I have bought 2 spheres from andyspares & they came with 2 large 'O' rings in a bag. The sphere I have just taken off had NO 'O' ring on it
When I attempted to fit the 'O' ring to the new sphere it was very loose & so it just bunched up when tightened between the two faces.
So am I correct to assume that not ALL Xantias rely on 'O'rings as mine had none?
Also on the same subject my car has anti sink valves so I lowered it & let it tickover for a couple of mins. this worked a there was no explosion of lhm when I unscrewed the sphere but no air came out when i loosened the bleed valve behind the rad either. I unscrewed it slowly until fluid started to seep past the threads then tightened it up again. Should it have hissed or is no air just the sign of a healthy system?
For info it's a 1997 1.9td sx with 100,000 on the clock.
Xantia sphere replacement
Moderator: RichardW
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pete woods
- Posts: 90
- Joined: 10 Dec 2002, 23:58
- Location: United Kingdom
- My Cars:
With regards to the O rings, when removing the spheres, they usually.
a) Come off with the sphere ( on the thread )
b) Stay in the hydraulic cylinder
c) Fall on the floor.
Check that it hasn't disintegrated and it say in the cylinder where the sphere screws in, and check it's not still there.
Regarding putting the sphere back on, I find that you smear some LHM on the O Ring, and gently but firmly put the ring into the edge of the cylinder - not on the sphere itself.
Put the sphere in gently, and the ring will stay put. This way, you reduce the possibility of damaging the seal.
O <- o =()
Cyl seal sphere
a) Come off with the sphere ( on the thread )
b) Stay in the hydraulic cylinder
c) Fall on the floor.
Check that it hasn't disintegrated and it say in the cylinder where the sphere screws in, and check it's not still there.
Regarding putting the sphere back on, I find that you smear some LHM on the O Ring, and gently but firmly put the ring into the edge of the cylinder - not on the sphere itself.
Put the sphere in gently, and the ring will stay put. This way, you reduce the possibility of damaging the seal.
O <- o =()
Cyl seal sphere
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Dave Burns
- Posts: 1915
- Joined: 14 May 2001, 05:30
- Location: United Kingdom
- My Cars:
- x 2
There IS a seal, it is on the cylinder, without it LHM will leak out big style.
Fit the new seal to the cylinder NOT THE SPHERE after prizing the old one out and cleaning its seating.
The hissing noise is not made by air, it is made by high pressure LHM being forced through the tiny gap as the pressure release screw is loosened, though if there are any air bubles present they also can be heard as the make a kind of poping sound when they emerge.
Try it again when you repressurise the system, no hissing or very little is indicative of a flat accumulator sphere.
Dave
Fit the new seal to the cylinder NOT THE SPHERE after prizing the old one out and cleaning its seating.
The hissing noise is not made by air, it is made by high pressure LHM being forced through the tiny gap as the pressure release screw is loosened, though if there are any air bubles present they also can be heard as the make a kind of poping sound when they emerge.
Try it again when you repressurise the system, no hissing or very little is indicative of a flat accumulator sphere.
Dave
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pete woods
- Posts: 90
- Joined: 10 Dec 2002, 23:58
- Location: United Kingdom
- My Cars:
Thanks guy's I've just been down & checked again. The existing o ring was a square section one recessed into the face of the mounting so I'd missed it.I have replaced it with the round one from Andyspares. But have I replaced the wrong spheres? How can i test the center one? If the old ones were ok could i use one of them in place of the center one?
I swear it's only this forum that makes keeping the bloody thing viable. I've spent more time working on it in the 6 weeks since i bought it than I have had to spend on any car, Citroens included. in the last 10 years!!!!
And the poxy thing still takes ages to start when it's been standing!!
I swear it's only this forum that makes keeping the bloody thing viable. I've spent more time working on it in the 6 weeks since i bought it than I have had to spend on any car, Citroens included. in the last 10 years!!!!
And the poxy thing still takes ages to start when it's been standing!!
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Dave Burns
- Posts: 1915
- Joined: 14 May 2001, 05:30
- Location: United Kingdom
- My Cars:
- x 2
If the antisink sphere is very low in pressure the car will sink at the rear when the engine is started, after its been stood overnight or sooner depending on the state of things hydraulic.
If the sphere is either totaly shot and full of oil, or in tip top condition, then the cars rear wont sink when started.
I'm not aware of any worthwile test that can reveal its true condition while still fitted to the car, and no you can't swop it for a suspension sphere, different pressure and method of fitting are the reasons why.
My 1.9 TD has just turned 102 and springs to life instantly in any temperature, I'm sure yours would too, you just need to nail the problem, by now there should be enough info on this site to give anyone with a mechanical aptitude a good head start at getting it sorted.
Good luck.
Dave
If the sphere is either totaly shot and full of oil, or in tip top condition, then the cars rear wont sink when started.
I'm not aware of any worthwile test that can reveal its true condition while still fitted to the car, and no you can't swop it for a suspension sphere, different pressure and method of fitting are the reasons why.
My 1.9 TD has just turned 102 and springs to life instantly in any temperature, I'm sure yours would too, you just need to nail the problem, by now there should be enough info on this site to give anyone with a mechanical aptitude a good head start at getting it sorted.
Good luck.
Dave
Dave, try my method. In the theory, it should work.
After turning the engine off, sit on the rear bumper, and measure how much it dive under your weight. Than, try the same thing after several hours, when anti-sink valves close. There shoud be some difference (less dive, as anti-sink sphere is disconnected), telling about the condition of the anti-sink sphere.
Hope it works.
Alex
After turning the engine off, sit on the rear bumper, and measure how much it dive under your weight. Than, try the same thing after several hours, when anti-sink valves close. There shoud be some difference (less dive, as anti-sink sphere is disconnected), telling about the condition of the anti-sink sphere.
Hope it works.
Alex