xantia suspension replacement, done but have a question

a4gom · Post by **a4gom** » 07 May 2007, 11:33

After a bit of thought, searching and reading we attacked my dads 1.9td xantia estate yesterday and replaced the 4 corner spheres. I thought we had followed all the instructions about depresurising the system so was quite surprised just how much fluid we lost when removing the old spheres, all the searches and reading seemed to imply a little loss but we are talking litres not a dribble.

Is this right? did we do something wrong?

Its done now so this is for future ref / others info.

P.s. after 1/2 hour messing with a strap wrench and tapometer to remove the rears I made a removal tool from an old 1"square desk leg and a bit of 8mm threaded bar and couldn't believe how easy the came off.

Stewart(oily) · Post by **Stewart(oily)** » 07 May 2007, 11:57

If the spheres are totally shot and the diaphragms punctured then a lot of LHM can come squirting out, was the car sitting on its bump stops? or was there some height (hence LHM)
Stewart

DickieG · Post by **DickieG** » 07 May 2007, 11:58

If a spheres membrane has ruptured then they'll be a fair degree of spillage as a result of LHM fluid now being held within the sphere which is retained under pressure for some time due to the time it takes for the fluid to exit the sphere via the small damper hole.

However when this happens you usually get advance warning of it as you unscrew the sphere by way of the sphere still feeling tight after the seal has been broken. Normally once you break the seal they unscrew easily.

Post by **Peter.N.** » 07 May 2007, 13:52

Did you have the suspension on its lowest setting? Usually this will depressurise the system by itself.

a4gom · Post by **a4gom** » 08 May 2007, 09:14

Thanks for the replies, I'm pretty sure it was sat at its lowest point, it was left running for 5 mins before hand to make sure.
I guess the spheres were gone then and the fluid was coming from them.

Made a nice mess of my tarmac drive

Thanks again

Xaccers · Post by **Xaccers** » 08 May 2007, 09:31

You don't just set it to low to depresurise, you have to undo the pressure release bolt by the accumulator a little bit until it stops whistling/farting.

Citrojim, TehAgent and I found some newish looking spheres on a xantia at the scrappy yesterday, unfortunately the system was still under pressure so we had to leave them be, and not enough engine left to run the hp to depressurise the system

steelcityuk · Post by **steelcityuk** » 08 May 2007, 10:45

I always put a empty cat litter tray below when changing spheres, as you've found a punctured membrane leads to nearly half a litre of LHM lost.

Steve.

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » 08 May 2007, 10:58

If you set the height corrector to low you depressurise the suspension and return the LHM to the reservoir. Undoing the pressure relief screw on the regulator will depressurise the accumulator which is a handy safety precaution.

Of course anti-sink will cause further complications.

a4gom · Post by **a4gom** » 08 May 2007, 11:22

You don't just set it to low to depresurise, you have to undo the pressure release bolt by the accumulator a little bit until it stops whistling/farting.

yep did that, thw whistling noise didn't last long though.

mmmm, cat litter if only I had known I would have mave some provision.

Xaccers · Post by **Xaccers** » 08 May 2007, 11:22

From what I've read, with the engine running the anti-sink valves stay open and so allow the lhm to return to the resevoir.
On both of mine, if you switch the car off and set the height to low, it won't drop unless the pump is running.

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » 08 May 2007, 11:51

Yes - was forgetting about anti-sink.

Have edited previous post.