Activa Questions

Activamadness · Post by **Activamadness** » 27 May 2008, 10:07

Hi,
Had a rush of blood this weekend, and bought a 99 Xantia Activa!
It has, as I suspect is common, a few issues!
I am not sure at all as to the state of all the spheres, and am proposing to change them all, but am struggling to find them advertised anywhere, GSF seem to do some, but not all, does anyone know where I can get the others?
Also, can anyone reccomend a good specialist to fit them for me, as I have read plenty of threads on how seized on the rear ones are likely to be! I am based in Staffordshire, but commute to Leeds on a weekly basis.

Am sure there will be more questions, but any help would be much appreciated
Jon

Post by **CitroJim** » 27 May 2008, 10:47

Hi Jon and a very warm welcome from a fellow Activa owner

There are a lot of us Activa owners on here..

Spheres are a small problem now GSF don't stock them all. However, all is not lost as Pleiades can supply them if you need them.

It'll be worth checking that they are in fact flat. You may well find you have problems with the hydractive hard/soft switing and keeping the car in hard mode as a result. An Activa in hard mode is hard indeed!

I'll dig out a thread in a bit on how to check over an Activa for you.

Fire away with any questions you like..

Post by **CitroJim** » 27 May 2008, 10:56

Jon,

Here's the thread I promised I'd dig out. It will help diagnose any suspension problems on the Activa.

Activamadness · Post by **Activamadness** » 27 May 2008, 11:19

Jim
Many thanks for the welcome!
I think I am going to invest in one of those magic boxes on ebay!
Is there any way of testing spheres other than removing them?
I am guessing not!
If I do decide to change the spheres myself, where do I buy a suitable tool for removing them?
Thanks
Jon

Quackers · Post by **Quackers** » 27 May 2008, 11:26

Hi, Activamadness, i'm in staffordshire too (newcastle area).

Richard Doulton is good in Chesterton (use to be in Audley but moved due to getting to busy and needed bigger space).

He's a Citroen Specialist and i've taken both my Activa's to him, he will fit spheres no problem. Here is his website, http://www.holditch-garage.co.uk cannot recommend him enough.

As for getting the spheres i ended up getting half from GSF and half from Citroen when i got him to change all 10 2 years ago. Apart from Citroen being scary with prices i also had arguements with them as they insisted the Activa has 9 spheres when i know it has 10!

Post by **CitroJim** » 27 May 2008, 11:44

Quackers wrote: Richard Doulton is good in Chesterton

Would you mind him going into the Recommended Garages area of the Forum Quackers? Sounds like a valuable person to know.

Quackers · Post by **Quackers** » 27 May 2008, 11:51

citrojim wrote:
Quackers wrote: Richard Doulton is good in Chesterton
Would you mind him going into the Recommended Garages area of the Forum Quackers? Sounds like a valuable person to know.

Yeah, pop him in.

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 27 May 2008, 11:58

As mentioned, some spheres are sold by GSF but not all.

AEP list Activa spheres here:

http://www.aepdirect.com/citroen-part.aspx

Has anyone here tried them or know how good AEP are?
What make are their spheres when not listed Citroen original?

I've had a long look at an old Andyspares sphere chart and had the
Xm hydractive front or Xm estate rear spheres earmarked for the
alternate new fitment.

I wonder whether the extra 10bar on the Xm estate one's would be
too much with the lower pressure by 5bar of the saloon within the
tolerance of +5 / -20. According to some Activa sphere specs I've
seen the volume should be 450 at 45bar on a 0.7 jet!!

Andrew

petef · Post by **petef** » 28 May 2008, 19:45

Just got a rare front balancing sphere for my Activa from Doug Westland at Westroen, 0161-881-1061 or online. GSF don't stock them anymore, Doug said they usually have a full set of spheres in stock for the Activa . Cost was £35 + £10 for delivery. Rather less than Citroen I think. and ordered it yesterday at 11.00am, arrived this morning at 10.00am. And he could quote sphere pressures off the top of his head and tell all about the problems of depressurising the system!

DickieG · Post by **DickieG** » 28 May 2008, 20:21

petef wrote:and tell all about the problems of depressurising the system!

I hope he told you that the balancing circuit on an Activa can be depressurised and how to do it, as he told me a year ago it couldn't be done until and to expect an LHM shower

until I informed him of the procedure.

petef · Post by **petef** » 28 May 2008, 22:36

Yes he did Richard ( the stripper!), But he said that depressurising the system at the rear nipple didn't drop the pressure on the front ram - do you reckon he's wrong?? I don't really want to reek of 'Eau de LHM' for weeks.

Pierre le fou

DickieG · Post by **DickieG** » 29 May 2008, 06:17

petef wrote:Yes he did Richard ( the stripper!)

But you promised

petef wrote:But he said that depressurising the system at the rear nipple didn't drop the pressure on the front ram - do you reckon he's wrong?? I don't really want to reek of 'Eau de LHM' for weeks.

Release the pressure from the rear Hydractive balancing block via the nipple then push/pull on the roll corrector linkage in the front wheel arch several times to exhaust any residual pressure. Its worked for me on four different Activa's without being showered

Post by **CitroJim** » 29 May 2008, 08:04

DickieG wrote: Release the pressure from the rear Hydractive balancing block via the nipple then push/pull on the roll corrector linkage in the front wheel arch several times to exhaust any residual pressure. Its worked for me on four different Activa's without being showered

Remember when we did my rear spheres Richard? The nipple in the block was well seized and that option was not open to us.

Didn't you "crack" off the balancing sphere a little under pressure and let the LHM just dribble out until it stopped? I recall it took a cup of tea and a long chat before it stopped dribbling and enough pressure had been released to take the sphere right off

DickieG · Post by **DickieG** » 29 May 2008, 17:26

citrojim wrote:Remember when we did my rear spheres Richard? The nipple in the block was well seized and that option was not open to us.

Didn't you "crack" off the balancing sphere a little under pressure and let the LHM just dribble out until it stopped? I recall it took a cup of tea and a long chat before it stopped dribbling and enough pressure had been released to take the sphere right off

Oh yes that'll be the 'Old-timers', still if you can get the nipple undone, no mess/shower. I discovered this after watching a Citroën training video, who needs Blockbusters?