How often does your Activa Tick ?

KevMayer · Unread post by **KevMayer** » 04 Aug 2009, 17:42

I've tried to listen to my Activa and I can't hear any ticks from the pressure regulator.

Occasionally I hear a click which could be a tick but it doesn't happen on a regular basis. Maybe once every 2 to 3 minutes.

The accumulator sphere is new and all the other spheres are no older than 3 years.

The STOP light goes out about 30 to 40 secs after start up so that means it's reaching around 80 bar pressure.

I just don't get anything like a regular tick. Not even if I put the suspension on low which shuts off the height correctors.

It also takes a minute or so to switch to soft mode and I'm sure this is due to it taking a while to reach sufficient system pressure to overcome the pressure in the hydractive (centre) spheres. New hydractive spheres are only charged to 70bar (front) and 55bar (rear). So, I would have expected these to be overcome by system pressure quite soon.

Could it be the effect of the Activa accumulator and Activa sphere plus the anti sink sphere. There's effectively 4 accumulators when the Activa is sitting on tickover.

Or, could my pump be past it's best and just not able to supply enough output?

Or, could my pressure regulator be faulty and allowing some leak back to the reservoir? Is it possible to get a refurb kit for the regulator?

Or, could I have an internal leak back from the brake valve or Activa electrovalve?.

It just doesn't feel right.

Any suggestions welcome.

Xaccers · Unread post by **Xaccers** » 04 Aug 2009, 17:48

frequent ticking is bad, it means your accumulator needs replacing, with a new accumulator you're getting the right tick period of a couple of minutes or so.

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 05 Aug 2009, 07:13

Hi Kev,

Mine ticks once in a blue moon but regularly when idling. It ticks a little more frequently on high and this is a good test to do. In any case, the tick should be regular.

As you say, given the number of accumulators on an Activa, this is to be expected.

It does indeed sound like yours is not reaching full pressure and this would account for the lazy hydractive switching. I understand that it takes more pressure than the base hydractive sphere pressure to switch. Back along there was a mammoth thread on just this that ran to something like 11 pages. I think Berrnie started it.

No, there's no refurb kits available for a regulator as such. Pleiades rebuild them and recalibrate their cut in and cut out pressures by adjusting shims under the respective springs. Not a DIY job.

The problem with your regulator may be the old ball seating problem.

The pumps do work hard on an Activa and most appear to have had at least one new one in their lifetimes.

The only way really to nail it is to get a pressure gauge on the system and see what it is doing.

wainy · Unread post by **wainy** » 05 Aug 2009, 21:47

Oh dear! Come to think of it, I don't think I've EVER heard mine tick!

Never really thought about it til now.

Another thing to check out, just when I thought I had the end in sight!

WAINY.