical term here) wide open and it should get a fair bit out of the system on the lowest setting assuming all four hubs are on the floor, or wheels if it still has them

DickieG · Post by **DickieG** » 08 May 2007, 19:12

Rather than cut a pipe and risk getting in the way of the high pressure LHM as its suddenly released, you could undo a sphere just enough to break the seal then slowly undo it until the LHM starts to run out, at least then you'd still have some degree of control over the flow/volume.

Mandrake · Post by **Mandrake** » 08 May 2007, 20:43

The "special equipment" needed to do it without the engine running is a small hydraulic bottlejack that they recommend for doing sphere pressure testing.

You basically set the height lever to minimum, open the regulator bleed screw, disconnect the output pipe from the pressure regulator, and connect your bottlejack to that pipe, and pump up the pressure enough to activate the anti-sink valves.

Another way if the car is just a wreck would be to cut or remove the auxillary belt and run the pump from an electric drill!

Regards,
Simon

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 08 May 2007, 22:08

The easy way is cutting the pipe - if the pipework is not worth saving anyway.
Flatten a section (1") of the pipe using 2 small hammers, one for counterhold, the other for flattening out the section as well as possible. Then cut the pipe at center of the flat section. This will give a safe mist instead of a dangerous high pressure jet.

But still its a mess to mother earth and our drinking water supplies ...

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 09 May 2007, 00:31

An anti sink Xantia will hold pressure in it's system for months and months.

I've just recently completed breaking a Mk2 16v 1.8 which had snapped
it's cam belt and although it had sat ages it still sprayed a mist of pressurised
fluid out from the rear spheres even after opening the accumulator valve etc
etc. KP has it right, SLOW 'cracking open' of the sphere with a proper wrench
and stand well back or wear old clothes!!

All the front spheres came off without hassles though the car was a non-
hydractive SX - what caught me was the middle sphere.

Just because they're clean spheres doesn't mean they're good'uns mind,
but the engine bay was kept clean/clear of fluid leaks weather ingress etc!
I've probably got some attractive green cannon balls stacked round the back
of the garage if you want them...

Andrew

Post by **Peter.N.** » 09 May 2007, 12:33

You should still be able to undo the sphere even under pressure, although it will be tight all the way, just slacken it a few turns and wait for the fluid to drain out, you will know when the pressure has gone as you will then be able to unscrew it by hand.

Xaccers · Post by **Xaccers** » 09 May 2007, 13:28

The engine bay was only accessable by standing on a very slippery bonnet of another car that he Xantia was on top of, making using my tool to undo the pressurised sphere a bit difficult.

KP · Post by KP » 09 May 2007, 16:20

Well id stand back and aim a hammer a the HP line to the sphere and do it that way

bxbodger · Post by **bxbodger** » 10 May 2007, 10:49

Assuming the scrappie has complied with the rules, shouldn't he have drained all the fluids from the car anyway? It's worth asking!!

Post by **CitroJim** » 10 May 2007, 12:23

bxbodger wrote:Assuming the scrappie has complied with the rules, shouldn't he have drained all the fluids from the car anyway? It's worth asking!!

Thing is, even if he does drain the LHM, if it's an anti-sink, an amount of LHM, under pressure, will be trapped in the spheres and pipework however hard he tries.

Stewart(oily) · Post by **Stewart(oily)** » 10 May 2007, 13:28

Loosen the spheres and stand back, I did the spheres on a mates VSX a while back and nothing got rid of all the pressure, not a lot of LHM came out though, just a hiss and a squirt, have rags handy just in case.
Stewart