On a 1998 1.9 TD with air-con is it possible to swap the sphere without any prior dismantling. It looks a little crowded.
Cheers
Mark
xantia accumulator sphere
Moderator: RichardW
Mark,
If you mean the one at the front of the engine, then yes it is OK. Having recently done this for the first time myself on a 97 1.9TD with AC I know what you mean. Here's my suggestions. Drop the under shield (the sphere will not come out otherwise...... trust me I tried!). I used a large jubilee clip threaded into a piece of old bike inner tube as a removal tool. I drove the car onto ramps, stopped it from rolling off by parking a second car behind (overkill maybe but better safe than etc etc). Dropped it to low setting with the engine running, depressurised the system, then fitted the jubilee clip around the circumference of the sphere from underneath with the screw bit on the side nearest the front of the car ( I seem to remember, not having the car in front of me I can't remember which way the sphere points, left or right. Anyway the idea is to have the screw bit at the 3 o'clock position Clear?).
Tighten the clip as hard as possible, the inner tube ensures that the clip grips. Then use a screwdriver inserted in the screw of the clip as a punch and hit with a hammer until the sphere comes undone.
'Reassembly is a reverse of disassembly' (Always wondered about how you reverse hitting with a hammer?.... but I digress)
As I said I've done this once and mine came off easily. I've no idea if sometimes they are a pig to do.
Cheers
Duncan
If you mean the one at the front of the engine, then yes it is OK. Having recently done this for the first time myself on a 97 1.9TD with AC I know what you mean. Here's my suggestions. Drop the under shield (the sphere will not come out otherwise...... trust me I tried!). I used a large jubilee clip threaded into a piece of old bike inner tube as a removal tool. I drove the car onto ramps, stopped it from rolling off by parking a second car behind (overkill maybe but better safe than etc etc). Dropped it to low setting with the engine running, depressurised the system, then fitted the jubilee clip around the circumference of the sphere from underneath with the screw bit on the side nearest the front of the car ( I seem to remember, not having the car in front of me I can't remember which way the sphere points, left or right. Anyway the idea is to have the screw bit at the 3 o'clock position Clear?).
Tighten the clip as hard as possible, the inner tube ensures that the clip grips. Then use a screwdriver inserted in the screw of the clip as a punch and hit with a hammer until the sphere comes undone.
'Reassembly is a reverse of disassembly' (Always wondered about how you reverse hitting with a hammer?.... but I digress)
As I said I've done this once and mine came off easily. I've no idea if sometimes they are a pig to do.
Cheers
Duncan
I undid the bracket that holds the little pipe that loops under the sphere and this gives you enough room to use the removal tool without risking hitting an immovable pipe. Mine was on there pretty tight and I had to brace myself against the car ramps and heave - hence the reason for wanting the pipe free and flexible. In general it's a pretty easy job, you just have to be careful if you need to use lots of force that it doesn't get misdirected!