I should've known .......

[Chris570]

when changing the sphere make sure you protect the rad from damage its very easily done. If you've bought the tool from ebay prepare yourself to go and buy a chain wrench as i had one of those tools and they are crap and bend too easily

[Prilliant03]

when changing the sphere make sure you protect the rad from damage its very easily done. If you've bought the tool from ebay prepare yourself to go and buy a chain wrench as i had one of those tools and they are crap and bend too easily

Hmmmm, I did buy the EBay tool. Perhaps I should've asked on here first. I live and learn!

Not to worry, I have a chain wrench somewhere if needed.

One last thing, I'd like to buy a large container of LHM so I always have enough in the garage for a full change if neccessary. Where is the best place to buy from?

[lexi]

The proper size chisel and hammer struck at the weld on sphere has not failed to shift any sphere on my last 4 Xantias. If it aint shifting ,and you are taking a shaving off ,move to another part of the weld.
Maybe years of practise with a hammer and chisel mind you I also have a Clyde Built removal tool for hard to get to spheres.

[CitroJim]

The proper size chisel and hammer struck at the weld on sphere has not failed to shift any sphere on my last 4 Xantias.

I quite agree Lexi Always my last resort! I find it best to use the chisel to raise a ridge and then to swap over to a big punch and 4lb club hammer to do the rest of the job...

[Chris570]

The proper size chisel and hammer struck at the weld on sphere has not failed to shift any sphere on my last 4 Xantias.

I quite agree Lexi Always my last resort! I find it best to use the chisel to raise a ridge and then to swap over to a big punch and 4lb club hammer to do the rest of the job...

I never thought i'd do this but Jim you forgot to mention that the regulator is only held on my 3 diddy bolts so careful with how much force you apply

[CitroJim]

Touch wood Chris, I've never had to take the old hammer to an accumulator (yet). I tend to find that the hammer is needed most on Hydractive centre spheres and Activa balancing spheres where access is a bit tight... The front and rear hydractives are held by three flimsy M6 studs on a floppy brackets and they take the strain no worries. Hammer and chisel also works well on anti-sink spheres too!

In the case of a very tight main accumulator, for the work involved, I'd much rather whip the whole pressure regulator off complete with sphere and attend to it in the vice on the bench. That's my favoured method with tight Activa Accumulators too.

You'd be surprised at how much such apparently small fixings can take though...

Having said that, the use of hammers on spheres is not so much brute force and ignorance but the skillful application of good dead-blows to shock the sphere loose. There's a big difference. The secret is to transmit the blow to where it is needed and for it to be absorbed effectively by the part holding the sphere tight - the sealing ring in the case of a sphere.

There's more skill in the effective use of a big hammer than meets the eye - it's a lot more than just mindlessly beating seven bells out of an intransigent component

For main accumulators I initially much prefer the Pleiades tool with a long extension - of the sort we used to excellent effect with my tight corners

I repeat the hammer and chisel is the last resort but there's no getting away from the fact it's effective!

[DickieG]

I quite agree Lexi Always my last resort! I find it best to use the chisel to raise a ridge and then to swap over to a big punch and 4lb club hammer to do the rest of the job...

Crikey Jim, I never realised you owned a 4lb club hammer let alone used it I thought you were more into toffee hammers

[CitroJim]

Crikey Jim, I never realised you owned a 4lb club hammer let alone used it I thought you were more into toffee hammers

I'll have you know I have two Richard Plus a good selection of many other precision percussion tools...

[Prilliant03]

I'm well equiped in the hammer department, but alas, my chisel collection ammounts to precisely none. Not quite sure how I've managed 24 years of amateur spannering without aquiring any, but it looks like I may need to invest.

Or of course I might get lucky with the EBay tool. Wish me luck!

In other news I'm reconsidering my possible heater matrix leak. my other half says there is no curry smell as far as she can tell, and she knows a thing or two about curry! Also I'm having no misting problems and the coolant level seems to be static as well. Think I'll keep a bottle of stop leak handy just incase, but for now I think it might've been my imagination.

[CitroJim]

That's good on the matrix I know, it's funny what the mind can do...

Pop the Forte Stop leak in anyway, It'll do no harm and it'll be there if needed...

[DickieG]

Another way to settle your mind with the matrix is to look for white stains running out of the heater outlet in the passenger footwell.

[Prilliant03]

No white stains, no steaming up, no drop in coolant. I can only assume that all I'm smelling is a 175,000 mile heater working as normal. Maybe it needs no more than the pollen filter replacing.

Had a go at tackling the fuel leak this afternoon. They didn't leave much room to work, did they? I think I've maybe managed to get the pump/o-ring seated properly, but only time will tell.

[DickieG]

Had a go at tackling the fuel leak this afternoon. They didn't leave much room to work, did they? I think I've maybe managed to get the pump/o-ring seated properly, but only time will tell.

It is a bit tight in there, fingers crossed for you

[Deanxm]

It could be the matrix has been done at an earlier date, i done mine last year and despite taking the entire heater box into the bath i get a very faint curry smell when the heater first goes on and i cant figure out why, everything has been scrubbed to within an inch of its life.

Oh and living without a chisel i can understand but your nobody if you dont own a club/lump hammer!

Good luck

D

[DickieG]

It could be the matrix has been done at an earlier date, i done mine last year and despite taking the entire heater box into the bath i get a very faint curry smell when the heater first goes on and i cant figure out why, everything has been scrubbed to within an inch of its life.

All of the Xantia's I've changed the matrix on have changed the curry smell for a more "oily" one post change, looks like I needed to wash my hands just prior to fitting the new matrix