Xantia Accumalator Removal

hamster · Post by **hamster** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 12:20 am

I've done most of the little jobs I've got to do on my new Xantia but one I'm having real problems with is changing my acculator sphere.
I've depresurised the system by turning the depressurising screw one complete turn and heard the pressure being released.
I tried with my old cheap chain wrench yeasterday and couldn't budge it so went out today and bought a decent strap wrench and chain wrench from machine mart. It still won't budge. I've tried shifting it that hard my arms have been pumping all night from pulling so hard on the wrench!! I had a 24" torque wrench on the strap wrench for leverage but still couldn't shift it.
I checked the system was depressurised by lossening off the front strut spheres and could almost do this by hand.
What am I doing wrong? Taking the car in to the dealers tomorrow to get the remote reprogramed and am tempted to get them to do the acculator while I'm there.

Way2go · Post by **Way2go** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 1:15 am

Hammer & Chisel!

Apply the chisel at an angle on the weld at the centre of the sphere in the direction of undoing and whack the chisel with a club hammer. It will undo a treat with 1 or 3 smacks!

CitroXim · Post by **CitroXim** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 8:00 am

Don't use a hammer and chisel

The risk of damage is just too great, especially on an accumulator.

If you are in the Xantia game long-term, go to Pleiades and buy their tool

That tool is guaranteed to remove any sphere, however tight!

Alternatively, get a length of square 1" box-section steel and a length of studding and make up a tool. Form the studding into a hoop of the sphere diamater, drill two holes in the box-section and clamp this lot onto the sphere. That'll do the trick.

Chain and strap wrenches have too much "give" in them to work well. The secret is to get a very tight clamp onto the sphere.

Another trick: Have the end of the removal tool so positioned that you can give it a sharp shove from your boot

Dickieg · Post by **Dickieg** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 8:07 am

I'm with Jim on this one, whereabouts are you? You may have someone near you that has the correct tools, I'm near M25 J15/16 M40 J1.

citronut · Post by **citronut** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 8:16 am

usualy what happens is the chain snags up on the ledge on the cranck case, so it appears the sphere is stuck fast,try alltering the angle of the chain so it it at a slight diaganol on the sphere
regards malcolm

hamster · Post by **hamster** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 2:34 pm

Dickieg - I am in southampton if there is any body round here with a suitable tool.

Just been on the Pleiades website but don't seen to be able to get on their online shop.

I tried the chain wrench from different angles as I could see it catching on the crank case while looking from below. With the strap wrench I used my torque wrench on one end and ratchet spanner on the other end to keep the strap tight while I moved the torque wrench back to get another pull.

Went to citroen this morning to get my remote plip reprogrammed. They wanted best part of £65 to do the shpere even though I already had one so determined to do it myself.

Take it hammering a big screw driver through it to pull on as I've done with tight oil filters in the past would be the wrong thing to do!!

hamster · Post by **hamster** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 2:35 pm

Dickieg - I am in southampton if there is any body round here with a suitable tool.

Just been on the Pleiades website but don't seen to be able to get on their online shop.

I tried the chain wrench from different angles as I could see it catching on the crank case while looking from below. With the strap wrench I used my torque wrench on one end and ratchet spanner on the other end to keep the strap tight while I moved the torque wrench back to get another pull.

Went to citroen this morning to get my remote plip reprogrammed. They wanted best part of £65 to do the shpere even though I already had one so determined to do it myself.

Take it hammering a big screw driver through it to pull on as I've done with tight oil filters in the past would be the wrong thing to do!!

Way2go · Post by **Way2go** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 6:06 pm

citrojim wrote: Don't use a hammer and chisel The risk of damage is just too great, especially on an accumulator.

If you are in the Xantia game long-term, go to Pleiades and buy their tool That tool is guaranteed to remove any sphere, however tight!

Alternatively, get a length of square 1" box-section steel and a length of studding and make up a tool. Form the studding into a hoop of the sphere diamater, drill two holes in the box-section and clamp this lot onto the sphere. That'll do the trick.

Chain and strap wrenches have too much "give" in them to work well. The secret is to get a very tight clamp onto the sphere.

Another trick: Have the end of the removal tool so positioned that you can give it a sharp shove from your boot

To each, their own.

Hammer & Chisel for accumulator was recommended to me by Citroen UK trained Mechanic who branched out into his own independent business. He is also a guy who has given good & trustworthy advice in a few other sticky situations.

He would not have advocated a high risk procedure as I also use him for repairs that I do not wish to undertake myself.

In short, it worked for me and I would have no hesitation in using the technique in the future.

MikeT · Post by **MikeT** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 7:30 pm

hamster wrote:Dickieg - I am in southampton

We recently changed my accumulator using a strap wrench with relative ease. If you're in the Christchurch area I'd be happy to give it a go. One tip I was told was to wrap some duck/gaffa/elephant/carpet tape around the item first to give the wrench more grip but that wasn't needed in my case, just brute force and perseverance.

I don't know what damage using a hammer chisel would do but if it's only a risk to the accu and you're going to dispose of the old one, it may be worth a go. I think you need to be sure it'll come off before you start hacking though.

I had a similar problem with an oil filter and managed to rotate it enough using a hammer and screwdriver.

Dickieg · Post by **Dickieg** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 7:32 pm

hamster wrote:Dickieg - I am in southampton if there is any body round here with a suitable tool.

I can't answer that personally

hamster wrote:Take it hammering a big screw driver through it to pull on as I've done with tight oil filters in the past would be the wrong thing to do!!

Well that should provide entertainment, let me know when you do it and I'll watch from a very long distance firstly for the bent screwdrivers, then I'll volunteer to call the ambulance for you

Way2go · Post by **Way2go** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 8:12 pm

MikeT wrote: I don't know what damage using a hammer chisel would do .

A small mark in the weld! Those spheres are NOT oil filter thin so you are not going to punch through and anyway you are striking tangentially on the proud weld.

To get a screwdriver in (NOT RECOMMENDED) you would need to drill it first and then I bet you would bend or break the screwdriver when levering. Also any release of gas is likely to blow the swarf across your hands/face.

CitroXim · Post by **CitroXim** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 9:39 pm

With regard to damage, I was thinking in terms of a chisel going through the rad or damaging the pressure regulator block, not to the actual sphere..

A slipped hammer or chisel can wreak havoc in my experience

Personally, I'm of the school of gently does it. I'm not a professional mechanic so I always err on the side of care although I can well understand the use of methods by you proferssionals that to hobbyists seem a bit violent and may carry risks when employed by amatuers.

ellevie · Post by **ellevie** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 2:30 pm

Have you considered this tool ?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CITROEN-BX-CX-XAN ... dZViewItem

Brian · Post by **Brian** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 5:39 pm

I made these some time ago now out of scrap, and have never failed yet!!!.