I'm back! (And looking for a Citroen...)

[Mandrake]

Yep I can definitely hear a relay click when activating it by lifting the stalk, followed by another click if I press the brake pedal lightly or pull the stalk forward. I was quite careful checking it, so at the very least a relay is switching on and off when it should so I think the pedal switch is ok. Hopefully there are no electrical faults and its just the split hose.

Just trying to picture where that hose is - is it tucked right inside the front left corner of the bumper is it just near the edge of the underneath skirting ? What should I be looking for to identify the correct hose ? (I sure miss having a photo copy of the Citroen service manuals... although the copy I had in NZ didn't cover the Mk2 or V6 engines...)

[addo]

Physically, it's sort of under the battery. Look for a three way tee, one comes from the main pump body (with round plug feeding the motor), one comes from the balancing electrovalve with two pin blue plug; the third hose goes to the engine compartment and is the one people seem to find split.

[Mandrake]

Thanks, I'll take a note of that. So it might be easiest accessed if I lift out the battery and remove the battery tray ? At some point I'll do that anyway as I suspect the hydractive feed pipe from the left strut down to the hydractive regulator (which passes under the battery tray) is out of position and isn't sitting in its plastic clips properly. (The junction between flexible and steel pipe which is clamped to the left wing is sitting out of position)

I had the same problem with my previous Xantia where the steel pipe gets out of the plastic clips under the battery tray area and can bang against the bodywork with large suspension movements due to rapid oil flow through the pipe.

[xantia_v6]

Thanks, I'll take a note of that. So it might be easiest accessed if I lift out the battery and remove the battery tray ?.

Noo there is absolutely no access to the cruise control stuff by going in from the top. (the transmission ECU does live under the battery tray).

You have to access from below (or the side if the bumper is removed). I have a feeling that the cruise control plumbing on the V6 does not completely fit with Addo's description. Maybe Jim has a photo tucked away somewhere?

Anyway the hose that splits is a 3mm ID hose that has been stretched over a 4mm spigot.

[addo]

I've not seen one for an XFX motor; I can say that the vacuum piping for UFZ sixes (albeit in other shells) is identical to that in four-potter Xantias.

[Mandrake]

So the sphere spanner from ebay arrived through the door today, very quick as I only ordered it on Saturday

It's a little bit different than depicted in the ad - I'm pleased to see that it has a significant piece of bracing welded between the handle and loop on one side, something not shown on the one in the picture. In fact the absence of such bracing in the picture shown on ebay is what initially made me a little bit wary of ordering it, but now that I've seen it I'm very happy with it.

I quickly tried it on the front spheres - I was able to loosen them without any trouble even with pressure still in the suspension. The handle could possibly be a bit longer for rear spheres so I think I'll go grab a piece of tubing to slip over the handle for extra leverage in case I need it. Feeling a lot more confident of success this time.

Not bad for £17.50 including postage if it does the business.

[CitroJim]

Simon, to fix the cruise control if it's more than just a split pipe or poor contacts on the brake light switch, follow this guide..

Everything about cruise control you ever wanted to know but were afraid to ask

[Mandrake]

Simon, to fix the cruise control if it's more than just a split pipe or poor contacts on the brake light switch, follow this guide..

Everything about cruise control you ever wanted to know but were afraid to ask

Thanks Jim, that looks very comprehensive and I will refer to it when I get around to that job

[Mandrake]

I quickly tried it on the front spheres - I was able to loosen them without any trouble even with pressure still in the suspension. The handle could possibly be a bit longer for rear spheres so I think I'll go grab a piece of tubing to slip over the handle for extra leverage in case I need it. Feeling a lot more confident of success this time.

So, weather permitting tomorrow is D-Day for the sphere change.

I've actually already done the two front strut spheres during the week after work as they're easy to do - the only snag I ran into which I wasn't expecting and didn't notice until I was actually screwing the sphere on was that there was a spurious weld spot right at the edge of the flat face of the sphere making it impossible to screw the sphere on all the way A couple of hits with a hammer and cold chisel soon got rid of that bump though.

I managed to find a tube to extend the handle length of the sphere tool in case I need it for the rear spheres - actually just a long reach spark plug socket from Halfords that nicely fits over the end of the handle extending the total length to nearly half a metre. Should be enough leverage I think.

One thing that I'm a bit worried about though is the anti-sink sphere. I didn't really think about this until now but the tube nuts on the height corrector feed pipes are so badly rusted that I doubt that I could ever successfully undo them without just rounding them off, well, if the height corrector ones are like that, the pipe into the anti-sink sphere is very likely in the same condition and will just round off the nut if I try to undo it

How would you guys who are used to rusty pipes deal with this ? I don't have anything like a pair of vice grips as a backup in case the hex on the nut is unusable, and I'm now seriously thinking about leaving the anti-sink sphere for now until I have something that is likely to be able to undo a rusted tube nut...

Any thoughts anyone ?

[addo]

I'd buy a new short pipe to feed that sphere, and focus on cleanly removing the old one from its union.

[Mandrake]

I'd buy a new short pipe to feed that sphere, and focus on cleanly removing the old one from its union.

Good idea. I forgot its quite a short pipe. I'll have a close look at the condition of the nut tomorrow, but if it looks even slightly dodgy I'll leave the anti-sink sphere alone for now so I don't disable the car... Is that pipe a stealer only part or is there a good second source ?

[addo]

It's about EUR10, without tax. Shouldn't be too exxy for you. Diameter 4.5, length nominally 540mm.

[RichardW]

540mm it is adam. Part No 5270C6 - £13.38 inc VAT. Otherwise, give Martin a call at Plaeides and he will make you one up. There's also a Cit independent in Rutherglen that should be able to make pipes.

I've got flare spanners if you need to borrow (although would need to check I've got a 9mm one...). get plenty of Plus Gas on it first!

[DickieG]

Use a flare nut/brake pipe spanner on the anti-sink union to start with or if you can remove the union at the other end a ring spanner on it to give you the best chance before it rounds off.

[Mandrake]

Thanks guys, I think I'll play it safe with the anti-sink sphere. I've got no money left this month to spend on cars after buying and insuring the car, buying parts and tools etc... so I'll leave the anti-sink sphere change for next month and buy a replacement pipe for it then as a precaution, (£13 isn't really that much in the grand scheme of things) which will allow me to do whatever is necessary to get the old one off and then fit the new pipe with the new sphere. I'd really rather do that than run the risk of disabling the car. The main thing is to get 3 punctured rear suspension spheres changed...