Accumulator noise

[kiwifrog]

Took the Xantia for its WOF today ( NZ equivalent to an MOT ) thinking it would fail as it has a very small LHM leak and the accumulator noise , all he commented on was that it rode very firm for one of these , he said they're normally a very comfortable ride. Does anyone know where I can get the little pipe seals for the unions on the accumulator as thats where its weeping ?

[Mandrake]

If you mean the green seals you push over the pipe ends, if you can't get hold of any right away there is a trick you can use to reuse the old one for a while.

Remove the old seal taking careful note of which way it came out and you'll notice that one end probably has impressions of the thread embedded on the rubber. Use a small knife to snip off and tidy up any "slivers" of rubber that will inevitably be hanging off it, then refit the seal the other way around to what it originally was.

When you refit it you push the seal onto the pipe end until it touches against the flare on the pipe (the pipe should stick out a few mm past the seal) then insert the pipe into the hole. Don't put the seal into the hole and then try to push the pipe through it.

Make sure the system is fully depressurised before removing the pipe.

Now for a small confession - I've never in 20 years of owning Citroen's replaced a pipe seal with a new one. I've always re-used the old ones and turned them around if they are worn and never had a leak...

(PS say hello to NZ for me - Whangarei expat here )

Edit: Just remembered that some versions of the pressure regulator use a type of metal to metal seal without any rubber seal. If those are leaking its usually because there is either some grit between the metal faces or it has been under or over tightened or the pipe was not correctly angled into the hole at right angles before tightening.

Usually removing the pipe, cleaning the pipe end and the hole with some kitchen roll to remove any dirt or grit then refitting it making sure that the pipe is bent so that it is at right angles and under no stress when it meets the bottom of the hole and is tightened the correct amount will fix the leak.

[kiwifrog]

Im from the Mainland lol, Christchurch. I tried to prise out the old seal but its pretty well stuck in there, dosnt look like its green either

[Mandrake]

If the seal is still in the hole you need a small pair of tweezers, preferably with ribbed tips to grip the seal to pull it out. Or another tool I used to use was a dental probe which had a small right angle at the end about 2mm long - that was enough to go down inside the seal then hook it out from behind.

[Hell Razor5543]

It is not uncommon for LHM pipe seals to be black with a green stripe down the side.

[xantia_v6]

As others have said, the old seal will come out if pulled from behind, and can usually be refused. I have seen them in black with no green markings, so don't be too concerned.

By the way... I am from Christchurch, but have been living mostly in Europe. This year have lived in Christchurch, Beaune (France), and Malta. We will be back in Christchurch later this year, but I don't own a Citroen there.