Leaking accumulator

[kiwifrog]

This is showing a LMH leak from the accumulator assembly on my 93 xantia sinker, it appears to be coming from behind the arrowed plate, is there supposed to be an O ring or gasket behind the plate ?http://i329.photobucket.com/albums/l386 ... C02083.jpg

[kiwifrog]

Bit of brain fade LEAK not LEEK . Heres another pic with the cover removed.

[CitroJim]

Yes, there is a big O Ring under there but replacing it is a bit of a specialist job as there's a C clip to remove and a big, hairy spring behind it...

Deanxm of this parish has written up how to do it in your own workshop. A search should reveal the thread or if can't be found on here have a look for it on club-xm.co.uk...

[xantia_v6]

Bit of brain fade LEAK not LEEK .

You can change the topic title if you go to the first post, click the edit button, then change the title there.

[Deanxm]

I'm out and about at the mo, I do have a how to on the operation I think, somewhere, I will dig it out tonight as a picture is as good as a thousand words and all that, its not a bad job if you mildly proficient with the spanners iirc

Thanks
D

[RichardW]

Piccies and words in this thread: http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... hp?t=33397

[kiwifrog]

Thought I would try to do the O ring without removing the reg from the car. Used a large F clamp to compress the end cap, got it all apart and replaced the O ring but managed to damage the O ring getting it back in, I think it got hung up in the cir-clip groove . So after work I removed the reg from the car and did it properly, my vice was only just big enough but got it all done. Thinking about the support bracket on the end of the reg and how AndersDK mentioned how its possibly the cause of premature leakage, Im going to have a look at redesigning the bracket so it attaches to the reg body and not to end cap......

[CitroJim]

Good work sir Well done!

V6s suffer from early leakage from where yours did and we always put that down to the extra heat in the V6 engine bay close to the regulator...

[xantia_v6]

...how its possibly the cause of premature leakage, Im going to have a look at redesigning the bracket ......

If failure after 23 years is premature, then how do you think C5 X7 owners feel when their steering racks are leaking after 2 or 3 years?

I think the real problem is that citroedn generally used nitrile O-rings, which do harden with heat and time. Replace with Viton O-rings and they should outlast you.

[kiwifrog]

CIMG3065 by Deanxm, on Flickr
I noticed in this pic the big spring is a double set , mine is only a single.

[CitroJim]

The springs set the pressure and how many depends on calibration so nothing to worry about....