Going Up

[Skipweasel]

At some point I need to replace the accumulator sphere on my N-reg Xantia 'cos the valve's ticking every few seconds now. Haynes shows two methods of depressurising the system, according to whether you have anti-sink or not.

 

Now - I would expect to be able to tell easily whether my car sinks or not when the engine's off, but I can't. What it actually does it go up at the back and down at the front over several hours until I start the engine when it groans for a split second then squats down at the rear and comes up at the front.

 

So - what's going on and is there another way to tell whether I have anti-sink?

 

Thanks - Skipweasel.

[Guest black-fingernail]

One sneaky way of getting round this is to set ride height to maximum, blocks under chassis and set height to minimum. This persuades the system that it needs less pressure in the suspension and it will lose pressure. Operate the brake pedal and steering lots of times and all pressure should disappear IF you have the earlier system. The primeval method is to simply crack off the relevant sphere about a quarter turn, wrap rags and unwind until the `O` ring fails - it isn`t usually fitted to the reservoir sphere in my experience. Expect about a litre of fluid and position a builder`s plastic tuff spot accordingly.A useful strap tool to shift spheres without marking them can be made from heavy steel tube e.g. scaffold tube with a slot about three inches long cut into it and a loop of spare seat belt, tied into a loop big enough to go around the sphere and a couple of times round the tube. Pop the knot down the tube with the belt coming out of the slot. Take slack out by hand, add pipe wrench for power - or weld an old socket to the end for convenience. A couple of times in the past I have helped to break driveable Xantias and depressurised them with bolt cutters across the pipes, very spectactular! There is a lot of dangerous pressure there, read the book carefully and allow it to release pressure for several hours at least, overnight preferable. Oh yeh! if the spheres stick and do not wish to turn, clean round the seal, add spray grease and release a little frustration with a large rubber mallet, from all sides if possible. This should `shock` the stuck part of the joint free.

If you really need to know, ask a dealer, or two, the Haynes manual is not the easiest source of info. on this subject. A friendly mechanic gave me the tip that all spheres need to be `cracked off` the first quarter turn - or a little less! - with the suspension under load or it rotates and damages pipework. So when you get there..

Change the fluid regularly! It saves an awful lot of money in the long run....

[i rose]

At some point I need to replace the accumulator sphere on my N-reg Xantia 'cos the valve's ticking every few seconds now. Haynes shows two methods of depressurising the system, according to whether you have anti-sink or not.

 

Now - I would expect to be able to tell easily whether my car sinks or not when the engine's off, but I can't. What it actually does it go up at the back and down at the front over several hours until I start the engine when it groans for a split second then squats down at the rear and comes up at the front.

 

So - what's going on and is there another way to tell whether I have anti-sink?

 

Thanks - Skipweasel.

[i rose]

At some point I need to replace the accumulator sphere on my N-reg Xantia 'cos the valve's ticking every few seconds now. Haynes shows two methods of depressurising the system, according to whether you have anti-sink or not.

 

Now - I would expect to be able to tell easily whether my car sinks or not when the engine's off, but I can't. What it actually does it go up at the back and down at the front over several hours until I start the engine when it groans for a split second then squats down at the rear and comes up at the front.

 

So - what's going on and is there another way to tell whether I have anti-sink?

 

Thanks - Skipweasel.