Thregwort wrote:
Thank you for all your input. One niggling question remains: as the Xantia was the last Cit to use the re-chargeable sphere based system, why would Citroën go to the trouble and re-tooling expense of making a design change - at the end of the production line - to the internal screw thread area of the spheres, if it had absolutely no effect on anything?
They didn't. GSF sell Amtex spheres which are compatible but not identical as citroen spheres, for instance they only have one membrane in them whereas citroen have spheres with 3.
If you look up inside the sphere socket in the strut top, you'll see there is no actual mating surface for the end of the sphere with a hole in it, it just creates a sealed chamber where the LHM pushes up against the end of the sphere into the hole compressing the nitrogen "balloon" inside. The hole also contains dampner discs on the corner sphers but not the other spheres. Also they're regassed via the plug in the other end of the sphere.
If memory serves, C5 spheres will even fit a Xantia, as several people have had the C5 saucer type sphers fitted.
Thregwort wrote:
Just as a post-script, I've uploaded a close-up of the current screw-end redesign - also if you compare the two you can see that the surround to the nipple is now a one piece disc rather than split on the old design.
http://s880.photobucket.com/albums/ac10/thregwort/
Of concern is the apparent difference in holes in them, your old ones appear to have much larger holes than the new.
The difference is hydractive and non-hydractive, and you don't want to get them mixed up.
LX and SX models were non-hydractive, with small pipes going to the front strut tops and only 6 spheres (5 if it's an old sinker)
VSX and Exclusive were hydractive, with large pipes going to the front strut tops and 8 spheres.
Activas are hydractive but also have two extra spheres to control lean.
Make certain you're getting the right spheres as I once sent my dad to pick some up, he was asked if the car was hydractive, presumed they meant hydraulic and said yes.
How green is the LHM that dribbles out of the strut top sockets when you removed the sphere?
Also, with your engine idling and height set to normal, how long is there between ticks/clicks from the regulator at the front of the engine?
Anything less than 30 seconds suggests you need to replace your front accumulator sphere, and with that it normally means it's time for a rear accumulator change (known as the anti-sink sphere).
Also look around the pump where the metal feed pipe comes out of the larger nut. By now the o-ring under it has gotten old and often leaky, they're peanuts to replace, you'll need 2, one for the nut with the pipe and one for the blanking version further round the pump. The torx ones don't seem to leak.
) fitted and it leaked like a sieve
